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Thread: First solo

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    Default First solo

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    Not the dragonfly -- me -- got lucky on my first day out trying to get them in flight. Well, sort of lucky. It's a huge crop -- 10% of the full frame. Canon 5D3, 70-200 + 1.4X (at 255mm), ISO 1600, f/8, 1/2500 sec, hand held. I could have done with a lower ISO and larger aperture as far away as they were. Very little needed in LR (except a big crop) and to PS for a slight NR and sharpening, both with Nik products.

    The next day I tried the 300 f/2.8 IS and 1.4X, looking for a little more magnification. Didn't get anything I'd show, though. Both are too slow focusing with a small subject. I'll keep at it, hoping to catch one closer. Should probably ditch the 1.4 and add an extension tube and hope they come closer.

    The rumors of the new 7D are sounding very interesting for this kind of shooting.
    Last edited by Diane Miller; 09-12-2014 at 04:04 PM.

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    Really cool view, yes you can see the huge crop and all, but I have yet to even get something close to that.

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    nice mid air flight

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    Neat! Nicely frozen the flight here. I've never been successful with DF flight images.

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    Macro and Flora Moderator Jonathan Ashton's Avatar
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    Very good indeed, lovely colours details and exposure. I wish we got skies like that!
    It's a tough choice going for AF or manual - it depends really on how close/big in the frame the subject is. In general I favour manual focus, I study the subject - there is usually some repetition you can see in their flight patterns, as a consequence I prefocus in a certain spot and hope they come close and if necessary tweak the focus. In AF mode I would in general use one (central) AF point or one point with expansion, the trouble is they keep moving all the time and consequently the camera hunts rather a lot. If I get the impression they are likely to hover - however briefly I would go for AF.

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    Many thanks, everyone!

    But our skies here in sunny California are much brighter blue than that! That's just a patch of calm water. I was standing on a small bank and they would sometimes pause very briefly as they apparently were looking for bugs in the reeds at my feet.

    I couldn't get as close as I wanted -- where the slope is shallow the mud is like quicksand. Wound up on my backside the next day when I ventured a step into the muck and then tried to pull a foot out. The camera fared fine but my jeans were a little embarrassing.

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    BPN Member Sandy Witvoet's Avatar
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    Great going, Diane! Really like how the delicate wing patterns are shown here, as well as the intricate color patterns on the tail.
    (and the next day... you definitely made the right choice between saving your camera or your jeans!)
    www.mibirdingnetwork.com .... A place for bird and nature lovers in the Great Lakes area.

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    Nice shooting!! You nailed the focus even from that distance

    Good effort and nicely processed

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    Thanks, everyone! I think one of those new 7D IIs would increase my success rate. With the 5D3 it's 98% luck. it doesn't want to focus on a small moving target.#
    Last edited by Jonathan Ashton; 09-17-2014 at 03:41 AM.

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    Macro and Flora Moderator Jonathan Ashton's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Diane Miller View Post
    Thanks, everyone! I think one of those new 7D IIs would increase my success rate. With the 5D3 it's 98% luck. it doesn't want to focus on a small moving target.#
    Trust me Diane it doesn't matter which camera all struggle with in flight insects. You are half way there if you get the subject against a bland and contrasting background. My 1DX is from my point of view amazing compared to any other camera I have used but it is by no means infallible when it comes to insect in flight photography. I reckon there is a judgment call that has to be made, sometimes AF is appropriate sometimes it is not, patience and practice wins in the end.

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    BPN Member Steve Maxson's Avatar
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    Hi Diane. Looks like you pretty well nailed this one! Good overall sharpness, nice comp, and a clean background. The darners I'm familiar with typically have darker bodies overall (maybe this species is different?). I'm wondering if the dragonfly couldn't go a little darker - but then I wasn't there to see it - so you be the judge.

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    Patience? ME??? I should try it someday.

    It might be a bit bright -- I haven't had a very good look at one -- they don't seem to sit still often. I have a couple of record shots of one posed on a reed -- I'll check and see if this one looks too light. You know them much better than I do!

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