Hard to Believe IQ?

[Arthur Morris]

Black Skimmer skimming in still water in early morning light

This image was created at Nickerson Beach on Thursday morning, August 4 with the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mountedCanon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III, and the mega mega-pixel Canon EOS 5DS R. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 stop off the light blue water: 1/3200 sec. at f/6.3. Daylight WB.

Center AF point/AI Servo Expand/Shutter Button AF as originally framed was active at the moment of exposure (as is always best with moving subjects). The active AF point fell on the spot where the wing attaches to the bird’s body, right on the same plane as the eye. Click on the image to see a larger version.

As for the image, please don't be shy. All honest comments are welcome and appreciated.

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ps: you can learn more about the creation of this image on my blog in the Hard to Believe? 5DS R Strikes Back With 600II/1.4X III Skimmer Skimming Image... post here.

[Arthur Morris]

This is an unsharpened 100% crop of the head and bill.

[Arthur Morris]

And this is an unsharpened 100% crop of the feet.

[Lorant Voros]

Indeed beautiful IQ and super clear water surface. Very impressive looking at the 100% crop images....even the smallest water drops are visible on the head. Remarkable how technology is advancing...but luckily bird photography requires still a bird photographer behind the camera:). TFS.

[Tim Foltz]

Artie, nice reflection, colors, sharpness and BG.

-Tim

[Bill Dix]

Amazingly sharp, well exposed. I love the one toenail dragging in the water.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Yes, that toenail dragging in the water is neat, so are the detached water drop and water line in between the mandibles. To me the only unfortunate thing is the whitish line across the face in the reflection. Maybe the image would be too perfect without it there. I love the inclusion of shoreline at the top.

[Geoffrey Montagu]

Excellent skimming capture, Artie. The early morning light, stillness of the water cut by the bill..... Beautiful!

The only thing that is quite pronounced is the white halo starting at the tip of the upper bill, continuing along the head around the leading edge of far wing, as well on the leading edge of near wing up to the point where sand begins. I have experienced this with in flight images having darker wing edges and certain blue sky colors.

Geoffrey

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Geo

Excellent skimming capture, Artie. The early morning light, stillness of the water cut by the bill..... Beautiful!

The only thing that is quite pronounced is the white halo starting at the tip of the upper bill, continuing along the head around the leading edge of far wing, as well on the leading edge of near wing up to the point where sand begins. I have experienced this with in flight images having darker wing edges and certain blue sky colors.

Geoffrey

Hi Geoffrey, Are you seeing that halo in the tight crop of the head?

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[Geoffrey Montagu]

Hi Geo

Hi Geoffrey, Are you seeing that halo in the tight crop of the head?

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Hi Artie,

Not as pronounced as in the original image. Much reduced.

Geoffrey

[arash_hazeghi]

looking pretty good Artie, love the light here

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Artie,

Not as pronounced as in the original image. Much reduced.

Geoffrey

Assuming that by the "original image" you are referring to the sharpened JPEG in Pane #1., then the thin white border is surely a sharpening halo. To save time, I do not select the bird when creating JPEGs. As a result, I get a sharpening halo on rare occasion.

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[Ritesh Nangare]

Amazingly sharp image and the IQ is just brilliant, love the image.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Isaac Grant]

Great as always Artie. Would not expect anything less from you. Sharp and the pose is perfect. My comment is more a question. I see you used daylight white balance. I almost always check how my shots look in Auto first, then check daylight and color temperature as well. Most times I settle on auto as I feel that daylight often creates a picture that has a bit of a blue tone to it. Regardless of the scene, I always feel that the daylight white balance just has a blue cast. Could you share some wisdom as to why you use daylight as opposed to other settings on this please? Also do you ever notice the blue cast to the daylight white balance and is there something you do to combat it? Thanks for the answers and really appreciate the help.

[Arthur Morris]

Great as always Artie. Would not expect anything less from you. Sharp and the pose is perfect. My comment is more a question. I see you used daylight white balance. I almost always check how my shots look in Auto first, then check daylight and color temperature as well. Most times I settle on auto as I feel that daylight often creates a picture that has a bit of a blue tone to it. Regardless of the scene, I always feel that the daylight white balance just has a blue cast. Could you share some wisdom as to why you use daylight as opposed to other settings on this please? Also do you ever notice the blue cast to the daylight white balance and is there something you do to combat it? Thanks for the answers and really appreciate the help.

Hi Issac, I began using a specific WB a few months back when consecutive images made with AWB exhibited a totally different color palette depending on whether the BKGR was gray sand or a breaking wave... Working with a specific WB offers more consistent results. Funny thing is that 1DX II (not used for the image here) images made in early morning with Daylight WB (I keep experimenting...) look totally yellow...

Arash keeps raving about the improved AWB with the 1DX II so I guess that I will need to continue to experiment. If you ain't learning every day you might as well be buried.

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[Isaac Grant]

I always think that AWB gives the truest colors on the 7d2. I take just about all my shots in full early morning or late evening sun and often using AWB the shot is a little too hot and saturated even though I exposed correctly. So I either tone the shot down or check other white balances. When I switch to daylight I always feel there is a blue cast. As you mention, always trying to learn.

[Arthur Morris]

Isaac, If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

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[Glenn Conlan]

Canon should use this image as a representation of the ultimate detailed capabilities of this model camera under superior experienced hands.

[David Salem]

The cropping ability of this rig is just are insane!! The frame looks great with a perfect HA, nice wing position and a beautiful trail of water. The exosure looks perfect and the details are sick. Well done old man :)

[Arthur Morris]

The cropping ability of this rig is just are insane!! The frame looks great with a perfect HA, nice wing position and a beautiful trail of water. The exosure looks perfect and the details are sick. Well done old man :)

Thanks kid. But not hand held...

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