Asian Paradise flycatcher

[prasanna av]

128084
Nikon D 800 with nikkor 500 mm f4.
ISO 800, 1/80, f8.
Not sure of upping my ISO in D800.
shot at f8 to get more of the bird in focus.
critiques are very welcome.
prasanna

[Marina Scarr]

Lovely portrait of a lovely bird. Wish for more depth of field (DOF). From what I understand the D800 can take a higher ISO, but the only way you're really going to know is if you get out in the field and experiment. Push your equipment to the limit and see what it can handle. That way when you are working on a specific subject, you will have a better idea of what you can and can't do. What you did do well here was make sure to keep the eye sharp which is the most important part but this image would have been even better with more of the face and crown sharp.

[Marina Scarr]

PS: Take a look at this image http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php/110276 and you will see that Greg was using your camera at ISO 2000 and the image quality is excellent.

[Daniel Cadieux]

If I can use my 7D at 1600 with no qualms (with proper exposure) imagine how much higher you can push your D800! As Marina says, test it out. Photograph very common subjects in common areas so that when you encounter special or rarer circumstances you will then have the confidence to push your gear to your set known limits.

This is a very pretty subject you present us, and I agree with Marina's critique. I'm not sold on the crop, but portraits of songbirds can be tricky.

[Robert Holguin]

Very nice shot.
Great head angle and nice background.
Well done.