Deadly Combo???

[Arthur Morris]

I spoke at Photo Expo West (with my appearance sponsored by Canon USA and Delkin) in Del Mar but spent all my free time in La Jolla.

This Brown Pelican was photographed with the 70-200mm f/4 IS L lens (handheld at 116mm) with the EOS-50D. ISO 800. Evaluative metering + 1 2/3 stops of the sky: 1/1600 at f/5.

I am loving my 50D and cannot wait to use it in Bosque with the Canon 800 f/5.6 IS L lens that I will have on loan. :) :) :)

With it's 1.6 crop factor the 50D and the 70-200 will be hanging on my shoulder quite a bit.

Don't be shy; all comments welcome.

[Ramon M. Casares]

I use a similar combo myself and I find it very usefull! In this case I think it worked very well, the pose and detail are great as exposure and light, still, I am not crazy about the shot, not sure why, I like it a lot, but I don't love as I usually love you images! And about that 800 f 5.6... I just envy you so much! :)

[Joe Senzatimore]

Hard not to like it. Comp. and detail are wonderful. Gotta love the 70/200 for flight!!!!!!!

[Bob Blanchard]

I had already decided to replace my 40D with a 50D. I think the 50D is going to be "the deal" for us wildlife folks. Light, fast, plenty of pixel density, 1.6 CF, and a reasonable price point. Hard to argue that! It satisfies the only real gripe (pixel density) that I had with my 40D. I've been using the 40D/70-200 (f/2.8L) combo for flight for quite some time now, and find it to be fantstic. Focusing on the 50D is said to be significantly improved over the 40D. Have you found that to be true or not? I found that I had to adopt a "bumping" technque on the 40D for more consistent flight photography. Does the 50D perform more like a 1D, or a 40D in AI Servo mode?

RE: The 800 - f/5.6 What a lens! Lighter than the 600, and fast as heck from what I hear. Only prob will be finding things in the VF....and being able to swallow that 10k price tag. Be sure to give us all a look at the 50d, stacked TC's, and the 800/5.6 combo! LOL - I'm not even going to do that math on that one!

RE: The image - Love the pose, crop, eye contact, and detail. Maybe a bit more "punch" via levels adjustment or contrast?

[Manos Papadomanolakis]

I really like the wing position,composition and details!!!

[Doug Brown]

Focusing on the 50D is said to be significantly improved over the 40D. Have you found that to be true or not? I found that I had to adopt a "bumping" technque on the 40D for more consistent flight photography. Does the 50D perform more like a 1D, or a 40D in AI Servo mode?

You might be interested in this thread Bob: http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=23207

My impression is better than both the 40D and the 1D Mark III for BIF.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Fantastic image Artie. :) Great wingspread. I am interested to read more of this 50D!

Look forward to your review of the 800mm. If I am half lucky, a friend will have one on loan from Canon Aus next week and I'll get to play. Then I need him anyway as alibi while I rob the bank! LOL!!!!