-= 7D2 owners unite! Discuss and post photos!

2n10 wrote in post #17334745
If they want smooth backgrounds they can mask off the bird and anything else they deem important and then use a surface blur in PS or whatever lightroom offers or their favorite PP program.

+1

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #17331204
Ancientone thanks, awesome ant! Digital Paradise thanks too!
Ancientone, no MFA yet but will soon. I use FoCal but am limited to 300mm with my version; need to upgrade to FoCal pro to get beyond 300mm in that program. I'm currently waiting on a 400mm DO and when it gets here that will motivate me to upgrade FoCal.

Mm,
While waiting, do some in the field mfa, what do you have to lose.? ☺
Ad a couple of clicks (+) since it seemed a little ff. You can wing (punny) it too, shoot something at appropriate distance on the direct or grass and look where it falls in the dof by looking good on the grass or Street. . No harm done if you don't like result, just unset it. . I actually find the 300mm and up easiest to mfa in field this way.

You are getting other great shots already, but as you mentioned, that hawk was 20ft too far and would have required to deep a crop to do much with. Maybe a sharp 5x7 as you had about 1800 pixels on it to start.

Thanks for sharing your images.

stsva wrote in post #17331599
Maybe the hawk is the new duck. The hawk I saw yesterday came back this morning, and luckily was perched much closer today. I'm not good at bird identification and am not sure if this is a red tailed or red shouldered hawk, although I'm tending toward red tailed.

Click for full size: https://farm8.staticfl​ickr.com …00411703_f6a82a​9e14_o.jpg

Click for full size: https://farm8.staticfl​ickr.com …20037605_84943b​514c_o.jpg

Thanks for posting links to the originals. Would you mind sharing your Pp and flow? In looking at the first one, it looks a like a bit more sharpening or clarify could have further improved it. Also, is the original posted on the link already a little cropped? Maybe 25%?

Something else I'd like you guys/gals to chime in on.
In the field I CANNOT tell if I have a sharp image. For the cardinals I had to head to the house, load the pics into LR or CS6 and zoom in.
This trying to 'see' my results in the field on the back LCD.
When I first got the 7Dii I was shooting in the field and aghast at the results on the LCD-----when I got home I relaxed when I saw the shots were fine.

Here's what I'm thinking that I bought an el cheapo screen protector. So if any of you concur please suggest a good one.
I also use a LCD loupe/Hoodman that has been great on my 5Diii and 6D.

I think I should at least be able while out there to get decent feedback on whether I'm close or not.

Completely different topic.
I just read Roger Cicala's tear-apart review of the 7Dii. Maybe, just maybe this will be the first camera I've ever had that I don't have to run in fear once the rain starts. I was super impressed he took the time/effort to dissect the body. For that, when I need a lens rental I'm headed his way; that's just a huge service he did for us.

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #17335403
Something else I'd like you guys/gals to chime in on.
In the field I CANNOT tell if I have a sharp image. For the cardinals I had to head to the house, load the pics into LR or CS6 and zoom in.
This trying to 'see' my results in the field on the back LCD.
When I first got the 7Dii I was shooting in the field and aghast at the results on the LCD-----when I got home I relaxed when I saw the shots were fine.

Here's what I'm thinking that I bought an el cheapo screen protector. So if any of you concur please suggest a good one.
I also use a LCD loupe/Hoodman that has been great on my 5Diii and 6D.

I think I should at least be able while out there to get decent feedback on whether I'm close or not.

Completely different topic.
I just read Roger Cicala's tear-apart review of the 7Dii. Maybe, just maybe this will be the first camera I've ever had that I don't have to run in fear once the rain starts. I was super impressed he took the time/effort to dissect the body. For that, when I need a lens rental I'm headed his way; that's just a huge service he did for us.

I don't use a LCD protector so I can't help you on a getting a good one. The screen shows a pretty accurate shots without a protector.

FWIW my 7D screen has survived 2+ years of use and abuse without an issue unprotected. I have gone hiking, climbing over obstacles and forcing my way through brush and dense stands of willows without a scratch. I believe the 7DII's screen is probably as tough if not tougher.

Well, my approach is to set sharpening to a highish value (~5 iirc - it'd be over-sharpened if you were to shoot jpg at that setting) and I have the magnify button set to zoom actual size to the active focus point. Generally works ok.

Ugly, noisey critter. But it was happy to pose.

Image hosted by forum (703441) © Markd102 THIS IS A LOW QUALITY PREVIEW. Please log in to see the good quality stuff.

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #17335403
Something else I'd like you guys/gals to chime in on.
In the field I CANNOT tell if I have a sharp image. For the cardinals I had to head to the house, load the pics into LR or CS6 and zoom in.
This trying to 'see' my results in the field on the back LCD.
When I first got the 7Dii I was shooting in the field and aghast at the results on the LCD-----when I got home I relaxed when I saw the shots were fine.

Here's what I'm thinking that I bought an el cheapo screen protector. So if any of you concur please suggest a good one.
I also use a LCD loupe/Hoodman that has been great on my 5Diii and 6D.

I think I should at least be able while out there to get decent feedback on whether I'm close or not.

Completely different topic.
I just read Roger Cicala's tear-apart review of the 7Dii. Maybe, just maybe this will be the first camera I've ever had that I don't have to run in fear once the rain starts. I was super impressed he took the time/effort to dissect the body. For that, when I need a lens rental I'm headed his way; that's just a huge service he did for us.

I don't use a screen protector either and I have the 'Set' button set up to zoom to actual size on the focus point, it normally gives a pretty good idea if my focus etc is good.

Cheers
Gus

gschlact wrote in post #17335146
Thanks for posting links to the originals. Would you mind sharing your Pp and flow? In looking at the first one, it looks a like a bit more sharpening or clarify could have further improved it. Also, is the original posted on the link already a little cropped? Maybe 25%?

Both of the original shots are cropped - by area each of the crops is about 12% of the image size as shot. I use Lightroom, and in these shots I concentrated on light-dark contrast, mostly through curves. I'm still experimenting with balancing sharpening and noise reduction. I'm trying to avoid an over-sharpened look. I'll try pushing the clarity slider higher to add more local contrast - thanks for your suggestion.

I know it is not something that everyone uses but I checked out the GPS today. It took a time to get a fix (I was on a track and had trees around) but once it locked on it seemed to hold OK and update even though I use a Black Rapid strap and carry the camera upside down. The GPS info was carried on the exif through my processing and recognised by Flickr.

I use GPS a lot when on overseas bird trips as it helps link images to my notes for the ID process. Obviously not needed for this European Kestrel.

IMAGE LINK: https://www.flickr.com …/davethebird/15​417713423/

Kestrel 141216 IMG_1900

The 400mm DO II arrived today, first shot (with a 2.0 TC) and of course it would be a rainy, drab, cold, miserable day:

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/qr9Z​7Q

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #17336269
The 400mm DO II arrived today, first shot (with a 2.0 TC) and of course it would be a rainy, drab, cold, miserable day:

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/qr9Z​7Q First Shot Canon 400mm DO II + 2.0 TC by MedicineMan4040, on Flickr

It looks like it's going to be very good!

That does look good.

One of the pirates of St. Kitts