Duck with 100mm macro

[EXA1a]

This Swan has been shot with my 300D (parameters: normal) and a Canon 100/2.8 macro (non-USM), manually focused.
This lens is simply amazing in sharpness. Look at the 100% crops straight out of the camera (no levels, no sharpening, no nothing!)
http://www.bidencap.de/Swan_e.jpg
http://www.bidencap.de/Swan_h.jpg

EXIF:
1/3200Sec
F5,6
ISO 400
100mm
manual focus

Here is the full pic with some postprocessing:
http://www.bidencap.de/Swan_a.jpg

Okay, it's just a duck picture and you see a grainy background...

--Jens--

[cmM]

I need that 100mm macro lens....

[robertwgross]

I think the image of a duck or a swan is burned into the firmware on most Canon cameras, and when it detects a new lens present, it puts up that image for you.

---Bob Gross---

[Scottes]

I think the image of a duck or a swan is burned into the firmware on most Canon cameras, and when it detects a new lens present, it puts up that image for you.

My 10D has a Goose button. I hear the Mark II has a Swan button.


Those are great photos though. I'm thinking that the 180 Macro will be my next lens. I'm even thinking of selling the 70-200 f/2.8 to get it, but that would be stupid.

[IanD]

I have a CF 3 & 4 set up for duck/goose-deer-and misc critters on my 10D. It requires a hack by a Russian Monk living on a mountain peak in Tibet but by George (Monks name) it works well.
:lol: :lol: :lol:

[ssim]

The 100 macro is an amazing lens and these are great shots.

I can hardly wait for some decent weather (we do live in Canada) so that there is something interesting to do macro work on.

[Loekito]

Have the 100mm f2.8 Macro USM also :D but don't have the duck yet :(

[eric1]

those are real nice EXA1a, 100mm you say? how close WERE you to
that swan? :shock:

eric1

[kb244]

those are real nice EXA1a, 100mm you say? how close WERE you to
that swan? :shock:

eric1

Well if he's a digital shooter, he's actually using somewhat of a 160mm.

[ron chappel]

I had some rather interesting experience with my 100 macro (non usm).
On film it was AMAZING :D :D :D :D :D .Somehow it would really show the edges and details that you wanted to see even on 3x5's and 4x6's !!It was SO sharp and ....PERFECT!!!

Onmy 300D it's not quite so fantastic-not on screen anyway.sure it has truckloads of resolution but it looks,well-just not as fantastic as it did on film.It's been getting repaired for awhile now (the normal stripped focus gear) but i'm keen to do more testing when it's back together

[martcol]

Excellent! Now my shopping (wish/dream) list just got bigger!

Martin

[EXA1a]

those are real nice EXA1a, 100mm you say? how close WERE you to
that swan? :shock:

eric1

I was some 5 feet away, I guess. The Swan then started attacking me and I pulled back...

--Jens--

[vvizard]

Hope that swan was a dead one ;) Getting attacked by a swan is not something you want to try to often I promise =) I was outside earlier today to photograph swans to, and the closest to one of them I got was about 3 metres. That was exactly when he started charging after me and beat "the'L" out of me (seriously, those wings can break a man's bones if they strike you with them). I just ran away when I understood he was about to attack me. Not going anywhere near him and his family again until I bring with some bread or a hotdog to bribe them with :)

I've been attacked by swans before as a kid, and by all means, I will try to avoid experiencing that once more =D

[roanjohn]

When Swan's Attack!!!

Sounds like something you'll see in Fox.

Such lovely creatures, its surprising they can be so viscious.

Ro1

[vvizard]

Normally they're quite nice to be around as long as you stay quit and try not making noises or in other ways interrupt them in what they're doing (eating usually =)). But if there's the swan-male with lady and possible "kids" to go, always be ready to back out fast, as the male can be very "protective". Here's a shot I took last autumn of a swan, about a second before he crawled out of the water and started running after me =)

http://www.foto.no/cgi-bin/bildekritikk/fullscreen.cgi?bilde=/bildekritikk/images/v_16838.jpg&x=600&y=581&bg=000000&id=92830

[NILOLIGIST]

Hi Scottes,

I just bought the 180mm L and I would love to have the 70-200 L IS 2.8 is that the lens you are looking to sell?

How much are you asking for it, perhaps we could do a trade with cash. Let me know.

NiL,

[KBMphotography.com]

I agree.... the 70-200mm F2.8L IS is MADE for ducks and swans!!

http://www.pbase.com/image/24538070.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/image/24984641.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/image/24538101/original.jpg

(Click on the swan for a 1300 pixels 1/3 size)

[Scottes]

I just bought the 180mm L and I would love to have the 70-200 L IS 2.8 is that the lens you are looking to sell?

