Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM

Im using the Gitzo GT3530LS, the 3541LSV is the four section tripod, taller but a little bit less stable.

kinghong1970 wrote in post #10906115
just curious... for those of you with this lens and use it on a tripod, what tripods do you have?

most shots seems to be very close to ground level... do you use tripod for birding at all?

jeev wrote in post #10906450
I use Gitzo GT3541LS. Nice legs...

thanks jeev... they do seem very nice...

btw, you're looking to upgrade your monopod from a gitzo 2 series to a 3?

Yes I am looking to upgrade to 3-series monopod.

kinghong1970 wrote in post #10906716
thanks jeev... they do seem very nice...

btw, you're looking to upgrade your monopod from a gitzo 2 series to a 3?

Thanks CDS, the Skimmers are always fun.

Wimberly II head on Gitzo tripod

hahaha... the only camo thing i have is probably the camo tape and a pair of camo gloves...

cool pics btw...

and Sevan... lol... nice combo there... lenscoat + tucker cap + cargo shorts... and dude, pull up thems shorts!

Guys I am wondering how close/far you are in general for some of your bird shots? How tight do you crop? I see results a lot sharper than mine - trying to figure it out!

JonK wrote in post #10907350
Guys I am wondering how close/far you are in general for some of your bird shots? How tight do you crop? I see results a lot sharper than mine - trying to figure it out!

seriously... Victor (toomanyshots) stated that he used a 500L + 1.4 TC on his latest... wow... so sharp my eyes bleed!

I tend to be somewhere between 1,000 and 1,500' from my birds (but not by choice...)

kinghong1970 wrote in post #10907111
hahaha... the only camo thing i have is probably the camo tape and a pair of camo gloves...

cool pics btw...

and Sevan... lol... nice combo there... lenscoat + tucker cap + cargo shorts... and dude, pull up thems shorts!

Blahahahahahahaha, classical birding outfit when not trying to blend in. I was roughly about 60-100ft away from them around that point of shooting. I figured being behind the lens and camera I was blended in well enough.

So you do crop heavily? I just feel like my results have less sharpness in them.

JonK wrote in post #10907478
So you do crop heavily? I just feel like my results have less sharpness in them.

For me, as close as humanly possible without spooking the subjects and not too close that my lens can't focus. I have no set distance since I like to blend in with the environment and stay there for 30 minutes or more, until the birds get used to me. My keeper ratio is high if the subject is within 20ft. There are a lot of times I miss shots because the birds got too close. This is when I wish I have a second body with me like a 70-200 or 300. Light angles play a great role here. I always use fill flash unless I am in the wide open with the sun lighting up the subject. In that case, your shots can be sharp even cropping down to 60%. Of course, I shoot not because I just want to capture pictures of birds. I want something worth printing and framing. I am kind of picky with settings, locations, and light angles.

Of course, makes sure your lens has no focusing issue.

I am using a rental from Lens Rentals.com - the focus ring has some gritty action/noise if you adjust it from the top side (like if you put any load on it from above) but from the sides and bottom its fine.

I just spent a bit micro adjusting this lens - I think that may have been my issue. I am going to try it indoor at a closer distance, but at like 300 ft I could manually focus MUCH sharper than the lens could autofocus. I set it to -10 on the MA and its much much better. I just need to see if the same holds true at like 30 or 40'. I only have it until Monday the 20th so I have limited time - I envy those who own this thing.

JonK wrote in post #10909271
I am using a rental from Lens Rentals.com - the focus ring has some gritty action/noise if you adjust it from the top side (like if you put any load on it from above) but from the sides and bottom its fine.

I just spent a bit micro adjusting this lens - I think that may have been my issue. I am going to try it indoor at a closer distance, but at like 300 ft I could manually focus MUCH sharper than the lens could autofocus. I set it to -10 on the MA and its much much better. I just need to see if the same holds true at like 30 or 40'. I only have it until Monday the 20th so I have limited time - I envy those who own this thing.

Sounds like time for lensrentals.com to send that lens in for maintenance. Enjoy it while you have it...I rented one earlier this year and just about shed a tear when I had to send it back

How do you like your 400 5.6? I am addicted to long FL now, but I don't want to spend the $6000+ on what I really want, but the 400 and 5.6 sound interesting... though the 300 4 IS does too.. ugh

JonK wrote in post #10909309
How do you like your 400 5.6? I am addicted to long FL now, but I don't want to spend the $6000+ on what I really want, but the 400 and 5.6 sound interesting... though the 300 4 IS does too.. ugh

love the 400 5.6. Great glass and its holding me over till i get the money together for the next lens...the 500mm I'm waiting on the release of the new 500mm Mark II in 2011 to determine whether I buy the MK I or MK II.

I have a buddy with the 300 and he's able to throw the 1.4 extender on it for an 420mm 5.6 with IS...I'm tempted to do the same but the 1.4 takes a bit of quality away from the 300. not much but it is noticeable.