Thursday’s eagle in flight.

[Ben Egbert]

Same eagle I posted Thursday, only after he left the perch. I hesitated posting this because of the wing shadow on head. This is the problem shooting in bright light. The original crop is 2091X2118 which makes this about the closest eagle in flight ever for me.

I filled a 4GB card on my 50D and switched to the 1DS-mk3. The 1ds-mk3 images are all much cleaner and there was far more in-focus shots. I did the 50D with the bare 500f4, and the 1DS-mk3 with the 500+1.4X. In most cases, I have more pixels after crop with the 50D, mostly because the birds were closer. But the 1DS-mk3 shots were better.

1ds-mk3, 500f4+1.4X, ISO400, f5.6, 1/2000 second, 45pt af in ai-servo burst using a Wimberly sidekick. I used the 45point as a result of reading Arties DVD, the art of bird photography II. It worked great for this situation.

[arash_hazeghi]

This is a sweet image Ben, love the BG ans definition of the eagle. feather detail is great only wish the HA was a bit better. You are right 1DSMKIII files are a whole lot better than 50D. If you want a nice cropped camera upgrade to a 7D.

[Danny J Brown]

Hey Ben - A fine looking eagle image you have here. The head is perfectly defined against the bokeh with sharp edge detail and the composition is really nice. Great capture, my friend.

[Ben Egbert]

This is a sweet image Ben, love the BG ans definition of the eagle. feather detail is great only wish the HA was a bit better. You are right 1DSMKIII files are a whole lot better than 50D. If you want a nice cropped camera upgrade to a 7D.

Thanks for the comments. I have been using the 50D all year for static shots, where it works great and the PD is a great assist. But this is my first eagle season with it. I am gtiing a bit old for BIF, but I am still looking for a good fish pick-up shot.

I am going back tomorrow when it will be overcast. You never get good morning sun angle at this lake, so overcast is often the best bet.

[Ben Egbert]

Hey Ben - A fine looking eagle image you have here. The head is perfectly defined against the bokeh with sharp edge detail and the composition is really nice. Great capture, my friend.

Thanks a lot, very supportive.

[Mike Kuran]

Awesome Image Ben! I can only wish someday to get one myself. :) Well done!!

Mike K

[Ben Egbert]

Awesome Image Ben! I can only wish someday to get one myself. :) Well done!!

Mike K

Thanks Mike, Replied to your PM, but in case it did not go, Everett is 300+ miles west of here.

[James Salywoda]

Such a majestic beauty excellent shot....

[Nate Chappell]

Congrats on getting your closest eagle shot Ben, I like the image and you've done about as well as possible considering the difficult lighting on the head.

[Ben Egbert]

Thanks Nate and James. I am downloading todays shots, had to go to ISO1600, because of cloud cover but got some good exposures and a few fish pick-ups. Hope the noise does not ruin them. Used the 1DS-mk3, but I seldom work above ISO800.