How much are you asking for it, perhaps we could do a trade with cash. Let me know.

Sorry, NiL, but there's a voice in my head that tells me that I'd be a fool to part with the 70-200 f/2.8. I think I've just been shooting a lot of macro lately. I don't even think that the 70-200 has a hundred images on it - I'm just itching for macro.

[sp00g3]

Hate to be a Devils Advocate but,

Canon 100/2.8 macro seems to have some massive CA. I noticed on the reflection of the sun on the ducks eyes. Correct me if I'm wrong?

[NILOLIGIST]

Scottes,

Scratch that itch!!! You need it!! LOL...You are going to love the 180mm.

NiL,

[Scottes]

Hate to be a Devils Advocate but,

Canon 100/2.8 macro seems to have some massive CA. I noticed on the reflection of the sun on the ducks eyes. Correct me if I'm wrong?

Do you mean the first image, the swan? Could be CA, but I'd lean more towards a black eye reflecting a lot of light, which can look purplish. I don't consider that spot "massive CA" but I also wouldn't expect much CA from a Canon 100 Macro.

[Scottes]

EXIF:
1/3200Sec
F5,6
ISO 400
100mm
manual focus


Why would you shoot ISO 400 at 1/3200? ISO 100 at 1/800 would surely be sufficient to capture an image like this!

However, I am impressed that the crop is this clean at ISO 400....

[sp00g3]

Hate to be a Devils Advocate but,

Canon 100/2.8 macro seems to have some massive CA. I noticed on the reflection of the sun on the ducks eyes. Correct me if I'm wrong?

Do you mean the first image, the swan? Could be CA, but I'd lean more towards a black eye reflecting a lot of light, which can look purplish. I don't consider that spot "massive CA" but I also wouldn't expect much CA from a Canon 100 Macro.

For a Canon Lense.. Thas quite a bit. But hey.. Its not L.. :0.. Very sharp for not being L.

[EXA1a]

Hate to be a Devils Advocate but,

Canon 100/2.8 macro seems to have some massive CA. I noticed on the reflection of the sun on the ducks eyes. Correct me if I'm wrong?

That's not CA. It's just some color bleeding because the sun's reflection is sooo much brighter than the rest of the pic.

--Jens--

[EXA1a]

EXIF:
1/3200Sec
F5,6
ISO 400
100mm
manual focus


Why would you shoot ISO 400 at 1/3200? ISO 100 at 1/800 would surely be sufficient to capture an image like this!

However, I am impressed that the crop is this clean at ISO 400....

You're right, of course. The reason is simple: I had set the camera to f5.6 Av mode and ISO 400 to be on the safe side. At the moment of the shot the sun was out and 1/3200 was the resulting shutter speed. I was not paying attention to that and rather concerned to get the manual focus right and to pull back just in time...

--Jens--

[Scottes]

You're right, of course. The reason is simple: I had set the camera to f5.6 Av mode and ISO 400 to be on the safe side. At the moment of the shot the sun was out and 1/3200 was the resulting shutter speed. I was not paying attention to that and rather concerned to get the manual focus right and to pull back just in time...

Heck of a good reason, and you got the shot. And it looks great.

[intolight]

if the PETA people ever finds out about this forum they are going to be after Canon users for harrassing the wildlife. :wink:

[robertwgross]

Do you mean the first image, the swan? Could be CA, but I'd lean more towards a black eye reflecting a lot of light, which can look purplish.

I've stared into the eyes of many a wild animal with my D60. A very high percentage of the time, any bright spot in the eyes tends to be purple.

If I edit the image, I have been known to slightly brighten the bright spot, but to maintain the shape and color of the bright spot.

For some reason, if a customer can easily see the bright spots of the animal eyes, they buy the prints faster.

---Bob Gross---

[Tom W]

I had some rather interesting experience with my 100 macro (non usm).
On film it was AMAZING :D :D :D :D :D .Somehow it would really show the edges and details that you wanted to see even on 3x5's and 4x6's !!It was SO sharp and ....PERFECT!!!

Onmy 300D it's not quite so fantastic-not on screen anyway.sure it has truckloads of resolution but it looks,well-just not as fantastic as it did on film.It's been getting repaired for awhile now (the normal stripped focus gear) but i'm keen to do more testing when it's back together

Ahhhh, that 100% image magnification is both a blessing and a curse. Its a blessing in that it can help you to hone your shots and pick the best one of a group. Its a curse as well, due to its ability to show softness that will very often be invisible even on 8X10 enlargements.

