Bottlebrush flowers, with bonus Hummingbird!

So I finally had some good weather to try out my 1.4x TC with my 100-400L.

I had captured some images of this or a similar hummingbird before, but I could never get close enough to make the image high-enough quality.

This shot shows the tail feather coloration nicely, even if they are a bit blurred:

All hand-held from about 15 feet away, 100-400mm L with Kenko 1.4x Pro300 DGX TC, autofocused. These shots are fairly heavily cropped. The AF would occasionally fail to lock and wander off. High-contrast in bright light makes for easy AF lock.

I assume this is an Immature Ruby-throated Hummingbird, since there are no other hummingbirds in Florida, according to my field guide.

Now if I could just get a bit closer...

shinksma

5DII | T3i | EF 17-40 L | EF 24-105 L | EF 24 1.4 L II | EF 28 1.8 | EF 85 1.8 | EF 70-200 2.8 L IS II | EF 100-400 L | EF-S 15-85 IS USM | EF-S 17-55 2.8 IS USM | EF-S 10-22 USM | EF 100 2.8 Macro USM | EF-S 18-55 IS | EF 35-80 III | EF-S 55-250 IS | Rokinon 8mm FE | EF 75-300 non-USM III | SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4 | Tamron 70-210 | 430EX II | Kenko 2x MC4 and 1.4x Pro300DGX TC

Wow do I have a lot to learn! The Chosen Spot, NY
50D, EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS USM, EF 100-400 f4.5-5.6L IS USM, EF-S 17-85 f4-5.6 IS USM, EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM, EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM, EF 1.4X III Extender, Flight Brace

Diamond Lil wrote in post #14649279
Steve, you've done well. You have a beautiful plant to work with there.
I am curious as to your choice of 1/512 sec shutter speed.

Thanks! I just saw a hummingbird (maybe same one) at a different shrub in the yard - at midday - so perhaps it feeds on different flowers depending on time of day (the bottlebrush feedings are always in the late afternoon).

Not my choice on the shutter speed. I was in Av mode, I maxxed out the aperture (f/5.6x1.4 -> f/8) and ISO at 1600 (3200 gets a little noisy). I would prefer a bit more light, and a bit higher ISO, but the T3i is not ideal at high ISOs. A better-beamer might help, but I also might be too clumsy hand-holding.

shinksma

5DII | T3i | EF 17-40 L | EF 24-105 L | EF 24 1.4 L II | EF 28 1.8 | EF 85 1.8 | EF 70-200 2.8 L IS II | EF 100-400 L | EF-S 15-85 IS USM | EF-S 17-55 2.8 IS USM | EF-S 10-22 USM | EF 100 2.8 Macro USM | EF-S 18-55 IS | EF 35-80 III | EF-S 55-250 IS | Rokinon 8mm FE | EF 75-300 non-USM III | SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4 | Tamron 70-210 | 430EX II | Kenko 2x MC4 and 1.4x Pro300DGX TC

Wow do I have a lot to learn! The Chosen Spot, NY
50D, EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS USM, EF 100-400 f4.5-5.6L IS USM, EF-S 17-85 f4-5.6 IS USM, EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM, EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM, EF 1.4X III Extender, Flight Brace