A7r, A7r2 - and why I'm keeping both ...

[k-hawinkler]

El Parasol

Sony ILCE-9 + Zeiss Sonnar T* FE 55 mm F1.8 ZA (SEL55F18Z) @ ISO 100, FOCAL LENGTH 55.0 mm, APERTURE f/5.6, EXPOSURE TIME 0.008s (1/125)

Sony ILCE-9 + Zeiss Sonnar T* FE 55 mm F1.8 ZA (SEL55F18Z) @ ISO 125, FOCAL LENGTH 55.0 mm, APERTURE f/5.6, EXPOSURE TIME 0.01667s (1/60)

Sony ILCE-9 + Zeiss Sonnar T* FE 55 mm F1.8 ZA (SEL55F18Z) @ ISO 200, FOCAL LENGTH 55.0 mm, APERTURE f/5.6, EXPOSURE TIME 0.01667s (1/60)

 

[k-hawinkler]

BTW, of course if you say Christmas you get Red and Green Chile. :thumbs:

 

[k-hawinkler]

Spotted Towhee

Sony ILCE-9 + FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS + 2X Teleconverter @ ISO 2500, FOCAL LENGTH 800.0 mm, APERTURE f/11, EXPOSURE TIME 0.001s (1/1000)

 

[camping]

Some ideas on feeding wild birds from BBC.

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-43349781

Paul

 

[k-hawinkler]

Riding out the Storm

Sony ILCE-9 + FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS + 2X Teleconverter @ ISO 2000, FOCAL LENGTH 800.0 mm, APERTURE f/11, EXPOSURE TIME 0.00156s (1/640)

 

[k-hawinkler]

Northern Flicker

Sony ILCE-9 + FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS + 2X Teleconverter @ ISO 2000, FOCAL LENGTH 800.0 mm, APERTURE f/11, EXPOSURE TIME 0.00156s (1/640)

 

[k-hawinkler]

Sony interview: 'If cameras are going to develop, manufacturers have to develop mirrorless technologies'

Published Mar 16, 2018 | Barney Britton

https://www.dpreview.com/interviews...orless-technologies?ref_=pe_1674010_132618830

Quote:
”
Last year we launched the a9 and some sports photographers are already using the a9, for example at the Olympics, but one of the most important lenses for sports photographers is the 400mm F2.8. The weight is very light. Usually sports photographers use monopods because the lenses are very heavy, but the weight of our 400mm F2.8 is very light, and you can use it handheld, which makes it easy to create different kinds of photographs. We already announced the development of this lens, and the launch is scheduled for this summer.
“
Yeah, he says the 400/2.8 is very light! :thumbs: :clap:
I hope light enough for me. Better start lifting weights now! :facesmack:

 

[Knorp]

Sony interview: 'If cameras are going to develop, manufacturers have to develop mirrorless technologies'

Published Mar 16, 2018 | Barney Britton

https://www.dpreview.com/interviews...orless-technologies?ref_=pe_1674010_132618830

Quote:
”
Last year we launched the a9 and some sports photographers are already using the a9, for example at the Olympics, but one of the most important lenses for sports photographers is the 400mm F2.8. The weight is very light. Usually sports photographers use monopods because the lenses are very heavy, but the weight of our 400mm F2.8 is very light, and you can use it handheld, which makes it easy to create different kinds of photographs. We already announced the development of this lens, and the launch is scheduled for this summer.
“
Yeah, he says the 400/2.8 is very light! :thumbs: :clap:
I hope light enough for me. Better start lifting weights now! :facesmack:

Yes, he did say "The weight is very light", but he didn't say "The price is very low" ... :facesmack:

 

[k-hawinkler]

Yes, he did say "The weight is very light", but he didn't say "The price is very low" ... :facesmack:

Well Bart, he can't because it won't! :banghead:

My guess, the FE 400/2.8 will probably become my only lens that will be more expensive than any of my darn expensive Leica lenses! :grin: :shocked: :facesmack:

Oh well. :watch:

 

[k-hawinkler]

Curve-billed Thrasher

Sony ILCE-9 + FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS + 2X Teleconverter @ ISO 3200, FOCAL LENGTH 800.0 mm, APERTURE f/11, EXPOSURE TIME 0.00156s (1/640)

 

[k-hawinkler]

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay

Sony ILCE-9 + FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS (SEL100400GM) @ ISO 1250, FOCAL LENGTH 400.0 mm, APERTURE f/5.6, EXPOSURE TIME 0.00031s (1/3200)

 

[doug]

Borrowing from the 'total immersion' method of learning a foreign language, I've been using the FE 100-400 GM almost exclusively for the last couple of months and I've noticed that:

• this lens produces exceptionally good image quality. Not quite as good as the Leica 280/4 APO but very nice
• I'm getting a lot of 'keepers'
• having a 400mm lens that can zoom back when the critter gets too close is very handy

About the first two observations... when the 280/4 APO is running on all 280 cylinders the results can be spectacular - but all sorts of things can conspire to keep me from its full potential. Lots more 'keepers' with the 100-400, but I have yet to see anything transcend the gap between excellent and spectacular. But I'm getting lots that are quite good.

