White-breasted Nuthatch at 200mm f2.8 and at 280mm f4 with the 50-200 f2.8.

Today I had a chance to photograph a White-breasted Nuthatch at a relatively close distance (10.5-13.5 feet) using the 50-200 f2.8 without a TC and then with the MC14.

Unfortunately, the lighting was not the same with most of the MC14 images having lower illumination and slower shutter speed (too slow for a nuthatch) without direct sunlight, but hopefully it will be useful for those considering using the lens for birding. I would have also included images with the MC20, but the nuthatch would not cooperate.

The total depth of field for the nuthatch images varies from 0.60 to 1.32 inches, so detail will vary depending on the bird’s orientation.

The last image was included for those who might use the lens at its minimum focus distance (31 inches) for insect photography.























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drj3

I believe the last time I had a chance to photograph this bird was back in 2021, and I used a Nikon D500 with 300mm PF because my M43 setup (300mm + MC-14) was too long for the distance.

Something I noticed in your shots is that the photos with the bare 50-200mm are all focused perfectly on the eye. The shots with the MC-14 are very sharp for in-focus areas, but the focus has missed the eye.

Not a ding against you, just something about the AF. It's very minor and only noticeable at 100%. Perhaps the autofocus is a bit slower or less reliable on this lens with the TC. This is a very small sample set, but I do not face this issue with the 300mm Pro unless it's fast action.

faunagraphy said:

I believe the last time I had a chance to photograph this bird was back in 2021, and I used a Nikon D500 with 300mm PF because my M43 setup (300mm + MC-14) was too long for the distance.

Something I noticed in your shots is that the phr otos with the bare 50-200mm are all focused perfectly on the eye. The shots with the MC-14 are very sharp for in-focus areas, but the focus has missed the eye.

Click to expand...

I think that may have had more to do with what the bird was doing in most of the MC14 shots and why the slow shutter speed was an issue and which shots I chose to include. The bird was in almost constant motion, it wanted to get a sunflower seed through a little slot in the bottom of the feeder. I think it was just a nuthatch game, because the same bird had gone to the feeder bar a few minutes before to get a seed.

I chose shots where there was more of the bird in focus so that it better showed feather detail, I could have chosen either of the two shots right after the last MC14 shot and just part of the head would have been in focus, but the body out of focus (total DOF 0.60 inches). The only M14 image in good light.

faunagraphy said:

Not a ding against you, just something about the AF. It's very minor and only noticeable at 100%. Perhaps the autofocus is a bit slower or less reliable on this lens with the TC. This is a very small sample set, but I do not face this issue with the 300mm Pro unless it's fast action.

Click to expand...

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drj3

drj3 said:

faunagraphy said:

I believe the last time I had a chance to photograph this bird was back in 2021, and I used a Nikon D500 with 300mm PF because my M43 setup (300mm + MC-14) was too long for the distance.

Something I noticed in your shots is that the phr otos with the bare 50-200mm are all focused perfectly on the eye. The shots with the MC-14 are very sharp for in-focus areas, but the focus has missed the eye.

Click to expand...

I think that may have had more to do with what the bird was doing in most of the MC14 shots and why the slow shutter speed was an issue and which shots I chose to include. The bird was in almost constant motion, it wanted to get a sunflower seed through a little slot in the bottom of the feeder. I think it was just a nuthatch game, because the same bird had gone to the feeder bar a few minutes before to get a seed.

I chose shots where there was more of the bird in focus so that it better showed feather detail, I could have chosen either of the two shots right after the last MC14 shot and just part of the head would have been in focus, but the body out of focus (total DOF 0.60 inches). The only M14 image in good light.

Click to expand...

Thanks for clarifying that. This shot is bang-on target!

But I did enjoy seeing more of the nuthatch. Somehow I hadn't noticed until now that there is some colouration around their undersides near the tail.

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Semi-reformed pixel peeper.