A few days with the L100-400 ... Impressions

GeorgianBay1939

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Some representative samples of what I use my long telezoom for. All hand-held from my vehicle. I've had the lens for less than a week.

Day One: On the way back from the camera store before sundown ...

https://brtthome.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/20160502-a-new-lens-burwash-in-late-afternoon/

Two examples from above:

Close up of wild hazelnut "blossom"

Close up of wild hazelnut "blossom"

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Mallard Drake at about 25 m, very late afternoon.

Mallard Drake at about 25 m, very late afternoon.

Day 2: https://brtthome.wordpress.com/2016...some-wildlife-wild-flowers-and-wild-critters/

Two examples from above:

First (and so far, only ) butterfly of the season --- glimpsed and quickly photographed.  One try before it flitted away.

First (and so far, only ) butterfly of the season --- glimpsed and quickly photographed. One try before it flitted away.

Northern Flicker at moderate distance. One try before it flew off.

Northern Flicker at moderate distance. One try before it flew off.

Day 3: https://brtthome.wordpress.com/2016/05/07/20160504-spring-is-moving-right-along/

Pussywillow going to catkin, with visitor

Pussywillow going to catkin, with visitor

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Uncommon Blue Cohosh:  First day of blooming.

Uncommon Blue Cohosh: First day of blooming.

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Day 4: https://brtthome.wordpress.com/2016/05/08/20160504-06-wildlife-awakening-quickly/

[IMG width="400px" alt="First American Black Bear of the season. Still woozy and "hiding" behind some brush about 40 m away from road (and camera in car). "]https://brtthome.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/p1200227-1.jpg[/IMG]
First American Black Bear of the season. Still woozy and "hiding" behind some brush about 40 m away from road (and camera in car).

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First snapping turtle of the season, up close.

First snapping turtle of the season, up close.

Day 5: https://brtthome.wordpress.com/2016/05/08/20160507-a-rainy-day-in-britt/

Ugly Turkey Vulture surveying the scene from the far side of a cemetery from near the top of a high poplar tree.

Ugly Turkey Vulture surveying the scene from the far side of a cemetery from near the top of a high poplar tree.

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Width of a lawn away ... about 10 metres.

Width of a lawn away ... about 10 metres.

Impressions (from a rank amateur who used a P100-300 up until now):

1 Quite heavy but nice to use on the GH4. Haven't tried it on the GX7 yet as I keep the Oly 60 mm Macro on that box.

2 Faster AF than my P 100-300 and good IS, down to 1/15 sec hand-held, propped on window sill of car with ignition off. I think that the heaviness gives it some inertia, reducing my elderly shakes.

3 I am taking longer shots of wildlife and getting more detail. Can't wait to see the first migrant Warblers in a week or two. (IF we ever get some non-snowy, non-freezing weather!)

4 I am seeing more (in the EVF) of close-up opportunities and getting quite excited as the spring ephemeral wild flowers will really ramp up over the next week or so.

5 This is my first really expensive lens. I had some high expectations and am not disappointed.

I hope, with some practice, to get close to some of the quality that folks who use this lens and the OLY 300 f/4 PRO demonstrate here. I think that I'll roust some seagulls and practice some BIF with this lens soon.

I'd suggest that anyone considering this lens to go to the above links to see a broader variety of its performance in the shakey hands of an old f@rt who is a relative beginner in photography. [Click on those images in the blog a couple of times to get a full res version.]

Advice welcome! :-)

--
Tom
The best part of growing old is having the opportunity to do so.
 
Thats quite of an array of photos. Wish I had days like that! I viewed them at 100% on Flickr, and some are extremely sharp. I hope that I can achieve the same results with my EM1 and recently acquired PL 100-400. Just one old fart to another.
 
Congratulations!

Nice images!
 
Nicely done, congrats on your new lens. Your first impressions of the 100-400 mirror my own after owning one for 2 weeks. Super lens for everything from bugs to bears, as you have proved.
 
Thats quite of an array of photos. Wish I had days like that! I viewed them at 100% on Flickr, and some are extremely sharp. I hope that I can achieve the same results with my EM1 and recently acquired PL 100-400. Just one old fart to another.
Thank you. I bet you'll also enjoy that lens. I like its versatility.
 
Nicely done, congrats on your new lens. Your first impressions of the 100-400 mirror my own after owning one for 2 weeks. Super lens for everything from bugs to bears, as you have proved.
Thanks Gary,

Now I'm awaiting the arrival of dragonflies and Great Blue Herons to see if I can match your fine work with this lens!

t
 
Nicely done, congrats on your new lens. Your first impressions of the 100-400 mirror my own after owning one for 2 weeks. Super lens for everything from bugs to bears, as you have proved.
Thanks Gary,

Now I'm awaiting the arrival of dragonflies and Great Blue Herons to see if I can match your fine work with this lens!

t

--
Tom
The best part of growing old is having the opportunity to do so.
https://brtthome.wordpress.com/
Thanks for the kind words, Tom. I'll send up some critters as soon as I can.
 
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Looks like you are doing very well with the lens. 400mm would get me as close as I would want to be with your snapping turtle.
 
Looks like you are doing very well with the lens. 400mm would get me as close as I would want to be with your snapping turtle.
 
Lovely you can get shots of bears and snappers. Hopefully the new lens will help to remove another veil between you and your subject matter. So far so good.

F.

--
"We shoot the things that move us in ways that will move others." David duChemin
Thanks Frank,

Speaking of veils: this scruffy (molting of winter coat) swamp donkey was hiding in the bush a couple of days ago...

L100-400 at its best/worst!  It will be interesting to find Warblers in cover in a few weeks.  That is always a good trial for bokeh.

L100-400 at its best/worst! It will be interesting to find Warblers in cover in a few weeks. That is always a good trial for bokeh.



--
Tom
The best part of growing old is having the opportunity to do so.
 
My best snapper photo (point and shoot) from near Lake Lauzon,

F.
Nice one. Good to get one mid summer when they are all cleaned up and spend their time in and out of the water instead of the mud! TZ5 was a good travel camera, eh?
 
It was a good travel camera until it was stolen from my car. Actually it had suffered water damage before that, which led me to m4/3rd.

Just got a lens through J. Very helpful.

F.
 
It was a good travel camera until it was stolen from my car. Actually it had suffered water damage before that, which led me to m4/3rd.

Just got a lens through J. Very helpful.

F.
 

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