Small issues with new lens

why dont you try at ISO 100, use tripod and remote release.. and add a bit sharpening..

oh and I have tried the 2x converter... but didnt think much of the results so it now resides comfortably in its nice leather pouch in the camera case!

Long term? I guess shots like the above (and hopefully I will get better!!) along with reaching the whales and other creatures that abound around here that you NEED length to reach otherwise theyre gone!

But even if its just for the sunsets sunrises and moon shots they are pretty awesome so that would be worth the cost!!

Im aiming for a wide angle lens next as "the wet" or cyclone season has just begun here and the night sky is a lightning show of spectacular proportions... so Im aiming to be able to get the WHOLE show in one photo (yep already worked out the "bulb" setting awhile back!) only way I can think of to achieve that is with a wide angle lens...

Im also aiming at either upgrading the camera to a newer model or buying another 1000D body... that way I can have them setup all the time and thereby do away with the need and associated risks of changing lens on the go... at the beach, in the bush wind breeze etc blowing dust and sand particles cant do the camera internals any good Id imagine (presently I change lens inside the car with the windows shut to avoid this... aircon ON due to heat)

Money is tight so I buy what I can afford... and aim for better at a later date when finances allow... this gives me an "in" into experimenting and learning without spending a fortune before getting any experience at all... makes sence I think?

Anyway thanks again and Im sure as I move along I will have acres of questions and pose many queeries which I hope you will answer and respond to with the same kindness and politeness as you have the ones Ive asked so far... very much appreciated!

mansalim wrote in post #11311196
why dont you try at ISO 100, use tripod and remote release.. and add a bit sharpening..

100? I hadnt thought to go lower!! Good idea I will give it a whirl thanks!! I already use a tripod and the remote release... you REALLY DONT want to see the ones that I take when I DONT use them!!! mmmm reminds me I MUST upgrade my specs!!!

How does one "add a bit of sharpening"? in iphoto? apeture? Im not understanding you Im sorry

I have the settings set for both raw and jpeg... but have so far had NO success in getting the raw ones to remain raw or to be able to "work" on them... iphoto opens automatically when the camera is turned on and connected... I do have the apeture program installed but as I say iphoto seems to rule when it comes to getting the photos onto the apple laptop and doesnt let apature open... until AFTER they have gone into iphoto which is of course too late as they are in there... havent worked out how to open apature and getting iphoto to stay shut so I can get them into the program... ah another wonderous part of the journey I guess! I'll work it out sooner or later...

my friend, you need speed for whales.. Long slow lens wont cut it..
and since they swim pretty close to the boat, you rarely need 650mm f8..
my 70-200 f2.8 worked fine..
even my 28-135 worked fine

mansalim wrote in post #11311209
my friend, you need speed for whales.. Long slow lens wont cut it..
and since they swim pretty close to the boat, you rarely need 650mm f8..
my 70-200 f2.8 worked fine..
even my 28-135 worked fine

You used the magic word mate... "boat"... Im shore bound!!! No boat... and the cost of getting onto a whale watching boat is preclusive to me...

mmmm speed is the key?... okay so given the above can you suggest an alternative method of getting shots from distance of them?

i use Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3.. im a PC guy..
since moon move slowly (time-wise), you can set your ISO to the lowest setting and adjust your shutter speed for exposure. Say 4 seconds.. and skip that teleconverter.. it will degrade the image quality.
i hope this helps

Wild Dingo wrote in post #11311221
You used the magic word mate... "boat"... Im shore bound!!! No boat... and the cost of getting onto a whale watching boat is preclusive to me...

mmmm speed is the key?... okay so given the above can you suggest an alternative method of getting shots from distance of them?

