Little Egret.

[David Cowling]

This bird was photographed flying over marshland in Norfolk.

Canon 5D Mk4. Canon 100-400 L Mk2. 1.4x TC Mk3.

1/2500. F8. Auto ISO 1600 + 1.

ACR and PS6. 75% Crop

[Dorian Anderson]

The exposure looks good and you have some nice detail on that far wing. You could try reducing blacks in whites to get them a bit crisper. Background and composition are very nice. Gonna be tough
to get a perfectly crisp flight with zoom and TC on that body. Feet are good but not great sharpness, for example.

[John Mack]

Nice light with a nice background. Wish that near wing was either up or down.

[Isaac Grant]

I like the way the egret looks against the golden grass. Agree you could get those whites a bit crisper and Dorian's suggestion is spot on. I have some very sharp flight frames with the 100-400 ii and the 1.4x iii. The difference is that I shot them at a higher shutter speed. I know others have been successful at shooting BIF with somewhat low shutter speed but I have always had the sharpest files at 1/3200 and up. If I know I am shooting BIF I will start there and go up as needed. But you have to have the light to do so. David when you say 75% crop do you mean that this is 25% of the original frame? If so that could also have a big impact on the image quality.

[David Cowling]

Thanks for the replies. Isaac, yes to the crop, in fact it is bigger than 75%, with the image being cropped down to six MPs from thirty million. Agree with faster shutter speed but the image was taken in February and we don't have a lot of light in UK at that time, although I am becoming increasingly convinced that bumping up the ISO on this body doesn't hurt. John, I have a frame with the near wing fully down which was the one I meant to post. I will post it later. Dorian, agree on the lack of crispness, but this is probably due to the big crop. To me it is an acceptable image but not a great one. It is the feedback that is so helpful in turning acceptable into great and this forum is a big help.
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[Daniel Cadieux]

Oh boy, yes, that is a big crop indeed and a main reason for the file (as posted) not being the sharpest it could be as far as fine detail goes. Great BG with good light.

[Daniel Cadieux]

OK, well I just saw Isaac's image directly below and he has a similar crop but the resolution and details are as if it were a full-frame image....so a big crop does make a difference for most bodies, but not all (in good hands). I The distance to the bird has also likely played a role with this egret being a larger subject.