Quelia Block out the Sun

[Ken Watkins]

Part of a flock of thousands of Quelia blocking out the Sun, taken in Mapula Concession Botswana 14th September 2008

Canon 1D MkIII

500mm IS hand held

F8, 1/800, ISO 8000, EV -1

[Axel Hildebrandt]

This looks quite impressive. I'd love to see this sometime. Is the light due to the birds blocking the sun?

[Fabs Forns]

Impressive it is. It reminds me if the RWBBs taking off at Bosque del Apache.

Sweet!!!

[Arthur Morris]

Yes to impressive but I do not like the light. Working much wider would likely have been a great plan... I want to see a huge grouping.... The longest lens is not always the best...

[Ken Watkins]

Art ,
Unfortunately I was not ready with my wider angle when they took off and was also shooting into the sun. Never mind better luck next time I say!

[Ken Watkins]

Art,

Art,
Yes I think I would have been better using a wide angle, also shooting into the sun is not that clever I had reduced the exposure by the third shot. I will hopefully get the opportunity to improve the next time.

Cheers

Ken

[Arthur Morris]

Ken, Do you have two digital camera bodies? Were you working from a vehicle or on foot?

[Ken Watkins]

Art,

I have two bodie the other has a 28-300 zoom, but I had just put this in a bag as we were stopping for sundowners when the great take-off occurred. We were on a vehicle.

Cheers

Ken

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks for the info. I hope that yoy learned from your mistake... How do you like the 28-300. I may try to borrow one for Bosque this year.

[Ken Watkins]

Hi Art,

Firstly it is obviously not as sharp as a prime, but it is nevertheless extremely useful in Safari situations in particular for larger animals, and those that come extremely close, plus pf course landscapes (although I do not take many of these). It is also in spite of what I have read elsewhere relatively light and makes a perfectly acceptable walkabout lens.

[Arthur Morris]

Firstly it is obviously not as sharp as a prime, but it is nevertheless extremely useful in Safari situations in particular for larger animals, and those that come extremely close, plus pf course landscapes (although I do not take many of these). It is also in spite of what I have read elsewhere relatively light and makes a perfectly acceptable walkabout lens.

I used one at Bosque about two years ago and will get one again for this year. As far as it being "obviously not as sharp as a prime," I am always leery when I hear comments like that... Yeah, when folks do testing with a microscope the good zooms may be less sharp, but I'd love to see the proof in the pictures... I think that folks simply get used to believing the word on the street...

Respectfully