how long are we talking here? if your whale swims nearer to the beach, it is possible to use your lens and set the shutter speed accordingly.. and you have to manually focus too.. i never shot a whale from shore, so i cant be more helpful

mansalim wrote in post #11311222
i use Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3.. im a PC guy..
since moon move slowly (time-wise), you can set your ISO to the lowest setting and adjust your shutter speed for exposure. Say 4 seconds.. and skip that teleconverter.. it will degrade the image quality.
i hope this helps

Absolutely!! Thanks... I dont know the program so that bit didnt help but the other stuff? I WILL give it a whirl... yep the teleconverter did just that.

mansalim wrote in post #11311228
how long are we talking here? if your whale swims nearer to the beach, it is possible to use your lens and set the shutter speed accordingly.. and you have to manually focus too.. i never shot a whale from shore, so i cant be more helpful

How long?... mmm not sure if you mean the time the whale breaches or the time they are out of the water as a whole? or the time it takes for me to get my eye focused then the lens then the camera? which is a whole other matter! (sorry Im making light here!)

I will give that a while with the big one hopefully next weekend... the other lens I have just dont reach far enough to see them clearly no matter what I tried hence buying this new one... it reaches!... just have to get a whale to cooperate thats all... but if I line it up and set the shutter speed to the fastest possible and manually focus (which with this lens is a given) that should hopefully achieve something like what Im trying to achieve?

oh and mate? Seriously THANKS!!!

oh I think Ive got you now... the whales are generally around 700 to 800 meters offshore... I have a "hide" that is on top of a cliff top so I get plenty of height to shoot "down" on them just not the distance... is that what you mean?

Wild Dingo wrote in post #11311236
How long?... mmm not sure if you mean the time the whale breaches or the time they are out of the water as a whole? or the time it takes for me to get my eye focused then the lens then the camera? which is a whole other matter! (sorry Im making light here!)

I will give that a while with the big one hopefully next weekend... the other lens I have just dont reach far enough to see them clearly no matter what I tried hence buying this new one... it reaches!... just have to get a whale to cooperate thats all... but if I line it up and set the shutter speed to the fastest possible and manually focus (which with this lens is a given) that should hopefully achieve something like what Im trying to achieve?

oh and mate? Seriously THANKS!!!

can i come to your place? seriosly i would like to see some whale without getting on the boat..
You dont have to set the shutter to the fastest possible.. just fast enought to "capture" the whale in action.. and use continuous shooting.. just fire away.. and pick your best one.. you may get lucky..

mansalim wrote in post #11311250
can i come to your place? seriosly i would like to see some whale without getting on the boat..
You dont have to set the shutter to the fastest possible.. just fast enought to "capture" the whale in action.. and use continuous shooting.. just fire away.. and pick your best one.. you may get lucky..

Broomes a photographers mecca my friend and a major tourist destination so come on over!!!

Thanks for the tips! I'll get out there as I said hopefully next weekend if the wet doesnt shut the road that is... and give a few of your suggestions and settings a try and see what happens!

Cheers!

Wild Dingo wrote in post #11311205
How does one "add a bit of sharpening"? in iphoto? apeture? Im not understanding you Im sorry

I'm not a Mac user, so probably not much help, but you need to find where iPhoto is storing your photos. Once you know where the photos are you should be able to use Aperture to open them, and then you can sharpen them. Google "Aperture sharpening tutorial" or try this ...

http://www.apple.com …/how-to/#video-sharpening


Cheers

You might have a little fun with that lens, but I don't think you will ever really enjoy the images as being sharp. In the future, when you are ready to put a little money forward, if you take a Sigma 150-500 OS and add a 1.4x or even a 2x, you will probably enjoy the images better. This was from the Sigma 50-500 OS with a 2x converter (making it 1000mm) on the 7D, handheld btw. You get OS to help with the long shots using the TCs, but have to manually focus.

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Here is the OP's photo of the moon without and with sharpening:

original

Woodworker wrote in post #11280871
An awesome focal length but not particularly practical and I wonder what you'll use the lens for in the long-term.

David

Peeping Tom is my guess.

Jk