20! Eagles and Pelicans with new 1D Mark III

thanks
matteo

Hawkman said:

It seems I am getting good AF without a TC, especially with
background present. I am getting more keepers on fishing shots when I
manage to do my end. Puzzle to me why the TC isn't working as well as
with the Mark IIN.

Went with the Mark III for a number of reason - better high ISO,
cleaner and improved IQ, ergos, couple more MP, and the testimony
from a number of shooters I trust that the AF is sound now, and the
price is low enough. I am trailing edge

Was at L&D 14 and the Pelicans south of Davenport.

Gene

ejmartin said:

What made you decide to go for the Mark 3 after all this time?

I agree with you the ergos are far superior to the Mark 2's. AF is
indeed spotty. Hoping they fix it in the next release...

Excellent shots as usual. What L&D were you at?

--
emil
--



http://theory.uchicago.edu/~ejm/pix/20d/

Click to expand...

--
Gene (aka hawkman) - Walk softly and carry a big lens

Please visit my wildlife galleries at:
http://www.pbase.com/gaocus
http://hawkman.smugmug.com/gallery/1414279

Click to expand...

That is Burlington isn't it? I might head out there this weekend as well.
Gene

dave vichich said:

A friend of mine and I are going to L&D 18 this weekend.
I'll have the 5d MarkII and will post some shots when we get back.
Hopefully we'll do as well as you did.

davev.

--
My Galleries
http://www.pbase.com/davev
http://davev.smugmug.com/

Click to expand...

--
Gene (aka hawkman) - Walk softly and carry a big lens

Please visit my wildlife galleries at:
http://www.pbase.com/gaocus
http://hawkman.smugmug.com/gallery/1414279

Lock and Dam 14 on the Mississippi river. 14 is near Le Claire IA

• Gene

Teosax said:

Hawkman said:

It seems I am getting good AF without a TC, especially with
background present. I am getting more keepers on fishing shots when I
manage to do my end. Puzzle to me why the TC isn't working as well as
with the Mark IIN.

Went with the Mark III for a number of reason - better high ISO,
cleaner and improved IQ, ergos, couple more MP, and the testimony
from a number of shooters I trust that the AF is sound now, and the
price is low enough. I am trailing edge

Was at L&D 14 and the Pelicans south of Davenport.

Gene

ejmartin said:

What made you decide to go for the Mark 3 after all this time?

I agree with you the ergos are far superior to the Mark 2's. AF is
indeed spotty. Hoping they fix it in the next release...

Excellent shots as usual. What L&D were you at?

--
emil
--



http://theory.uchicago.edu/~ejm/pix/20d/

Click to expand...

--
Gene (aka hawkman) - Walk softly and carry a big lens

Please visit my wildlife galleries at:
http://www.pbase.com/gaocus
http://hawkman.smugmug.com/gallery/1414279

Click to expand...

--

Click to expand...

--
Gene (aka hawkman) - Walk softly and carry a big lens

Please visit my wildlife galleries at:
http://www.pbase.com/gaocus
http://hawkman.smugmug.com/gallery/1414279

At the moment, I've only got one word I can think of: awesome!

I am so jeolous of where you live, I would be out shooting there every second I had free-time. Too bad.. we only have stupid ducks to fire at in Holland ;-)

Really, spectaculair work, the best BIF shots I've ever seen!

n/t

Pure Genius! Thank you for sharing.

Hawkman said:

That is Burlington isn't it? I might head out there this weekend as
well.
Gene

Click to expand...

Yes it is.

If you see an old guy with a gray beard wearing a red plaid coat, it will probably be me.
We'll be there saturday.

davev.

Hawkman said:

dave vichich said:

A friend of mine and I are going to L&D 18 this weekend.
I'll have the 5d MarkII and will post some shots when we get back.
Hopefully we'll do as well as you did.

davev.

--
My Galleries
http://www.pbase.com/davev
http://davev.smugmug.com/

Click to expand...

--
Gene (aka hawkman) - Walk softly and carry a big lens

Please visit my wildlife galleries at:
http://www.pbase.com/gaocus
http://hawkman.smugmug.com/gallery/1414279

Click to expand...

--
My Galleries
http://www.pbase.com/davev
http://davev.smugmug.com/

I have to admit that I'm not particularly in to bird photos, but these are incredible!

The few times I've tried to take bird photos they've either ended up as a blurry mess, or with the bird half out of the frame! It makes me realize how skilled you must be to get shots like this.

Great pictures.

I’m curious to know how you feel after a while owning a 1DMK3 how you feel about the focusing system compared to your old 1DMK2N. I use a 1DSMKII now but might want to get a used 1DSMK3 in the future but only if it can focus at least as good as my mk2 can. I would hate to have to buy a new 1DS4 series ($$$) when they come out and have to skip the mk3 ones completely but if they don’t focus as well I will have too or keep my 1DS2 untill the used mk4's come down in price (long time).

--
http://www.pbase.com/dc9mm

Jon Stern said:

I have to admit that I'm not particularly in to bird photos, but
these are incredible!

The few times I've tried to take bird photos they've either ended up
as a blurry mess, or with the bird half out of the frame! It makes me
realize how skilled you must be to get shots like this.

Click to expand...

. . . . Same here. These incredible shots are amazing and I'm also unable to match them.

Wonderful images, Gene...and if you don't mind, a few questions.

I'm south of you, near St. Louis, MO. When we have a bitter cold snap we'll have a good number of eagles move down around the L&D's in Clarksville and Winfield...sometimes even as far south as Alton, IL. But the better opportunities (consistent ops and, from what I've seen, proximity to eagles in flight) seem to come from up your way. My questions for you....

a) Are these images cropped? If so, how severely...and would these crops still hold up in a A3 size print?

b) Would you ever be willing to meet up with an out-of-towner that came up a long weekend (I'm thinking possibly President's Day weekend...I'm a teacher and that would be my best bet).

c) How would a the 400 or the 100-400 hold up at L&D 14? Enough reach? A 400 with the 1.4X TC?

I purchased a 1D Mark III in October...like you, very impressed with IQ. I find AF accurate if touchy...but I am MORE than willing to acknowledge that with the big leap from a 40D to a 1D, it's more than likely my technique and a learning curve at this point. No real opportunity for BIF yet due to surgery about three weeks after getting the camera..but back in full swing now and ready to tackle what would be a first for me...eagles in flight.

Take care.

--
Keep chasing the light!

John

Gene,

Since your 1DIII has such obvious focus problems as you've shown in these examples I think a trip to Canon, Irvine is in order. They're not far from my house, so if you send it to me I'll be sure they take care of it and get it back to you no later than next summer.

very, very nice.
--
Photography at the speed of sound.

Absolutely fabulous!!!
--
Life is what happens while you're making other plans

Thanks Daniel,

Will let you know after a couple more spins.

Cheers,
Gene

Daniel Clune said:

Great pictures.
I’m curious to know how you feel after a while owning a 1DMK3 how you
feel about the focusing system compared to your old 1DMK2N. I use a
1DSMKII now but might want to get a used 1DSMK3 in the future but
only if it can focus at least as good as my mk2 can. I would hate to
have to buy a new 1DS4 series ($$$) when they come out and have to
skip the mk3 ones completely but if they don’t focus as well I will
have too or keep my 1DS2 untill the used mk4's come down in price
(long time).

--
http://www.pbase.com/dc9mm

Click to expand...

--
Gene (aka hawkman) - Walk softly and carry a big lens

Please visit my wildlife galleries at:
http://www.pbase.com/gaocus
http://hawkman.smugmug.com/gallery/1414279

John Storjohann said:

Wonderful images, Gene...and if you don't mind, a few questions.

I'm south of you, near St. Louis, MO. When we have a bitter cold
snap we'll have a good number of eagles move down around the L&D's in
Clarksville and Winfield...sometimes even as far south as Alton, IL.
But the better opportunities (consistent ops and, from what I've
seen, proximity to eagles in flight) seem to come from up your way.
My questions for you....

a) Are these images cropped? If so, how severely...and would these
crops still hold up in a A3 size print?

Click to expand...

Yes some are crops, some not. The portrait shots are generally a full vertical crop of a portrait frame. I haven;t printed anything yet with the 1D Mark III.

John Storjohann said:

b) Would you ever be willing to meet up with an out-of-towner that
came up a long weekend (I'm thinking possibly President's Day
weekend...I'm a teacher and that would be my best bet).

Click to expand...

Sure, if I am free.

John Storjohann said:

c) How would a the 400 or the 100-400 hold up at L&D 14? Enough
reach? A 400 with the 1.4X TC?

Click to expand...

I have shot eagles with a 1.6x crop and the 100-400. I The camera was a 10D. I didn't get a high ratio of keepers - not sure whether it was the 10D or the 100-400 (or my skill at that time), but the servo AF was a tad too sluggish. Putting a TC on it would make it even more so. but you can easily get overhead flight shots without a TC at 400mm when the eagles fly in with their catches to the trees beyond the L&D parking lot.

John Storjohann said:

I purchased a 1D Mark III in October...like you, very impressed with
IQ. I find AF accurate if touchy...but I am MORE than willing to

Click to expand...

I find it a bit touchy too, but I think I am getting a higher keeper ratio for shots with background, still am experimenting though.

John Storjohann said:

acknowledge that with the big leap from a 40D to a 1D, it's more than
likely my technique and a learning curve at this point. No real
opportunity for BIF yet due to surgery about three weeks after
getting the camera..but back in full swing now and ready to tackle
what would be a first for me...eagles in flight.

Click to expand...

It is great. I am heading out tomorrow.
Gene

John Storjohann said:

Take care.

--
Keep chasing the light!

John

Click to expand...

--
Gene (aka hawkman) - Walk softly and carry a big lens

Please visit my wildlife galleries at:
http://www.pbase.com/gaocus
http://hawkman.smugmug.com/gallery/1414279

Fred,

Sorry, I only use NJ. Irvine always seems to mess my equipment up. and keep it for months on end ;-)

fred vachss said:

Gene,

Since your 1DIII has such obvious focus problems as you've shown in
these examples I think a trip to Canon, Irvine is in order. They're
not far from my house, so if you send it to me I'll be sure they take
care of it and get it back to you no later than next summer.

Click to expand...

--
Gene (aka hawkman) - Walk softly and carry a big lens

Please visit my wildlife galleries at:
http://www.pbase.com/gaocus
http://hawkman.smugmug.com/gallery/1414279

Have you had any success finding settings that give you more consistant AF? Great shots!

--
Leah
http://www.ldhphoto.com

Superb pics. Great job. My 1D III is a fantastic camera. Glad your is, too.
--
I coulda had a V8 -- but I bought a 1D Mark III instead

Still experimenting

Gene

Leah said:

Have you had any success finding settings that give you more
consistant AF? Great shots!

--
Leah
http://www.ldhphoto.com

Click to expand...

--
Gene (aka hawkman) - Walk softly and carry a big lens

Please visit my wildlife galleries at:
http://www.pbase.com/gaocus
http://hawkman.smugmug.com/gallery/1414279