White-tailed Kite

[arash_hazeghi]

Got this one today in Arastardero park, thanks to Conrad Tan for the tip. unfortunately I had only one hour with good light before I was kicked out! Apparently the rangers think the photographers disturb the habitat and have closed the area, too far from other trails to get a good shot!

http://www.stanford.edu/%7Eahazeghi/Photos/birds/kite%209%20low.jpg


1DMKIV 500 and 1.4X TC, f/7.1 1/2000sec ISO 400

[Troy Lim]

Did you go with Conrad? He just got his 500mm :)
Looks like heavy crop shot, wings are sharp but head is a bit blurry.

[arash_hazeghi]

Did you go with Conrad? He just got his 500mm :)
Looks like heavy crop shot, wings are sharp but head is a bit blurry.


No I went alone, It is about 60% of FF , head is actually sharper than wings in RAW. here is a 100% un-sharpened crop from RAW, looks ok to me:confused:

[Troy Lim]

No I went alone, It is 80% of FF, head is actually sharper than wings in RAW.

Both are do look sharper than the head. Not sure if others agree.
Almost 3am in CA....

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Cool capture, I like the wing position, light angle and BG. Why is the BG so dark, was it not sunlit or did you underexpose? Sharpness looks good enough to me, the impression of motion blur might have to do with the way the catchlight looks. It is round in the crop of the head but in the original post it looks somewhat blurred.

[arash_hazeghi]

Cool capture, I like the wing position, light angle and BG. Why is the BG so dark, was it not sunlit or did you underexpose? Sharpness looks good enough to me, the impression of motion blur might have to do with the way the catchlight looks. It is round in the crop of the head but in the original post it looks somewhat blurred.

BG is distant trees that were in shade, I haven't touched the exposure in this one. just crop, re-size and sharpening.

[KK Hui]

Great flight pose, Arash!
For IQ your 5D2 appears to yield better result, no?!

[Harshad Barve]

excellent image Arashbhai , lovely eye and wing position
TFS

[Alfred Forns]

Sweet capture !!! Image looks sharp to me, maybe the wings appear sharper due to the color/texture? Love this image as presented

KK ... sensory overload !!! :)

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

Lovely image arash and I like the lighting being more pronounced around the head area. Makes for a very striking composition along with the dark BG. Fine capture !!!!

[Stu Bowie]

Arash, lovely flying posture, and I like the downstroke position of the wings. Sharpness looks fine to me, and the kite stands out very well from the darker BG.

[denise ippolito]

Lovely flight pose and sharp details. I like the dark BG and feel it adds nicely to the overall image.

[Joe Senzatimore]

Looks good and sharp here as well. Love how the dark BG "pops" the subject. Wish this were mine.:(

[Gary Hamilton]

Looks sharp enough for me. Nice composition and the dark background is a big plus. Well done.

[Lorant Voros]

Nice bird that I enjoyed photographing once too. I like this flight pose, the composition, the dark BG and the colors. The head area looks funky to me as well, but it is sharp enough.

Lorant

[arash_hazeghi]

Thanks guys for comments, this is a juvi with brand new feathers, I think this is just the way head looks like with side light against dark BG, got another one against brighter BG will post later.


Thanks again for all the comments :)

[Morkel Erasmus]

lovely pose, colours and details here Arash - did you trade in your 5D2 for a 1D4?

[arash_hazeghi]

lovely pose, colours and details here Arash - did you trade in your 5D2 for a 1D4?

No Morkel I will never sell my 5DMKII, I have both 1d and 5d will use both for flight depending on the type of specie. Kites are really small and far so the little extra reach of MKIV is essential.

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks for the explanation. do you then still have the Nikon kit as well?

[arash_hazeghi]

thanks for the explanation. do you then still have the Nikon kit as well?

No I sold all my Nikon stuff can't afford to have two systems :)

[Morkel Erasmus]

if you didn't need to sell your Nikon stuff I would know who to ask for a loan ;)

why'd you decide on the Canon system as opposed to the Nikon system, as a matter of interest?

[arash_hazeghi]

if you didn't need to sell your Nikon stuff I would know who to ask for a loan ;)

why'd you decide on the Canon system as opposed to the Nikon system, as a matter of interest?


Because I could not afford the Nikon 500 f/4 VR lens at the time I had Nikon. IMHO best flight lens is 500 f/4 and that's what I wanted.

D3S+500VR = $13,700
MKIV+500IS=$11,100

with the difference I got a 5DMKII!

[Fabs Forns]

Impressive capture, love the light bird against the dark green BG.

[Troy Lim]

Because I could not afford the Nikon 500 f/4 VR lens at the time I had Nikon. IMHO best flight lens is 500 f/4 and that's what I wanted.

D3S+500VR = $13,700
MKIV+500IS=$11,100

with the difference I got a 5DMKII!

Arash, I agree with you.
Nikon is getting outrageous. But not sure if Canon will stay cheaper much longer.
70-200 IS II now is more than Nikon's 70-200 VRII. Just a matter of time I think.

In Asia, I know prices for both are the same. It is cheaper for those Canon shooter to buy them in US.

[John Ippolito]

Love the pose, comp and details against the killer BG. Well done!!

[Morkel Erasmus]

prices here in SA are still in the favour of Canon but they are going up here as well

[Conrad Tan]

Hey buddy! I see you got a great shot off here man! Nice BG and good detail! You're shots came out sharper than any of mine. Guess its user error on my part LOL Anyway, hope to shoot with you soon again man.

[Kiran Poonacha]

Lovely bhai, nice pose, good underwing details and Good BG..