Kestrel

[arash_hazeghi]

Female American kestrel posing


shot with D850 and 500 PF + TC-14E III ISO 1000 f/8 at 1/3200 sec hand held. processed with C1P

hope you like it

[Paul Burdett]

Beautiful image of this Kestrel. Nice perch too. It's hard to nit pic your photos Arash, but for me I'd like the background to be more of a contrasting colour (not possible I know in a shooting scenario), as the overall colour of the bird is too similar to the BG if you get my meaning. Cheers.

[Randy Stout]

Arash:

Very handsome bird, nice head turn, shooting angle, sharpness. I do appreciate Paul's point about a more contrasting color, but it still works very well as is.

What is your impression of the TC14 III on the PF? I have heard quite contrasting opinions, not that it isn't sharp, but because of the limitations on the f/stop. This would seem to be a perfect place for it, distant background, plenty of light and a stationary subject.

Randy

[Dorian Anderson]

Very nice! I'll be down there for 7 days in Feb so my wife can spend some time with her dad. I'm hoping to get a few frames of this lady as well. I think this fine image does need a not more contrast, specifically a few points of black. Otherwise just about perfect!

[dankearl]

Looks good Arash, I have never been that happy with the IQ of 500 pf with the tc, but this looks
nice and detailed. I have version II, maybe that is the reason, but the quality of the 1.4 version II
is excellent with my 300 f2.8.

[arash_hazeghi]

Looks good Arash, I have never been that happy with the IQ of 500 pf with the tc, but this looks
nice and detailed. I have version II, maybe that is the reason, but the quality of the 1.4 version II
is excellent with my 300 f2.8.

Hi Dan maybe the old TC is no good on the new lenses. I would try the TC14 E III. As I said in my review the 500PF is still tack sharp with the TC14E III. If you are getting different results it's probably due to the vintage TC or perhaps a bad lens.

[arash_hazeghi]

Very nice! I'll be down there for 7 days in Feb so my wife can spend some time with her dad. I'm hoping to get a few frames of this lady as well. I think this fine image does need a not more contrast, specifically a few points of black. Otherwise just about perfect!

Hey Dorian, it looks spot on my reference NEC monitor. Once you (hopefully) get to see this bird you will see the colors for yourself.

cheers

[arash_hazeghi]

Arash:

Very handsome bird, nice head turn, shooting angle, sharpness. I do appreciate Paul's point about a more contrasting color, but it still works very well as is.

What is your impression of the TC14 III on the PF? I have heard quite contrasting opinions, not that it isn't sharp, but because of the limitations on the f/stop. This would seem to be a perfect place for it, distant background, plenty of light and a stationary subject.

Randy

Hey Randy thanks

the TC14E-III works well on the PF. It is tack sharp. F/8 is not a problem for the D5 (AF and ISO) but it is a bit limiting for D850 and D500 (more AF than ISO). with the latter I use it mainly for static shots in good light like the example above

cheers

[Krishna Prasad kotti]

Interesting observations on TC II vs TC III. I have 300 f/4 PF and both versions works fine on the same.

Nice head Angle and perch.

Was this cropped ?

TFS

[John Mack]

Looks spot on. Nice pose,perch and love that killer background.

[Randy Stout]

THANKS Arash. Appreciate it. Most of my work is done in fairly low light, but I can see times where the TC and 500 PF combination could work for me. Cheers

Hey Randy thanks

the TC14E-III works well on the PF. It is tack sharp. F/8 is not a problem for the D5 (AF and ISO) but it is a bit limiting for D850 and D500 (more AF than ISO). with the latter I use it mainly for static shots in good light like the example above

cheers

[Alex Becker]

Pretty sweet. I love the look back pose and the perch is good. Nice complimentary background as well. Would love to photograph these birds. TFS

[arash_hazeghi]

THANKS Arash. Appreciate it. Most of my work is done in fairly low light, but I can see times where the TC and 500 PF combination could work for me. Cheers

Hi Randy, if you shoot low light the best Nikon gear is the D5 plus the 600 FL nothing comes close having tried all combinations in the field. You may want to wait for the D6 however it might be even better

The 500PF is somewhat a niche lens, it is great for travel just like the Canon 400 DO II. It is only for places where you cannot possibly take or use the 600 f/4. But make no mistake about it, it is NOT a primary birding lens and it is not a substitute for an f/4 super-telephoto lens. You will hear many folks switching, ranting and raving about these small f/5.6 lenses or even the crappy f/6.3 zooms. Lack of funds or bodily strength (both unfortunate) is the only reason to pick a 500PF over a 600 f/4 unless it is physically impossible to take the big lens or physically impossible to use it on location. On this trip we were flying with a small jet and the 600 + thinktank wouldn't fit in the overhead bin so I had no choice but to use the 500 and it worked well, but would I have gotten better pics if I had the 600. absolutely no doubt about it.