Common Tern, iso1600, problems, etc.

[Jack Breakfast]

Greetings finest folks!!
I am posting this shot so as to hear your heartfelt and truest opinions regarding this admittedly not up-to-snuff picture! It was taken yesterday with the Canon 7D and 400mm f5.6 at iso1600, 1/1600, f5.6...my first night out with this lens. There will be something of a learning curve for me, but I'll get there...before last night I would never have considered a shot above iso800, but here you are! This is about 70% of the original capture. To me, the image quality looks alright. Not magnificent by any stretch, but pretty good? I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter? Does anyone else ever shoot their 7D at iso1600 or is such shooting generally reserved for the full-frame cameras? As for the image itself, it's a pretty typical tern shot, although I'm always fond of white-on-white in pictures like these, and of course these angelic pre-dive poses do display the exquisite beauty of the species. Anyhow, I'll eagerly await your comments and taunts and attacks on my character! Many thanks and all the best!

[Arthur Morris]

The image and the IQ look fine to me.

[jack williamson]

Quite a fine image Jack. Elegant comes to mind. Every bit of the tern is distinct from the white BG, very well exposed. I like this a bunch.

Jack

[Jack Breakfast]

Many thanks, folks! Glad to hear it! I was surprised I got anything half-way decent at iso1600...so glad to get some other eyes on this picture. I'm just on a laptop here, and although it's a good laptop, I'm always curious to hear what folks with the whizbang monitors have to say, etc.

[rajandesai]

I really like the high-key image Jack. Love the timing. You have captured a great pose. They are very fast and not easy to photograph in flight.
I am surprised that you got such a nice shot at 1600 on 7D. I have a 7D and I typically don't go above 400.

[arash_hazeghi]

The IQ looks fine to me, I would say it is 8 out of 10 which is pretty good for 7D ISO 1600. If you expose and process right it should produce good results for online presentation. Remember that BPN posting size is only 1024 pixels which is a LOT smaller than 70% of a 18 Mpixel file so with careful processing noise should not show at this size.

As for the image wing position is good and the pose ain't bad but the high key BG is not very attractive for a white bird such as a tern.

have fun with the new lens, it's a good one.

[Doug Brown]

Definitely a keeper!

[Ofer Levy]

Usually I am not crazy about high key but it works nicely in here. I feel that bird is too low in the frame. Here is what looks to me as a more balanced composition.

[Jack Breakfast]

Many thanks for all the helpful comments, and thanks for the repost, Ofer. i like your composition better. As for me, I love seeing terns against a white background, but of course such white-on-white is not everyone's cup of tea. Arash, I see your point...I feel like I could make a small print of this file but agree that the image wouldn't hold up at a bigger size. Some serious noise and lack of detail would enter the equation at that point. Thanks again, folks!

[Alan Murphy]

When 95% of the image is white, noise will not be a problem. This came out great.

[Lorant Voros]

Repost works better; I find the image very artistic and interesting high key.

[Rachel Hollander]

Very nice and the white on white works well. Ofer's repost is an improvement IMHO.

TFS,
Rachel

[Bill Dix]

I like it. IQ looks good on my screen, and I like the white on white. Agree with Ofer's repost.

[Daniel Cadieux]

This looks good Jack. I'm a fan of high-key so no problem there for me! My 7D is set to ISO 800 by default at the start of a photography outing and only bump it up to 400 when the light gets stronger...I have no hesitation or qualms about using it at 800 with minimal NR (except for darker BGs), and at 1600 I know that with a darker BG I will need some stronger NR to it but nothing to worry about (but do not underexpose!).

[Jack Breakfast]

Again, thank you. Daniel: that's some excellent information you've given me. Typically my default is 400 but I'd love to change it to 800, as my lenses are generally f5.6...I think I will, and see how it goes. You're quite right...with lighter backgrounds, iso800 looks great. And yes yes yes! I've learned from this forum: do not underexpose! A life-changing photography lesson, to be sure...

[Robert Holguin]

Excellent shot. Love the high key here. Excellent wing position and I like Ofer's repost.Well done.

[Grace Scalzo]

Jack, you really created a beauty here. I like the almost translucent feel to it. Love Ofer's repost. High key is generally not my favorite, but you may have changed my mind.

[Jack Breakfast]

I'm delighted and surprised to the response to this particular tern picture. Taking high-key pictures of terns is easy to do!

[Humberto Ramos]

I'v made some shots at ISO 1600 and the 7D, like Alan Murphy said, its worth in dark areas, if you had some shadows, you will noticed...

[Kerry Perkins]

Jack, I think you did a wonderful job with this image. No need to apologize about anything here. My experience with both the 50D and the 7D is that higher ISO settings work fine as long as you have lots of white as this image does. I am a huge fan of WOW (white on white) and think it makes a striking image. Ofer's crop looks better to me and puts the cherry on the top of this tern sundae. You have demonstrated an understanding of the high key concept, which many people mistakenly interpret as being just a white background. High key is a studio term, first used by television, and the word "key" refers to the key light, which is the primary front light on a subject. The combination of high front light and high back light is the true nature of a high key image. I absolutely love the translucent look you achieved on the bird. Well done!

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

Very good HK image! most have been said. I like it as is and repost works even better. Keep them coming.

[Melissa Groo]

Wonderful job on this, Jack. Not much more I like to photograph than a tern in flight. Looks like you're already kicking butt with that 400mm, it's an awesome lens.
I think you're turning a lot of people on to high key!

[Frank Schauf]

Perfect comp and bg, nice work.