Grebe

[Robert Holguin]

Hello everyone. While going to my usual place to see what I could shoot I noticed this grebe. I've seen pied grebe's, but never one like this. I hid in between some brushes and was able to capture some decent shots. Have not been able to ID so if someone can help that would be great. Hope you enjoy.
C&C welcomed and encouraged.
Camera - Nikon 300s, Lense - Nikon 200-400 w/1.4 tc, Exposure - 1/500, Aperture - F8, ISO - 320, Focal Length - 550mm, Metering - Multi Segment, Manual, On tripod.

[Josh Clark]

Looks like a Horned Grebe (winter plumage) to me. Nice capture here and great eye for this guy. I might consider taking a little of the right side. Like the calmness of the water, nice image here Robert.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Robert, cool alert pose, and you have captured a good HA. I like the droplets on the neck, together with the colour of the water. Comp wise, I would probably take a bit off the left, so he is in the left third of the image.

[arash_hazeghi]

very nice specie, you got a good angle too but the details are lacking, was this a big crop? I wonder why you didn't zoom all the way to 400mm?

[Daniel Cadieux]

I just saw and photographed my first Horned Grebes a last week, and they had a much white face and neck, and flatter head. This is an Eared Grebe. Good head turn on this swimming away individual. I'm not convinced on the comp, but I do like the colours and reflection. Arash, focal lenght is written down as 550mm (with TC), perhaps you mistook the ISO 320 as the FL...

[Randy Stout]

Robert:

Good discussion above. Lovely water with just enough detail to be interesting. Birds details do look a bit soft. I think the eye can be sharpened a bit by working on the reflection. Often by reducing the catch light a bit in size, and burning the remainder of the pupil, it helps with the apparent sharpness.

With the crop factor of the D300s, 1.5x, you are at 600 equivalent when zoomed to 400, then add the 1.4 TC multiplication factor, so could go out to effective focal length of 840mm. Not sure where the 550 comes out, I have seen that on several of your images. Certainly if you don't zoom all the way, that is a possible effective focal length, but in that case, better to shoot without the TC at all, as it does degrade this lens a bit (not much at your f/8 however)

Cheers. I always appreciate the positive comments you leave on other folks images.

Randy

[arash_hazeghi]

I just saw and photographed my first Horned Grebes a last week, and they had a much white face and neck, and flatter head. This is an Eared Grebe. Good head turn on this swimming away individual. I'm not convinced on the comp, but I do like the colours and reflection. Arash, focal lenght is written down as 550mm (with TC), perhaps you mistook the ISO 320 as the FL...

you're right, my bad!

[arash_hazeghi]

Robert:

Good discussion above. Lovely water with just enough detail to be interesting. Birds details do look a bit soft. I think the eye can be sharpened a bit by working on the reflection. Often by reducing the catch light a bit in size, and burning the remainder of the pupil, it helps with the apparent sharpness.

With the crop factor of the D300s, 1.5x, you are at 600 equivalent when zoomed to 400, then add the 1.4 TC multiplication factor, so could go out to effective focal length of 840mm. Not sure where the 550 comes out, I have seen that on several of your images. Certainly if you don't zoom all the way, that is a possible effective focal length, but in that case, better to shoot without the TC at all, as it does degrade this lens a bit (not much at your f/8 however)

Cheers. I always appreciate the positive comments you leave on other folks images.

Randy

Hey Randy, focal length does not change with crop factor, the focal length is still 560mm, the D300 just has a smaller FOV, but you are right the equivalent "reach" is similar (although not quite the same in terms of IQ and sharpness) as D700 with a 840mm lens.

Funny when I had the 200-400 (VR I) it was actually pretty sharp with the 1.4X TC and wide open, although I only used it with D700. I got some good flight shots too.

[Robert Holguin]

Thank you all very much for all the comments and the ID.

Here is different angle of this grebe. A tighter crop. Didnt want to start another thread. Let me know what you all think. I think this has a tad better detail.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Robert, I feel you should have posted this as a separate thread - more for the reason that you will have better feedback on a newer thread.