Red-tailed Hawk with the new 100-400 v.2

Bang on set.
Every shot is sharp with very good colors.

What was your approximate distance to the bird?

Excellent images and a beautiful test subject! Good to see you Harv! Hope to see more images from you and the new lens.

I have this lens and I like it, but I will never match the quality of theses photos, so long as I'm shooting with a 70D

On a side note, I find I can get sharper photos handheld than when the lens is perched on my monopod! Did not expect this. Seems like my own two feet provide more stability. Have any of you had the same experience with large lenses?

Excellent shots, the new lens seems to be a much improved!! Which camera body did you use?

jhayesvw wrote in post #17350790
Bang on set.
Every shot is sharp with very good colors.

What was your approximate distance to the bird?

Thank you. From what I remember I would say perhaps 20-25 feet. Possibly slightly more. We did not want to push too hard and have the bird abandon it's meal.

txcanon wrote in post #17350795
Excellent images and a beautiful test subject! Good to see you Harv! Hope to see more images from you and the new lens.

Thanks a lot. I'll do what I can so long as the weather and these old legs allow.

akadmon wrote in post #17350893
I have this lens and I like it, but I will never match the quality of theses photos, so long as I'm shooting with a 70D

On a side note, I find I can get sharper photos handheld than when the lens is perched on my monopod! Did not expect this. Seems like my own two feet provide more stability. Have any of you had the same experience with large lenses?

Thanks for your kind words. Don't underestimate your 70D. It has an excellent reputation for producing high quality images.

I have no experience to speak of with a monopod. My big whites I usually used on a tripod. This lens I have only shot with hand held.

rajivsubs wrote in post #17351011
Excellent shots, the new lens seems to be a much improved!! Which camera body did you use?

Thank you. Yes, the new version is much improved in many ways. Much better IS, much sharper than my previous version wide open, better contrast and much better balanced.

I used it on a gripped 5D III.

Outstanding shots Harvey! The perched shots are beautiful, but the one on the ground is a much tougher one to get. Super!

I have made the same initial observation as akadmon regarding the monopod & the new 100-400. I also do better handheld. :-/

EyeSpyEagle wrote in post #17351179
Outstanding shots Harvey! The perched shots are beautiful, but the one on the ground is a much tougher one to get. Super!

I have made the same initial observation as akadmon regarding the monopod & the new 100-400. I also do better handheld. :-/

Thanks a lot, Phil. I appreciate the kind words.

Just wondered what you thought of this lens compared to your 400 5.6, especially on birds in flight ?

Absolutely stunning capture. Wow that the 100-400mm is very tempting. Thanks for sharing.

First of all.... amazing photographs. So clear, very detailed, yet natural.

The two comments about the monopod give me pause. I wonder if the IS mode matters.

Hmm how'd I miss this? Great stuff Harvey!

great series... nice and sharp, excellent contrast and clarity! looks like that lens agrees with you! i'm still using the original version, one i bought 7 years ago. it's been a workhorse, and i've been very satisfied with its performance. not sure yet if i can justify the scratch for the new one - i think if i had that much cash to spare, i'd spend it on the 7D mk II rather than a new 100-400... but if money wasn't such a limiting factor, i'd definitely be taking a serious look at that new lens!

Man, I had to run and get a band-aid for my eyeballs those images were so sharp. Indeed, the new 100-400 might get me to thinking about trading my a nice specimen of the EF 400/5.6 L that I own.

Just found this posting. Stunning hawk imagery!
The distance is amazing as well. I've only gotten that close to a hawk one time.
BONUS watching the buffet

Just stunning