WIldlife/Birding lens dilemma

So here is pic taken from about 125ft away without the crappy uv filter. Is there a trick to this lens or is the bird just really tiny from that distance. It looks soft to me, granted I took about 60 pictures and this was the sharpest one. Any tips on the 400 learning curve?

thanks for the help.

IMAGE IS A REDIRECT OR MISSING! HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR

Get closer and keep your shutter speed high. I wouldn't go below 1/1000 on a crop. Or use a tripod.

I bump ISO high enough to get 1/1600 or 1/1250 when shooting my 400 5.6 L handheld. The results are pleasing.

The shot above sort of looks like the focus maybe be on the large limb behind the bird. Where is the AF point when you view the image in DPP?

If you dont care about close focus distance and an old IS system and you want reach...400 5.6

orion4211 wrote in post #16671694
So here is pic taken from about 125ft away without the crappy uv filter. Is there a trick to this lens or is the bird just really tiny from that distance. It looks soft to me, granted I took about 60 pictures and this was the sharpest one. Any tips on the 400 learning curve?

thanks for the help.

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR

Looks like your focus is on the large branch behind the bird.

Also, your comment about the size of the bird exemplifies the need for the longest lens possible when shooting birds. These are tiny little subjects!!! Gotta sneak in using your feet as much as possible.

one of mine from yesterday ,1Dmkiii ,400mm f5.6 ,1.4tc .hand held

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …31671466@N07/12​367946814/

Do not put a filter on the fornt of a long tele, especially a cheap filter. Many, many cases where it ruins the image.

[QUOTE=orion4211;16671​694]So here is pic taken from about 125ft away without the crappy uv filter. Is there a trick to this lens or is the bird just really tiny from that distance. It looks soft to me, granted I took about 60 pictures and this was the sharpest one. Any tips on the 400 learning curve?

thanks for the help./QUOTE]

Your expecting far too much from this lens, 125ft is way out of its capabilities. Get close, very close. Then keep your shutter speed over 1/800 sec. Also the branches are confusing your cameras AF. Look for a clean shot with a clean background. Did I mention getting close

A small bird like that at 400mm on a crop...you need to be within 15yards, 10 would be better.

Also see if you can get a camera with spot AF. It is useful for focusing small birds among the branches. The 7D has it as does the 5D3. Don't know too much about the pro bodies. The 6D does not and neither does the 70D, I believe.

oscardog wrote in post #16672382
If you dont care about close focus distance and an old IS system and you want reach...400 5.6

I managed to reduce the closest focusing distance by using extension tubes...this tip I found on the forum somewhere and it reduced the minimum distance to about 6ft.

hania wrote in post #16676405
I had a 100-400 - dreadfully soft copy so sold it.

Now have 400 5.6 and love it!

maybe it was soft because you used 1/5 sec. exposures

next time try a hard copy (and more than 1/5 sec.) ..... dreadfully sharp!


60D
100-400
400mm
(cropped)

Got the 400L over the 300L after having thought about it for a while. When it comes to birding/wildlife it's distance that matters.

watt100 wrote in post #16676453
maybe it was soft because you used 1/5 sec. exposures

next time try a hard copy (and more than 1/5 sec.) ..... dreadfully sharp!


60D
100-400
400mm
(cropped)

sigh.....when I am with a top nature photographer on a workshop and having previously struggled with the 100-400 at anything under f8 , and he tries it and finds it will not focus on a stationary bird under f8, I would suggest that he knows what he is talking about.

I do find your attitude extremely condescending.....and who said anything about me using it on birds in flight at 1/5 sec?

hania wrote in post #16676515
sigh.....when I am with a top nature photographer on a workshop and having previously struggled with the 100-400 at anything under f8 , and he tries it and finds it will not focus on a stationary bird under f8, I would suggest that he knows what he is talking about.

I do find your attitude extremely condescending.....and who said anything about me using it on birds in flight at 1/5 sec?

LOL .. "top nature photographer" struggling
when you "tested" your 100-400 lens

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1311778

I wasn't the only one to point out the fallacies ....