Don't I look like a Bald Eagle?....

[Diane Miller]

... maybe just a LITTLE??

Canon 1DX2, 100-400 II + 1.4X III at 560mm, ISO 3200, 1/320 at f/13. Tripod, foggy morning.

This little guy is an occasional visitor to our feeders. I was set up for larger birds but couldn’t resist shooting him (or her??) in an uncommonly normal bird pose. This is a crop to 37% of the original frame. The detail at a high ISO and large crop speaks well of the lens and the camera.

Very basic processing. In LR I needed only some Highlight and Shadow adjustments. Then in PS I used Nik Dfine for noise, just on the BG, although I doubt the difference would show much here if I had skipped that step. The tail was not sharp so I did a High Pass layer and masked it to just the tail. This kind of sharpening on a master file is not so onerous, and is on a layer that can be turned off if it causes artifacts on resizing for various outputs. No other sharpening except the default LR uses when it resizes for Export.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I love nuthatches so I am happy to view this image! I love the pose, details, perch, clean BG. The IQ held up to the large crop very well indeed, but I think you could add back a little bit more canvas (looks OK as is, and subjective as you know). I'd also puch up the saturation a bit. All else looks really good to me. I suppose it has wings, a bill, feathers, and flies...like an eagle :-)

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Diane, lovely pose, and I like the feather detail and how the wings are crossed over. Good result for a large crop and high ISO. Well captured.

[William Dickson]

Lovely detail on the bird and perch. Great processing to make it look this good. Do you think you could have achieved this with the 1DX Mk1?

Will

[Diane Miller]

Thanks guys!

Will, I've never used the Mk I. I had decided to get the 5D3 instead as the noise was said to be the same, but then I began to get more interested in birds and regretted the decision within the year, due to AF limitations. I've been waiting longer than I had hoped for the Mk II and jumped on it as soon as it went live. I LOVE it. My rough impression is that there is about 1-1.5 stops better noise than the 5D3, and 2-2.5 better than the 7D2.

[Glennie Passier]

Diane, great little bird. I like the POV, fine detail and nice light. Interesting PP.

[christopher galeski]

Loverly capture,nice pose,like the BG,good detail and perch.TFS.

[keith mitchell]

Diane you have got some lovely detail on the bird,head and it's eye look really sharp ,pose makes it for me.

Keith.

[Michael Thompson]

I love the sharpness and detail, great colors, background and perch

[Warren Spreng]

Great shot Diane, beautiful details in the wings and love the pose!

[Glenn Conlan]

Man is that detailed, love the image and great bird position and perch

[Diane Miller]

Thanks everyone!!