Dark morphed Red-tailed Hawk

[arash_hazeghi]

This is another image I got during my stay with Dave last Nov. This is a dark morphed juvenile

159694

1DX 400DO II + 2X III. ISO 800. f/8 1/2500sec. hand held from vehicle. Processed with DPP 4.3

hope you like it

[Mike Poole]

Signature high IQ and details, and I like the curled primaries - nice touch and a change from the more regular wings up or down positions.

The catchlight looks quite stark - is that just how it was or has some eye work been done?

Also looks an unusual slightly downwards shooting angle - makes for a nice scene.

Mike

[arash_hazeghi]

Thanks Mike, the catch light is natural. When shooting from a truck we have the advantage of being higher than the raptors that perch on the ground.

best

[Karl Egressy]

This image serves justice to the dark morph of this species on a big way.
I always thought that the light morph, that I call blonde, was prettier up until I saw this image.
Great light on the bird, perfect shooting angle and great IQ.

[steve torna]

Hi Arash, quality is perfect as usual; what a handsome specimen; the image captures the powerful and magnificent nature of the hawk. TFS steve

[Lorant Voros]

The usual top image with great IQ for sure and an unusual shooting angle from you. The specimen is beautiful. Very nice image, Arash.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Super shot the details and colours look terrific. A great pose with a full range of tones.
You are beginning to make me wonder about trading in my trusty 500mm for a 400mm DO and a 2x TC MkIII. I often use a 100-400 with 1.4TC III and I think the focusing is fast, do you regard the 400 and 2x as fast focusing?

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the IQ, details, BG and composition. Excellent image Arash!

[Marina Scarr]

Lovely flight pose, angle and light.

[Grace Scalzo]

You captured the beauty of this bird perfectly. Love the rich, vibrant colors of your subject and background.

[adrian dancy]

I love to colours on this bird and the variation in rich tones and shadows giving form. The flight pose is dramatic. The eye highlight appears too strong here whereas on a printed image may be less problematic IMHO. The distal part of the bill is soft. Given the sharpness everywhere else I can only presume it was not selected for sharpening or that there has been some bleeding occurring with NR on the background? All in all a cracking image.

[arash_hazeghi]

Thanks Adrian but the catchlight and the beak sharpness both look good to me eye. I can even see the small delicate feathers near the nasal opening of the beak on my monitor. I. didn't run any NR here. It looks Great new 4K 32" monitor, but I am still calibrating and adjusting to it, I'll look at it on a conventional screen as well to check sharpness :bg3:

best

[arash_hazeghi]

Super shot the details and colours look terrific. A great pose with a full range of tones.
You are beginning to make me wonder about trading in my trusty 500mm for a 400mm DO and a 2x TC MkIII. I often use a 100-400 with 1.4TC III and I think the focusing is fast, do you regard the 400 and 2x as fast focusing?

Hi Jon,

I think you meant how it compares with 500 + 1.4? If it is the series I 500, I would say the 400 DO II is overall a better choice given it's lower weight, especially if you have the 1DX. The series I lenses struggled with the 2X when it came to AF but the 400 DO II is perfectly usable with the 2X III for flight given its modern technology.

Compared to the 500 f/4 IS II, however it's a different story. I'd still pick the 500 II if that is going to be your only long lens. The 400 DO II compliments that or a 600 II nicely as the 2nd lens.

As for 100-400 II there is really no comparison, the 400 DO II is in a different league (and a different price category).

[David Salem]

That was a cool encounter we had with this nice melanistic female. Great that you caught her taking off and I like the nice colors and details. The water and bushes make for a nice color palette.
I thinks the catch in the eye is a bit oblonged and is giving that look. I like to clean up these catch lights to give the eye a cleaner look. Love her rich dark colors. Well done as always

[annmpacheco]

Marvelous image Arash, such rich colors and gorgeous BG, quality is tops for sure. Another beauty.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks for the reply Arash, I had a sneaky feeling you were going to say something along those lines. Looks like I will stay with old faithful a while longer.

[arash_hazeghi]

thank you all

[Satish Ranadive]

Excellent flight shot with superb HA. Great show.


Regards,
Satish.