[August Photo Dump!]

On 9/13/2023 at 6:37 AM, bmcdonough said:

Okay I'm loving these monthly photo dumps! 

 

Hi @bmcdonough,
I rarely look back more than a day or two, so it was an interesting exercise to go back to August.  Here are a few.

Bald Eagle (juvenile) with an attitude

Sony ILCE-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS 
600 mm f/6.3 1/500 sec ISO 250

Bald Eagle with the near full moon

 

Sony ILCE-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS 
600 mm f/6.3 1/250 sec ISO 800

Sony ILCE-7M4 FE PZ 16-35 MM F4 G
16 mm f/4 1/30 sec ISO 160 EXP 0.3

Sony ILCE-7M4 FE PZ 16-35 MM F4 G
16 mm f/4 1/30 sec ISO 160 EXP 0.3
 

[Share a picture from your favorite place!]

On 9/10/2023 at 12:23 PM, TrekRover said:

This is beautiful! I need to use my 200-600 more for compositions like these! 

Hi, @TrekRover

Thank you.

Here's a photo from the same spot at 600 mm, moments later (not cropped).

Sony ILCE-1 with FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS 
600 mm f/6.3 1/3200 sec ISO 100 EXP-2

And for easy comparison, here is the photo I posted earlier.

Sony ILC-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS  
200 mm  f/5.6  1/2500 sec  ISO 100  EXP-2

Which do you prefer: 200 mm or 600 mm?

[Need help with Sony 2.0X Teleconverter]

Hi, @Joey-Austin

I always carry the 2.0X teleconverter when I use the A1 with the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II or FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS.

Everything works exactly as you'd expect.  

As for the autofocus speed, it may be just a touch slower with the FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS, but that may be my perception. It's more challenging to keep a bird in flight in the frame with the teleconverter on. I think that's a function of the smaller field of view. It's not an issue when the subject is static.

I'm very happy to use the 2.0X Teleconverter with the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II. 

What lens(es) and bod(ies) would you be using with it?

On 9/13/2023 at 12:10 PM, Joey-Austin said:

Hello Alpha Universe,

I am thinking bout getting the 2.0X Teleconverter but I am wondering it it may effect the AF speed, or does the lens work as it supposed to?

Thank you 

[It's a sharp thistle, in more ways than one!]

On 9/1/2023 at 12:38 PM, CarolineJensen said:

Ok, so I only had my hands on the new a7CR for about three hours and flowers were scarce on the mountain at Kando, but I did find a thistle. 😂This has me rethinking my love affair with my a7R5. Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE my a7R5 and have shot with it everyday for over a year, BUT I shoot one handed all. the. time. I hold a flash with the other hand and the CR is substantially smaller and lighter. If you want all the resolution and a small package, you might want this camera. My carpal tunnel is begging me to sell something to get this one. 🙂

 

Thanks, Caroline.

Although I'm not in the market for a new camera body right now (waiting for the successor for the A1), I've looked closely at the specifications for the A7RV and A7CR and wondered why anyone would choose the A7CR over the A7RV.  The difference in size and weight were immaterial to me since, most days, I'm carrying the A1 with the FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS and A7IV with FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II or FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS.
I appreciate the insight into your different use case.  Thank you.

[Share a picture from your favorite place!]

6:36 AM 

Sony ILC-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS  
200 mm  f/5.6  1/2500 sec  ISO 100  EXP-2

[By dawn's early light]

Ten minutes before sunrise today. 

Sony ILCE-1 FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS 
24 mm  f/4  1/200 sec  ISO 125

[By dawn's early light]

Sony ILCE-1 FE 70-200 mm F2.8 GM OSS II 2.0X Teleconverter 
140 mm  f/7.1  1/500 sec  ISO 100

[By dawn's early light]

The view this morning, fifty minutes before sunrise.

ILCE-1 FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II 
70 mm  f/2.8  1/40 sec ISO 4000

And later

ILCE-1 FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II 2.0X Teleconverter 
140 mm  f/5.6  1/80 sec ISO 100

Saturn?

ILCE-1 FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II 2.0X Teleconverter 
400 mm  f/5.6  1/200 sec ISO 100

[By dawn's early light]

Greater Yellowlegs

ILCE-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS 
600 mm  f/6.3  1/640 sec  ISO 100

[The Flower, Nature Macro and Garden Photography Thread! (Caroline Jensen)]

It looks like this hornet is in trouble, but it seemed to be inspecting this tent. It walked around on it for a bit and then flew away.

ILCE-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS 
600 mm  f/6.3  1/250 sec  ISO 640

ILCE-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS 
600 mm  f/6.3  1/250 sec  ISO 500

Here's a better look at the tent.

