EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Review WOW!

pcs wrote in post #18896743
First thank you for the compliments on the Oystercatchers and my growing (at least according to you) skills. Second don't bite your tongue on my account, it hurts and gives you a bloody mouth.
The main reason there are so many different pictures here is that originally they are posted in different threads and via my forum gallery also here. And well, I like them all.
But I do understand what you mean and will stop posting in the lens threads (do the same in 100L macro).
Maybe I stop posting completely for a while, not because of your comments but because I feel lately I'm taking pictures to be able to post something here, not for my own pleasure. That would also solve something I'm feeling guilty about and that's using Pecca's server space without donating. I checked repeatedly and it' s paypal only which I do not and will not use.(pm me a bankaccount number and I will donate).
If and when I'll post again I'll restrict myself to a few of the best.
Please don't think you have stopped me from posting and thank you for your thoughtful comment.(I'll keep on reading, giving likes and 'if' I can help somebody post answers)

I enjoy your photos as well, PCS, and I applaud you self introspection, that's a really great thing to recognize. It was happening with me as well, and I decided to start taking month-long breaks from forum life every so often, which make a huge impact by increasing my enjoyment of shooting. Another benefit is that I seem to end up with more appreciation for my work, and feel that while I end up with fewer shots overall, the ones I do get are better than the stuff I'd regularly get before, when I was shooting just for likes.

Red squirrel

Photo from Weja's gallery.

pcs wrote in post #18896743
First thank you for the compliments on the Oystercatchers and my growing (at least according to you) skills. Second don't bite your tongue on my account, it hurts and gives you a bloody mouth.
The main reason there are so many different pictures here is that originally they are posted in different threads and via my forum gallery also here. And well, I like them all.
But I do understand what you mean and will stop posting in the lens threads (do the same in 100L macro).
Maybe I stop posting completely for a while, not because of your comments but because I feel lately I'm taking pictures to be able to post something here, not for my own pleasure. That would also solve something I'm feeling guilty about and that's using Pecca's server space without donating. I checked repeatedly and it' s paypal only which I do not and will not use.(pm me a bankaccount number and I will donate).
If and when I'll post again I'll restrict myself to a few of the best.
Please don't think you have stopped me from posting and thank you for your thoughtful comment.(I'll keep on reading, giving likes and 'if' I can help somebody post answers)

Thank you for your kind and understanding reply. I will take your word for it that I have not caused you to flee the forum forever, that would TRULY not be my intention!

As to the pressure to take photos to post, this is all too familiar, and I do recall that pressure very much. I also recall getting some very similar feedback about picking the best from some of our members. I'd like to think that I was just passing on what they passed on to me.
Please please please don't stop, .. pause and shoot for your pleasure. I look forward to more of your best when you are ready.

Weja wrote in post #18897472
Red squirrel

Gallery photo:
posted by Weja originally in forum: Lens Sample Photo Archive

Weja

Oh will somebody PLEASE send me a box of Squirrels, and a few chipmunks for good measure. These guys have so much character,,great shot.

LJ3Jim wrote in post #18891502
I don't like doing this, but I'm going to essentially agree with you. I'm not real happy with airplane images taken at a small aperture. Diffraction is an issue. If you take a look at the planes I posted a couple of pages ago, you'll see that they are in bright sunlight, 1/160th shutter speed, ISO around 100, and just f/7.1 or f/8. The "miracle" it takes to accomplish this is nothing more than a good 3-stop neutral density filter. Mine is a B&W that I got several years ago for about $100. Without the ND filter, the f-stop would have been around f/20 and the photos would not have been as good.

Today it arrived! I followed your advice and bought myself a B+W 3 stop ND filter. Now I will give the old lens another try.
But someone will be sorry because he or she missed a chance to get an EF 100-400/4.5-5.6L IS II very cheap!
Thanx for the advice!

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #18897626
Thank you for your kind and understanding reply. I will take your word for it that I have not caused you to flee the forum forever, that would TRULY not be my intention!

As to the pressure to take photos to post, this is all too familiar, and I do recall that pressure very much. I also recall getting some very similar feedback about picking the best from some of our members. I'd like to think that I was just passing on what they passed on to me.
Please please please don't stop, .. pause and shoot for your pleasure. I look forward to more of your best when you are ready.

I'll be back when I'm ready, maybe sooner than you wish

Kapowee wrote in post #18896321
Hi PCS

I very much like your many photos, most taken at 560mm. I'm really intrigues as to how much Post Processing you do, as the clarity on feathers from that sort of distance is impressive (particularly the Oystercatchers)! I have the same camera, lens and extender package, but struggle to get quite the level of detail you do.... So, how many hours does it take, and what do you use? I only have DPP and an older version of Elements. I 'believe' DPP should be able to do everything I want, but I was wondering about your workflow. Any insight would be very interesting!

Here is one I posted earlier but now pp in DPP. Spend less than 5 minutes and part of that is because it's years since I used it to process images, took me a little while to find everything. (I do still use it to cull, very easy and fast 1:1 rendering, just go to the map, select all and choose Quick check):

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pcs wrote in post #18898068
Here is one I posted earlier but now pp in DPP. Spend less than 5 minutes and part of that is because it's years since I used it to process images, took me a little while to find everything. (I do still use it to cull, very easy and fast 1:1 rendering, just go to the map, select all and choose Quick check):

Hosted photo: posted by pcs in
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forum: Canon Lenses

Hmm, I should give that a try. I spend way to much time on culling.

Archibald wrote in post #18898084
Hmm, I should give that a try. I spend way to much time on culling.

i just keep buying harddrives. lol.

N.V.M. wrote in post #18898108
i just keep buying harddrives. lol.

+1

N.V.M. wrote in post #18898108
i just keep buying harddrives. lol.

It's not the space that bothers me. It's managing thousands of photos. If there are too many, I can't find stuff and when I do find things, I don't know which of 12 near-identical pics is the right one. One has to curate a collection to keep it manageable.

ct1co2 wrote in post #18897877

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forum: Canon Lenses

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Great owl pictures!

Thank you.

Seems I can't stay away, I've posted some in different threads, won't be cluttering the lens threads again with the collection from those threads

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