Where this leaves me is wondering if my resources would be better allocated somewhere other than backup copies of the 280/4 APO. Decisions, decisions!

Meanwhile a couple of backyard birds from today

​

 

[k-hawinkler]

Well Doug thanks, it looks like you get the feel for the FE 100-400.
I certainly wouldn't want to be without it.
The Leica APO-R 280/4 is certainly special indeed!
But I think when everything comes together ... the FE 100-400 can excel.

Sony ILCE-9 + FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS (SEL100400GM) @ ISO 640, FOCAL LENGTH 400.0 mm, APERTURE f/5.6, EXPOSURE TIME 0.0004s (1/2500)

 

[k-hawinkler]

We had warm and sunny weather for several days.
This is a shot from two days ago.

In fact yesterday our Apricot tree was in full bloom. It's the tree in the left part of the following image, taken this afternoon.

So no Apricots this year. We still have hope that our Apple and Plum tree get more lucky with their blossoms. :grin:

More images from this afternoon.

Sony ILCE-9 + Zeiss Sonnar T* FE 55 mm F1.8 ZA (SEL55F18Z)

 

[k-hawinkler]

Bushtit

Sony ILCE-9 + FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS + 2X Teleconverter @ ISO 800, FOCAL LENGTH 800.0 mm, APERTURE f/11, EXPOSURE TIME 0.00156s (1/640)

 

[k-hawinkler]

White-Crowned Sparrow

Sony ILCE-9 + FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS + 2X Teleconverter @ ISO 1250, FOCAL LENGTH 800.0 mm, APERTURE f/11, EXPOSURE TIME 0.001s (1/1000)

 

[Knorp]

K-H, just an idea: what about posting a short video next time ...

 

[k-hawinkler]

K-H, just an idea: what about posting a short video next time ...

Well Bart, I did a lot of video when the E-M5.2 and E-M1.2 first came out. That's how I discovered that Lexar had a major bug in their memory cards, triggered by video recordings and the faster UHS-II speeds. That bug corrupted the memory card file system and wiped out all the images and videos already stored on it. Lexar eventually acknowledged the problem and fixed it. I sent in my memory cards and had them repaired.

Concerning video itself, video requires a different approach. Also, stuff happens so fast with these little creatures - birds, insects, etc. - that one often has to slow down the action to get interesting results. The Sony A9 does many frames per second with the electronic shutter, so images capture fast action automatically. So it's easy to capture incidentally interesting sequences.

Video requires a much more planned and less spontaneous process. I always used a tripod and anticipated the action in a specific location. Then I let my camera record video for close to half an hour and cut out the interesting sequences in post.

Here is such a video.

https://winklers.smugmug.com/KHW/Pics-by-Date/2016-06-12-a630028-13540-PZ-G/i-qmPNDtJ

 

[Knorp]

Well Bart, I did a lot of video when the E-M5.2 and E-M1.2 first came out. That's how I discovered that Lexar had a major bug in their memory cards, triggered by video recordings and the faster UHS-II speeds. That bug corrupted the memory card file system and wiped out all the images and videos already stored on it. Lexar eventually acknowledged the problem and fixed it. I sent in my memory cards and had them repaired.

Concerning video itself, video requires a different approach. Also, stuff happens so fast with these little creatures - birds, insects, etc. - that one often has to slow down the action to get interesting results. The Sony A9 does many frames per second with the electronic shutter, so images capture fast action automatically. So it's easy to capture incidentally interesting sequences.

Video requires a much more planned and less spontaneous process. I always used a tripod and anticipated the action in a specific location. Then I let my camera record video for close to half an hour and cut out the interesting sequences in post.

Here is such a video.

https://winklers.smugmug.com/KHW/Pics-by-Date/2016-06-12-a630028-13540-PZ-G/i-qmPNDtJ

Thanks, K-H. But what insect is chasing the hummingbird ?

 

[k-hawinkler]

Thanks, K-H. But what insect is chasing the hummingbird ?

Thanks Bart, some sort of native wasp.
Hummingbirds avoid all insects that can sting or eat them, like ants, bees, wasps, yellow jackets, ..., or praying mantises . :banghead: