Hand Held 200-400 flight at 747mm

[Arthur Morris]

This Black-shouldered Kite was photographed at Seronera, Serengeti on my recently concluded Tanzania Summer Photo-Safari with the Canon 200-400mm with the internal TC in place, an external 1.4X III TC (hand held at 747mm), and the EOS-1D X. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops: 1/1250 sec. at f/8.

The new lens with the internal TC engaged and an external 1.4X TC behind it is a viable flight photography rig when you need the extra reach.

The new lens is amazingly versatile. You can see some wide Serengeti plains images made with the 2-4 and learn of my harrowing trip home here (http://www.birdsasart-blog.com/2013/08/20/43-hours-door-to-door-with-a-bad-head-cold-you-gotta-love-it-2/).

I have been and will be posting dozens of Galapagos images made with the 2-4 and have been posting images from the Africa trip made with it. The 2-4 is the only big lens I am taking on my upcoming Bear Boat and Dahlia IPTs. You can visit the blog here (http://www.birdsasart-blog.com/) and scroll down or hit Postlist/2013 and find a ton of 200-400 images. Or follow the link to the Bulletin Archives. Only Bulletins 445 & 446 contain 200-400 images. Bulletin #447 with more 200-400 images will be published tomorrow. I will be doing a blog post on which big lens (or lenses) to bring on a given trip for the Canon Digital Learning Center Blog here (http://learn.usa.canon.com/dlc/blogs/blogentries.spr) soon. And that will be followed up with a Focus On feature for the CDLC website (http://learn.usa.canon.com/home/home.shtml).

Don't be shy; all comments welcome.

[dankearl]

Arthur,
Nice IQ and flight pose.
I might brighten and saturate the eye a bit.

[Evan Cain]

I like the motion blur of the wingtips along with the sharp head detail.

A question; are you finding that the 200-400 + external 1.4 is taking the place of a 600 II in most circumstances? Are you considering making this your permanent long lens?

[Markus Jais]

Great shot with wonderful wing pose. Those birds are so elegant, I could watch them for days without ever being bored.

I like the slightly out of focus wing tips and the bird looking down. Looks like he has already set his eyes on a potential meal.

Markus

[Arthur Morris]

I like the motion blur of the wingtips along with the sharp head detail.

A question; are you finding that the 200-400 + external 1.4 is taking the place of a 600 II in most circumstances? Are you considering making this your permanent long lens?

Thanks Evan. Not at all. 784 squared is a lot less than 1200 squared.... That said, for some locations--like the Galapagos and the Southern Oceans, the 2-4 is all that I will bring. But I would have the 300 f/2.8L IS along as a back-up. DO visit the blog and check out the Bulletins to learn a ton more about the lens.

[Arthur Morris]

Arthur, Nice IQ and flight pose. I might brighten and saturate the eye a bit.

Thanks Dank. Good point on the eye. I did not realize that when I lightened the pupil it had the effect of de-saturating it as compared to the ORIG. How is the repost?

[Grace Scalzo]

Love the repost, Artie. Not "instead of" your crop, but as an additional option, I can see this as a pano with a crop from the top. (I did it with a browser scroll)

[dankearl]

Repost looks great!
I also really like the slightly blurred wingtips which I should have mentioned, seems to fit the pose nicely.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Artie, typical hovering pose scanning down below for his next meal, and great job on lightening the eye in the repost.

Whilst out and about today away from the city, I saw a black shouldered kite on a telephone line having just caught a small mouse.

[Frank Schauf]

Fantastic performance by lens and photographer. :S3:

[Chris Kotze]

Love the hovering pose soft light and blur wings, the exposure is spot on. The eyes looks great on the repost

[Loi Nguyen]

Artie, love the eye in the repost. Not sure what ISO you were shooting, I think I saw a hint of noise in the underside of the wing and shadow area of the body. Loi

[Satish Ranadive]

Arthur Sir,
Spectacular image of hovering BSK. Love the re post with beautiful eye ,wing position and composition.
If mine ,would crop on the top.

Regards,
Satish.