ILCE-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS 
600 mm  f/6.3  1/250 sec  ISO 500
 

[The Flower, Nature Macro and Garden Photography Thread! (Caroline Jensen)]

Not what you'd expect from the FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS

ILCE-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS 
600 mm  f/6.3  1/500 sec  ISO 160

For context

ILCE-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS 
200 mm  f/5.6  1/500 sec  ISO 125

[Great Blue Heron]

The Great Blue Heron seems to think it's a rooster. Taken just before sunrise this morning.

[What's your preferred time of day to shoot?]

I rarely photograph people, but these folks drifted into the frame while I was looking for seals at sunrise.

ILCE-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS 2.0X Teleconverter
1200 mm  f/13  1/250 sec  ISO 5000  EXP 1

[The Flower, Nature Macro and Garden Photography Thread! (Caroline Jensen)]

A stunning Dahlia - a high point of my morning

ILCE-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS 
600 mm  f/6.3  1/250 sec  ISO 640

[The Flower, Nature Macro and Garden Photography Thread! (Caroline Jensen)]

Another busy bee

ILCE-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS 
400 mm  f/6.3  1/200 sec  ISO 500

[The Flower, Nature Macro and Garden Photography Thread! (Caroline Jensen)]

Sony ILCE-1  FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II  2.0X Teleconverter
400 mm  f/8  1/200 sec  ISO 400

[Share a picture from your favorite place!]

Another of my favourite places - taken today at 4:30 am

Sony ILCE-1 FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II 
70 mm  f/2.8 1/25 sec ISO 25600
Three photos stitched together in Capture One Pro

[Great Blue Heron]

Great Blue Herons tend to be somewhat skittish. If you get too close, they will fly off, bellowing their objection to having been disturbed. I often feel like I've been scolded.

On a path I walk almost daily, there is a sparse tree with branches that extend about five metres overhead. On occasion, the Great Blue Herons will sit on one of the branches. They seem unconcerned by people walking below them.

ILCE-1  with FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II 
200 mm  f/2.8  1/500 sec  ISO 1250  Exp +1
 

[What’s your favorite focal range to use?]

And a few moments later.

ILCE-1 200 mm f/5.6 1/1000 sec ISO 100
And around the bend

ILCE-1 600 mm 1/500 sec ISO 250

[What’s your favorite focal range to use?]

My two favourite lenses when I'm walking in the morning are the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II and FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS.
Here's an unusual shot I got with the 200-600 this morning.

Sony ILCE-1
f/5.6 1/1000 sec ISO 100

[Black-tailed Deer]

A Black-tailed Deer crossed my path today.

600 mm f/6.3 1/500 sec ISO 1000

600 mm f/6.3 1/2000 sec ISO 4000

600 mm f/6.3 1/2000 sec ISO 4000

[June Photo Dump!]

4 hours ago, bmcdonough said:

@ST I love those bird shots - especially the owls!

Do you typically photograph birds? What's your preferred subject? 

Thanks, and thanks for asking.

I got my first camera a year ago, so I'm still figuring out how everything works.

I walk for two-three hours early every morning, camera in hand. There are lots of migratory birds passing through here, but there are also beautiful landscapes, lots of flora, marine activity and boats, and trains.

I occasionally get into town to do some street photography, and I'm active in the local community. This has led to some event photography too. 

Current equipment list.

Alpha 1 | Alpha 7 IV | FE PZ 16–35 mm f/4 G | FE 24–105mm f/4 G OSS | FE 70–200 mm f/2.8 GM OSS II | FE 200–600 mm f/5.6–6.3 G OSS | 2x Teleconverter SEL20TC

Preferred subject? Too soon to say.

What's your preferred subject?

Here are some photos I took this morning.

 

 

[What’s your favorite focal range to use?]

Just for fun, here's the same piece of driftwood with the same body, lens, and settings taken a few feet back.

 

[What’s your favorite focal range to use?]

Not my absolute favourite focal range, but one I enjoy exploring from time to time. This is a very large piece of driftwood perched, seemingly precariously, on some rocks at the beach. 

ILCE-7M4 16 mm f/5.6 1/60 sec ISO 200

I spend most of my time with the A1 and FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II or FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS. Sometimes, I'll carry two bodies and use a PZ 16-35 mm f/4 on the second one.

[June Photo Dump!]

@bmcdonough, wonderful images. 

Late June, as I rushed out the door for an unplanned trip, I grabbed my A1, FE 24–105mm F4 G OSS, and at the last moment, the FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS on the way out the door. A thousand kilometres from home, I met some birders who took me on an outing.