7D,400F5.6+Tamy 1.4TC,zone,exp AFmodes.

First post here folks, be gentle Hope this might help someone else


When I had the 30D, the cheap 1.4 TC from Tamron worked really well with the 400mm, but I found it much less so with the 40D and 50D ( on center point ) but I could get it to work with the outer points on the 40 and 50 or with some hunting on center point, if I had enough contrast and light.

Many of you will remember that it was the 40D that Canon started to upgrade the AF system with, making the center AF point more sensitive, a lot more accurate and faster, which was a two edged blade!! It require us getting a lot more accurate in our initial subject acquisition accuracy and, if we slipped off, it would quickly jump to the new target ( which could have been just empty sky or a branch ) but that being said, it was also faster to reacquire!!

So after some practice and sharping of my BIF technique, I started to get MORE keepers, but the TC just was not used, do to the hunting at center point ( which is how I was taught to shoot )
I always felt that it was this new center point sensitivity and accuracy, both on the 40 and the 50D, that caused this.

So I was really hoping I could use the TC again with the 7D, now that we have 18 other points to choose from!
I'm pretty happy to say, I'll have no qualms using the single point ( other than center ) zone ( any section in the AF zone ) or expanded ( not the center one ) for static captures. I have to test out what it's like for BIFs in the coming days. Light wasn't the greatest on the Starling captures and the EXIF info is intact, if you have Opanda or other Exif Reader. ( Opanda is free and works well )

The last three Blue Jay IFs were captured using center zone ( no TC ) and in the interest of full disclosure, the BGs are from my Sky Files and not original ( I get bored with solid BGs )
If using a Canon TC, I might suggest doing the tape pin thing, as, from what I have read and been told, the Canon TC reports it's presence and the Canon software, in camera, slows the AF, in favor of AF accuracy and does so by a fair amount ( not good for Bifing )

Here are some samples and I have to say, I'm really liking these files!!! For the first time I'm seeing files that come very close to capturing that " hard to explain, put a name to it, quality " I see in my buddies images, shot with MarkIIns, MarkIIIs, and 5Ds and some very serious glass ( 800MM and 500MM ) It takes some PP work, but the potential is there ( raw files, dpp converted )

Who knows, it may get even better when the third party Raw Converters get up to speed!!
Sorry for being so long winded ( especially for a first post ) and this certainly wasn't a scientific test, hand held, but supported on deck rail for the TC captures and hand held ( with flight brace ) for the BJ IFs

Hope you have the same results with a TC, this alone ( aside from the other great features of the 7D ) made me a happy snapper and a happy upgrader!
Poor Man's 896mm fov YES !!!! (+: YMMV
1

Nice shots. I have't read anything you written yet, but a picture's worth a thousand words.

(dw, i'm reading what you written now).

Edit:

Good work on the photoshop lol, I was wondering how the hell you shot that bird at that angle with the cloud background.
Btw, you know you can lower the sensitivity of the AI Servor mode in C.Fn for 7D? It makes it not jump to the intervening object/bg that fast.

Double Edit:

No. 5 is A+ in sharpness, but No. 1 could probably use a bit more sharpening imo. Where you shot those btw? I see some snow.

Sakura1234 wrote in post #9198623
Nice shots. I have't read anything you written yet, but a picture's worth a thousand words.

(dw, i'm reading what you written now).

Edit:

Good work on the photoshop lol, I was wondering how the hell you shot that bird at that angle with the cloud background.
Btw, you know you can lower the sensitivity of the AI Servor mode in C.Fn for 7D? It makes it not jump to the intervening object/bg that fast.

Thanks Sakura, yes, I had it set on slow, but have been testing on fast to see how it does! So far liking it and I think it was helping with the TC on??

(+: That's why I mentioned the BG, but I have got some with the 50D at that kinda angle. Sometimes I just can't leave well enough alone (+:

Wow, those BIF shots are awesome.

bacchanal wrote in post #9198948
Wow, those BIF shots are awesome.

Thanks, the 40 and 50 are no slouchs, but this cam is niiiiice to handle imho

nice shots, and nice gear... althought I've seen identical pictures taken from a xti with regular sigma 70-300.

MLphoto wrote in post #9199046
nice shots, and nice gear... althought I've seen identical pictures taken from a xti with regular sigma 70-300.

No doubt, it can be done. It was being done with MF as well, but I don't think I'd want to go back there. From the folks I've shot with, I'd have to say the keeper rate will be lower and the skill level a lot higher, but I agree Thanks

Very nicely done, and good to know the TC works that well.

jgrussell wrote in post #9199426
Very nicely done, and good to know the TC works that well.

Thanks jgr, that was the only thing I was hoping, that this info might be of some use to others, thanks for lookin in

Nice BIFs. I haven't seen many, well any, BJs BIFs. Seems the 7D is going to be lots of peeps workhorse.

Methodical wrote in post #9201267
Nice BIFs. I haven't seen many, well any, BJs BIFs. Seems the 7D is going to be lots of peeps workhorse.

Thanks, I have a flock I feed, so I have watched their flight paths and habits, so that helped alot, but it was good IF practice for me with the new camera.

I think, for crop lovers like me, it's a worthwhile upgrade!!

Superb set of shots those Blue Jays are something else! Top notch

artyman wrote in post #9204684
Superb set of shots those Blue Jays are something else! Top notch

Thank you very much Artyman, I see them daily and take them for granted, but they really are fun and beautiful subjects to watch and photograph. They have real attitude and are often quite comical.

that second one is amazing.
Good work, I like what you have done.

Congrats on the camera!

Much appreciated Chad, we takes the pitcha, then we makes the pitcha (+: PP is a wonderful crutch