Red kite (Milvus milvus)

[Jonathan Ashton]

I wondered how the focus tracking would cope against the grass, it wasn't too bad considering how quick from finding in the viewfinder to making the exposure.

Olympus E-M1MarkIII
Focal Length : 210.0mm (40-150mm + 1.4TC)
Focal length in 35 mm film : 421.0mm
ISO : 1600
Exposure compensation : 0.0 EV
Exposure mode : Manual exposure
Shutter : 1/2000 sec
Aperture : F4

ACR/PSCC

[Brian Sump]

Jon, such a handsome subject. I am a sucker for raptors for sure.

Like your choice of composition. The wing pose works fine for me and it's nice to have a little drop in the opposing wing.

Would have been great to have the subject a bit more removed from the ground to create better dof but works ok. Main thing for me is that it feels a touch underexposed, and therefore a touch dark and drab. I think you had plenty of room with the body settings but could certainly open it up a bit in post.

Otherwise, nice and sharp so that's great!

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks Brian, the terrain and separation - well I got what I was given, the birds were high up or low down, on the areas in between it was almost impossible to get a clear shot because the birds were competing with one another. I'll take another look at the exposure but remember it was a dull day.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Jon, the conditions sound very similar to when I was at Will's location, but wonder if the lower hide may have been better for the POV rather than looking slightly down? It's not bad at 1/2000, as I guess you are restricted in going to high on ISO for a faster SS. I assume this is the subject to pick up the chicken bits on the ground??? I quite like the lower left wing as it curls up, I'm guessing it's low SS rather than motion blur in the wing tip or perhaps a bit of both? I might think about cropping the mud out and going tighter.

Exposure looks OK to me, but wonder if there is some magenta running through the image.

TFS
Steve

[Jonathan Ashton]

Steve, the wing tips would probably be a combination of limited DOF and movement, I am not worried about wing tips a little blur indicates movement - and yes it was moving:w3, I could have raised ISO more but happy with what I got, the eye was pretty sharp. If I had gone in the low level hide my opportunities would of course be better for low level but no good for more acrobatic aerial shots and as the majority of action is in the air... The birds in this location are fed on beef.
I have made a repost based upon suggestions received.

[Steve Kaluski]

I am not worried about wing tips a little blur indicates movement - and yes it was moving

Nor am I Jon.


I could have raised ISO more but happy with what I got,

But in the passed the IQ hasn't been great at higher ISO ie 3200+, so I think this is good enough as you say, but you can see a little noise in the shadows.

RP I think, great minds perhaps?

[Jonathan Ashton]

Nor am I Jon.



But in the passed the IQ hasn't been great at higher ISO ie 3200+, so I think this is good enough as you say, but you can see a little noise in the shadows.

RP I think, great minds perhaps?

Steve the noise levels will never compare to a full frame camera, it would be illogical to ever imagine so but I can now get better quality images than I used to, so I am pretty content with my little bundle. Quite honestly I didn't notice noise in the shadows - I wasn't looking for it! But I don't doubt it is there.

[David Roach]

Certainly, the AF worked quite well with the grass BG. Love the end of the wing curl and the proximity to the ground. TFS

ps
RP better for me.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Jon ... always worth to experiment .
I would prefer them high in the sky or a lower shooting angle , but we have to take what we can get .
So good to hear that you think the AF performed well.
RP looks better to me .

TFS Andreas