Another With My Favorite New Rig, Plus a Tip

This image was created with the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II lens, the 2X II TC, and the EOS-1D MIV (hand held at 370mm). ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops of the low blue sky: 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6. Rear button AF with the buttons switched.

Tip: when you are hand holding and using One Shot or rear button and recomposing, it is imperative that you do not shift your position even a millimeter after focusing lest you throw off the focus. With static subjects I am almost always seated and well braced.... Most of us do not realize how much we are moving when we think that we are standing still.

La Jolla, CA

Love the shades of blue in the background.

I have been using the 70-200 f/2.8 with the 1.4 for years with more than acceptable results. I realize we are viewing compressed images with your new rig but I don't see the sharpness you are extolling. In this instance the eye seems to lack clarity and the bill is a tad soft.

I've been using rear button focus for 4-5 years now (love it!!) and have had it on AI Servo 100% of the time...that way I just let go of the button to lock focus when I need to recompose. Works for me and I never need to switch between Servo and One Shot.

Anyhow, I like the image - I suppose the pose is from either the start or end of a stretch? Great blues, and I love texture in it - just the right amount. Sharpness looks OK from my end.

Well
I just obtained the Nikon 70-200 f2.8 and have used it with a 1.4 and a 1.7 tc. the Nikon 2x tc is on back order but have been playing with a kenko 2x and it seems to focus fast (just stationary objects) will go out later today after the rain stops and try it out on moving subjects

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mike Tracy

Love the shades of blue in the background.

I have been using the 70-200 f/2.8 with the 1.4 for years with more than acceptable results. I realize we are viewing compressed images with your new rig but I don't see the sharpness you are extolling. In this instance the eye seems to lack clarity and the bill is a tad soft.

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I agree that this is not razor on the eye. I was not "on" the bird when it began to stretch and I was not fully braced but I rear focused with the central sensor and hastily recomposed. Where I come from that is called operator error and has nothing to do with the accuracy of the AF system or the image quality. Everything that I have done in flight with AI Servo has been very sharp by my standards. Had I had time here the way to go would have been to have selected a sensor on the bird's eye or at least been rock solid while making the image. You caught me failing to follow my own tip but it does show what can happen if you move the tiniest bit.

I like the light and exposure, and also find the sharpness satisfactory. Good comp with space to look into.

Very nice Artie, Beautiful BG to set off the gull.

Thanks all. I should have mentioned that the image is acceptably sharp and more than publishable :)