Tdgraves 11th big year 2024

[xelas]

Moving from DSLR to ML camera indeed requires a long adaptation period. Anyway, your photos are equally excellent no matter which body was used. The Puffback and the Helmetshrike stands out for me.

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @xelasand @michael-ibk

you will see that the puffback and helmetshrike were taken with the 5D as I was not confident on the focusing through leaves…

 

we have an R5 and an R3

[xelas]

7 minutes ago, Tdgraves said:

you will see that the puffback and helmetshrike were taken with the 5D as I was not confident on the focusing through leaves…

 

Isn't there a BirdAF / Subject detection mode or whatever such mode is named at Canon?! 

 

My recent "return" to DSLR gave me plenty to love but also much less focused shots, specially of BIF.

[Tdgraves]

Yes, there is an eye focus button, but I hadn’t figured that out yet! Also, I have since discovered that they can fail (like DSLRs) to focus with brown on green or equivalent and can be slower to catch focus (frustratingly so). I still think that my DSLRs are more reliable for small birds in bushes, but the eye focus thing is very fast for BIF or to recompose a shot e.g. with birds moving around.

[TonyQ]

A beautiful Puffback

[Galana]

32 minutes ago, TonyQ said:

A beautiful Puffback

What Tony says x 2.

And let's not forget the leopard!!

Seems African flights are getting fraught at the moment.

[michael-ibk]

13 hours ago, Tdgraves said:

Also, I have since discovered that they can fail (like DSLRs) to focus with brown on green or equivalent and can be slower to catch focus (frustratingly so). I still think that my DSLRs are more reliable for small birds in bushes,

 

Agree about that. Setting a second focus button without any tracking features is very helpful for the little guys.

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @Galana and @TonyQ

i would suggest avoiding any BA 380 flights at present! The OH got compensated both ways to the US as well as this flight.

[Tdgraves]

1 minute ago, michael-ibk said:

 

Agree about that. Setting a second focus button without any tracking features is very helpful for the little guys.

Even without tracking I was getting very frustrated on a cloudy day last week. Usually (with a DSLR) a slight change of angle to change the background is enough, but it wasn’t having it. I took my trusty 1D this morning, which paid off as I saw (and photographed) a crane and a bittern, although they were in flight so I would’ve been fine with the R3, not sure about the warblers hopping about in the reeds though….

[michael-ibk]

Well, the R3 is a different beast but with the R7 I still think I was faster getting fluttering warblers in thick vegetation. So yes, that's one of my main gripes with the mirrorless - but I am getting better shots IF I can focus on them (which requires a lot of twiddling between two focus buttons often assisted by the manual focus ring).

Edited May 4 by michael-ibk

[PeterHG]

Good to see your first Kruger batch. The puffback has already been mentioned but I also like the Drongo/Kudu shot. I can see how switching to mirrorless takes some getting used to but you’re already getting very good results and I trust this will only get better.

[Tdgraves]

Berg-en-Dal in camp, Kruger National Park, 14/1/24

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 6400, f5.6, 1/250

 

7T4A5899 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

61) Southern red-billed hornbill

[Tdgraves]

Near Berg-en-Dal, Kruger National Park, 14/1/24

 

Canon R3, EF 200-400 f/4, ISO 640, f4, 1/800

 

015A0692 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

Canon R3, EF 200-400 f/4, ISO 2000, f4, 1/1600

 

015A0717 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

62) Hamerkop

Edited May 4 by Tdgraves
typo

[Tdgraves]

Near Berg-en-Dal, Kruger National Park, 14/1/24

 

Canon R3, EF 200-400 f/4, ISO 1250, f4, 1/1000

 

015A0728 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

Who doesn't love a three for the price of one, stork trifecta?

 

63) Woolly-necked stork

64) Saddle-billed stork

65) Black stork

Edited May 4 by Tdgraves

[Tdgraves]

Near Berg-en-Dal, Kruger National Park, 14/1/24

 

Canon R3, EF 200-400 f/4, ISO 800, f4, 1/1250, EV +2

 

015A0690 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

66) Ring-necked dove

[Tdgraves]

Near Berg-en-Dal, Kruger National Park, 14/1/24

 

Canon R3, EF 200-400 f/4 with 1.4 x extender, ISO 1250, f5.6, 1/1600

 

015A0731 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

67) Little egret

[Tdgraves]

Near Berg-en-Dal, Kruger National Park, 14/1/24

 

Canon R3, EF 200-400 f/4 with 1.4 x extender, ISO 400, f5.6, 1/1000, EV + 1 1/3

 

015A0676 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

68) European bee-eater

[Tdgraves]

Near Berg-en-Dal, Kruger National Park, 14/1/24

 

Canon R3, EF 200-400 f/4, ISO 1600, f4, 1/640

 

015A0765 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

Canon R3, EF 200-400 f/4 with 1.4x extender, ISO 1600, f5.6, 1/1250

 

015A0682 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

69) Red-billed oxpecker

[Tdgraves]

The first trial of eye tracking - excellent with moving subjects, just couldn't catch a wave behind it!

Near Skukuza, Kruger National Park, 15/1/24

 

Canon R5, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1000, f7.1, 1/2000

 

6W4A0711 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

6W4A0707 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

70) Striated heron

[xelas]

Happy to find out eye tracking is working. But that black bir on impala surely is not a Red-billed oxpecker?!

[Tdgraves]

Juvenile @xelas

[xelas]

1 hour ago, Tdgraves said:

Juvenile @xelas

 

Thanks! never saw one, now I know.

[Tdgraves]

Near Ber-en-Dal, Kruger National Park, 15/1/24

 

Canon R5, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1600, f5.6, 1/1250

 

6W4A0466 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

71) Golden-breasted bunting

[Tdgraves]

Near Ber-en-Dal, Kruger National Park, 15/1/24

 

Canon R5, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1600, f7.1, 1/8000

 

6W4A0474 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

72) Common waxbill

[Tdgraves]

Near Ber-en-Dal, Kruger National Park, 15/1/24

 

Canon R5, 100-400 mark II, ISO 800, f7.1, 1/4000

 

6W4A0490 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

73) Greater blue-eared starling