[rodbunn]

This is my favorite lense with my 10D for critters. My 10D has
never focused right but I refuse to send it to Canon after the first
10D I had went back for repair (with my "L" lenses) 3 times over 3
months (Canon finally gave me this replacement 10D that wasn't much
better).....

http://www.xposeu.com/ducksun.jpg

Later, Rod

[Tom W]

BTW, Jens, very nice pics. I think that 100 mm Macro just went on my list of things I ought to buy. Have you done any very close macros with it yet?

Your's too, Alan and Rod.

[PacAce]

OK, what's the secret? How do you guys get such "close up" looking pictures with your 70-200 lenses when I have a hard time filling my frame with the 100-400 lens unless I'm really close to these birds? (OK, the bigger geese are not as troublesome due to their size.) I have a 70-200 lens that I bought two months ago and I have yet to take it out for a shoot because I'm always afraid that if I have it on instead of the 100-400, I'll miss out on a really good bird picture without the reach of the 100-400. Maybe I've grown too attached to the 100-400 and need to wean myself off of it, you think? :?

[drisley]

2 words...

Wooden Birds
:lol:

[PacAce]

2 words...

Wooden Birds
:lol:

Hey, that may not be a bad idea. I just might be able to get them to sit still long enough for me to get a good exposure and focus lock on them and approach them close enough to fill my frame without them flying away! So, do you know where I can get a good wooden replica of a flying bald eagle? :mrgreen: :lol:

[rodbunn]

I try to throw my wooden bird in the air and then quickly
try and shoot it, it's a challenge !!!

Hey what do I know , I'm still trying to get over the guy who
chose a MKII over his girlfriends tits :?:

I shure wouldn't be taking pics of ducks if I had something
better to shoot..... :lol:

Wait, I do get to shoot fun stuff once in a while. Here is the
10D in action with a 17-40 and a Sunpak 120j with a red gobo...

ENJOY !!!
http://www.xposeu.com/mod/aad07.jpg

Later everyone ! Rod

[Tom W]

I try to throw my wooden bird in the air and then quickly
try and shoot it, it's a challenge !!!



Woah! I think my wooden bird just leaped into the air. ;)

[Scottes]

OK, what's the secret? How do you guys get such "close up" looking pictures with your 70-200 lenses when I have a hard time filling my frame with the 100-400 lens unless I'm really close to these birds?

Two secrets - cars and public places.

If you somehow manage to shoot from a car the birds don't find you nearly as threatening. Cars make good blinds. Just ask LazyPhotographer, who's got some fantastic stuff from cars.

And if the birds are used to humans they're less likely to fly away from you. I got some fantastic shots of sparrows and other little birds at the zoo last week. They're city birds, and hang around in a zoo that always has a good number of people around. My 100-400 actually was a bother several times because the birds were closer than my minimum focus distance.

Several of my first ducks & geese were shot at a small lake in the middle of a fairly busy city. People walk their dogs and jog and are basically always around, so the birds are used to them. And if you find some geese then more geese will show up eventually because the new ones figure it's safe. Then the ducks show up for the same reason.

You've recently been shooting some herons - notoriously some of the most skittish birds in existence. Cabella's and such sell heron decoys to attract other birds - birds generally agree that if a heron thinks it's safe, then it is safe. So they'll flock to heron decoys.

Try something easier. Gulls are always good - they don't give a darn about humans much at all. Bring some bread and the gulls and pigeons will flock to you.

Also - need I say this - move slow. Like keep your lens up to your face just out of the way of your vision. Spend 10 seconds moving it into position for shooting.


Or just go to a zoo and lie about it. :)

[Tom W]

OK, what's the secret? How do you guys get such "close up" looking pictures with your 70-200 lenses when I have a hard time filling my frame with the 100-400 lens unless I'm really close to these birds? (OK, the bigger geese are not as troublesome due to their size.) I have a 70-200 lens that I bought two months ago and I have yet to take it out for a shoot because I'm always afraid that if I have it on instead of the 100-400, I'll miss out on a really good bird picture without the reach of the 100-400. Maybe I've grown too attached to the 100-400 and need to wean myself off of it, you think? :?

Just to add to what Scottes said:
Its not my best, but it illustrates how close a bird will come when it feels comfortable. This was shot with a 24-70 mm lens, towards the light source unfortunately. But that's where the Heron was, and that's how close it was.

