Bald Eagles and cloudy skies

[ahuxman58]

Here are a couple shots from last weekends outing. Not the greatest of conditions but you take what you can get.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t47/ahuxman58/IMG_1674-1.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t47/ahuxman58/IMG_1428.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t47/ahuxman58/IMG_1422.jpg

[swjim]

Nice shots! I really like #2.

[JeffReef]

^ +1

Is this a 100% crop? What lens?

[ahuxman58]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14091267#post14091267 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JeffReef
^ +1

Is this a 100% crop? What lens?

No that was about 15 to 20 % crop, the lens was the Canon 500MM with the Canon 1.4 Extender
This is a heavy crop of a Juvenile bird I would guess 1 to 3 years old.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t47/ahuxman58/IMG_1626.jpg

[JeffReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14091307#post14091307 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ahuxman58
No that was about 15 to 20 % crop, the lens was the Canon 500MM with the Canon 1.4 Extender


Excellent image from a 15% crop - must be a high MP camera.

Nice lens.

[ahuxman58]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14091480#post14091480 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JeffReef
Excellent image from a 15% crop - must be a high MP camera.

Nice lens.

Not really just a 40D- 10 MP. Its the glass that gives you good images, and these are not as good as I would have liked but you cant choose the weather. I will be back this weekend, so far weather reports are saying good blue skies.

[JeffReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14092001#post14092001 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ahuxman58
Not really just a 40D- 10 MP. Its the glass that gives you good images, and these are not as good as I would have liked but you cant choose the weather. I will be back this weekend, so far weather reports are saying good blue skies.


Yeah - the 500mm gets a lot of great reviews. The closest I got for birding was with a Sigma 50-500mm and a Sigma 300mm 2.8 APO. I could only dream of owning the 500mm f4.

[Petie]

Beautiful pictures, where did you shoot at?

[BlueCorn]

That second one is great. :thumbsup:

[ahuxman58]

Thanks Petie and Doug very much appreciated.
Petie, I go into Iowa and search out the Eagles which there are plenty of , the one fishing was taken on the Cedar River near Cedar Rapids IA. the others were taken in Northeast IA. along the back roads and countryside, seems that they love pig farms and will snatch piglets and feed on dead carcasses.

Here is a juvenile with a big catch to bad it was flying away from me.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t47/ahuxman58/IMG_1470.jpg

And enjoying the fruits of his or hers efforts and voicing its opinion about anybody getting close to its meal.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t47/ahuxman58/IMG_1532.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t47/ahuxman58/IMG_1564.jpg

[Recty]

Looks nice. I've got some eagle shots I plan on posting too, but your shots are much clearer than mine, oh well, heh.

[fancyfish]

great shots!!!!!

[BodiBuilt]

Very Nice!
I need more practice!

[ccampo]

great shots, specially the second one, perfect timing, you can even see the water splashing...

[IPT]

Nice - what F-stop were you using? Average shutter speed (what was the shutter on ths fish capture?). I usually shoot at F4 but have found that even at 300mm with the bird coming right at you the eye or beak may be focused, but not always both. I may try more f8 at my next outting if weather will alow for it.

[ahuxman58]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14097428#post14097428 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by IPT
Nice - what F-stop were you using? Average shutter speed (what was the shutter on ths fish capture?). I usually shoot at F4 but have found that even at 300mm with the bird coming right at you the eye or beak may be focused, but not always both. I may try more f8 at my next outting if weather will alow for it.

Here is the EXIF data:

40D- 500MM -1.4MKll Extender = 700MM
1/2000th
F 5.6
ISO 400
Center Weighted metering
AV mode

With better skies and light ISO would not have to be so high and still maintain a high shutter speed which is key in my opinion in getting more keepers.

[IPT]

1/2000th at 5.6 and an ISO of 400 is still pretty decent!

[LobsterMan]

Nice I really like when the Eagle snatched the fish out of the water!