Leopard @ ISO-8000, large crop

[Morkel Erasmus]

I am posting this as an informative post as I know the IQ is not up there with my other work, but I was very interested in how these images would come out.

This is the leopard I posted previously scaling the tree (http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...Leopard-Ascent), a few minutes before it did so. He was lying around a little further back from the tree on an open patch of ground, and proceeded to yawn. Again, the light was almost non-existant (just look at the shooting techs) as my auto-ISO setting proceeded to provide me with an ISO setting of 8000 even at 1/250 SS and aperture of f4.

This is also a HUGE crop - I will post the full resolution image as a follow-up frame in this thread for comparison. This kind of low light capability and detail retention is enough to make me wonder why I took so long to make the 'switch' .

All comments welcome - please note this is not a strictly 'for critique' thread, as I have stated above

Techs:
Nikon D3s with Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II
f4.0 @ 1/250 SS @ ISO-8000
Manual Exposure, Auto ISO
Focus distance: 66.8 meters

Post Processing:
LR3:
noise reduction sliders on 10 (standard workflow for me for images above ISO-800)
CS5:
Selective sharpening of the leopard after resizing
One round of my standard NR action on the surroundings

[Morkel Erasmus]

As promised...full resolution image.

Only post processing done:
LR3 NR sliders as per top image
Sharpened slightly after resizing
Converted to sRGB

[Harshad Barve]

Bhai , that's why we buy D3 or D3s

This is simply amazing to see specially after seeing original capture
TFS

[Hilary Hann]

I'm seriously impressed.

[Rudi van den Heever]

Impressive Morkel!

[Stu Bowie]

Now thats pretty impressive mate.

[Robert Amoruso]

Nice s-curve on the tongue.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Morkel,
I can't wait to see what the next gen bodies will do for ISO! Very nice example!

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks for viewing and the feedback folks...