I believe that the camera caught focus on the branches instead of the bird, but as it was in flight, I took what I could get.

http://images.fotopic.net/?id=4150566

[PacAce]

Cool! Thanks, guy. I'm going to take the 100-400 that's always on my 10D off and replace it with the 70-200 and take it to the park tomorrow. However, as an added insurance, I'm going to take along my 1.4x, too, just in case. :wink:

Hmmm, I'm starting to feel like Linus Van Pelt without his blanket! :cry:

[Scottes]

Cool! Thanks, guy. I'm going to take the 100-400 that's always on my 10D off and replace it with the 70-200 and take it to the park tomorrow. However, as an added insurance, I'm going to take along my 1.4x, too, just in case.

Don't wimp out with the 1.4! You gotta jump in and learn to swim! C'Mon!

Yeah, I'd take it too. But you have to try 100 frames before putting it on.

[sp00g3]

Hate to be a Devils Advocate but,

Canon 100/2.8 macro seems to have some massive CA. I noticed on the reflection of the sun on the ducks eyes. Correct me if I'm wrong?

That's not CA. It's just some color bleeding because the sun's reflection is sooo much brighter than the rest of the pic.

--Jens--

I just havent seen anything like that before, I guess its because of a single very bright point of light is being reflected back.

[nosquare2003]

BTW, Jens, very nice pics. I think that 100 mm Macro just went on my list of things I ought to buy. Have you done any very close macros with it yet?

Your's too, Alan and Rod.

You really want to buy it. It's big, heavy, expensive, smaller aperture, slower autofocus speed than 100/f2. Oh yeah, you'll get lots of complaints for doing portraits (or you'll need to do lots of post processing work like softening). If you can bear with the above, it will be one of your favourite lenses.

[KBMphotography.com]

Top Tip #1 - Take your wife and a loaf of bread. Get wife to throw bread for animals.

Top Tip #2 - Withdrawl quick-smart when they come running for you!!!

These are with the 1.4x Mk 2 attached.....

http://www.pbase.com/image/24538070.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/image/26059564.jpg

[jfretless]

Didn't bother to read through all the posts, but I'll take this opportunity to post my obligatory duck picture.

http://www.harvie.net/duck.jpg

Canon 10D, sigma 70-200mm HSM... exif data available upon request.

Thanks.

John

[IanD]

OK, what's the secret? How do you guys get such "close up" looking pictures with your 70-200 lenses when I have a hard time filling my frame with the 100-400 lens unless I'm really close to these birds? (OK, the bigger geese are not as troublesome due to their size.) I have a 70-200 lens that I bought two months ago and I have yet to take it out for a shoot because I'm always afraid that if I have it on instead of the 100-400, I'll miss out on a really good bird picture without the reach of the 100-400. Maybe I've grown too attached to the 100-400 and need to wean myself off of it, you think? :?
Psssstt....Leo...
Velcro
Krazyglue
keep some of each in the vest.
:lol: :lol:

[PacAce]

Top Tip #1 - Take your wife and a loaf of bread. Get wife to throw bread for animals.

Top Tip #2 - Withdrawl quick-smart when they come running for you!!!

These are with the 1.4x Mk 2 attached.....

Tip #1 would land my wife and I a $600.00 fine at the local park. I think they just implemented it (the "do not feed the waterfowls" regulation) the first time last summer. Too many people were feeding the geese and the ducks so instead of flying South for the winter and North for the summer, they just hung around here. Maybe the local officials don't like foreign geese and ducks. :lol:

And as for Tip #2, it seems like the geese and the ducks are following that to the T. When they see me coming, they run away! :(
They only go after (uninformed) people with bags of stale bread in their hands.

It's a good thing the "do not feed" regulation does not apply to the song birds, so I do take a bag of safflower seed to attract the cardinals and the other small birds in the park. The local nuthatches and chickadees will even fly into your open hands if there are seeds there. :)
Problem is, I can't take a picture when I have one hand extended out with a bird or two on it. :? Tip #1 about bringing the wife would be good here.

[Scottes]

The local nuthatches and chickadees will even fly into your open hands if there are seeds there. :)
Problem is, I can't take a picture when I have one hand extended out with a bird or two on it.


You give up too easy, Leo.

http://www.itsanadventure.com/postimages/Chickadee1.jpg

:)

[PacAce]

You took that with the 70-200 f/2.8 IS or the 100-400 literally single-handed? :shock:

I'm impressed! :)

[Scottes]

Heck no! ROFL. That was with the POC 28-90 that came with my Rebel Ti. (It was on the 10D though.)

Knowing chickadees' love for black sunflower seeds I'd dare say that you'd have time to change lenses and they'd wait for you.