I didn't realize until I got home and looked at the images on the computer screen just how much the perch looks like a big finger - nail and all. :eek:
Anyway, I was doing a little bit of experimenting with my 300mm f/2.8L IS and 2x TC handheld and pushing the IS with slow shutter speed.
Canon 30D with the aforementioned lens and Canon TC.
1/125 sec at f/5.6; ISO 400; 0 EV; FL 600mm (960mm equivalent); Natural light
Sweet capture but i find it to be rather steep and a tad soft. Would it have been possible to move back and to the right a little . It would have lowered the steepness of this capture a little. Many thanks for sharing Ed.
It's tough to hand hold at close to 1000mm at 1/125 Ed. Consider pushing your ISO to 800 or 1000 for shots like this. I have to agree with Judy here; sharpness could be better and a less steep angle would really help. Thanks for posting!
Thanks for the feedback. First off, I have to agree that I would have been better off at ISO 800 or even higher. Shooting at this focal length, handheld and at 1/125 sec is a deadly combination. I also could have/should have gone off the tripod which was over my shoulder.
As far as the steepness, that is a tough one. We are in an area of tall trees so these small birds tend to be up high. Actually this one was lower than most. Moving back would obviously reduce the angle but then I am also farther from the subject (a small bird to begin with). Actually I started back farther and after making several images, I move several steps closer and repeat the process and the bird flew off. And still this is a fairly significant crop (cropped to close to 1500 x 1200 pixels).
Again, thanks for the critiques. I greatly appreciate them!