Oh deer - Bolderwood / GH3

Some controversy in the UK this week as to wether 750,000 deer should be culled (read and comment about that here): http://wp.me/p2wMAg-py

However, this post is about some pictures I took of deer in Bolderwood enclosure in the (UK's) New Forest. I used the GH3 and 100-300mm lens. Some of the shots I took were softer than I would like but I think that's inevitable with these long zooms, at least between 220-300 odd.

Settings: 1/500ƒ/7.1ISO 400269 mm

Settings: 1/500ƒ/7.1ISO 400300 mm

Settings: 1/500ƒ/5.4ISO 200258 mm

Settings: 1/60ƒ/7.1ISO 125300 mm

Settings: 1/500ƒ/7.1ISO 500300 mm

If anyone wonders what the magpie is doing, it is undoubtedly removing ticks from the stag (which is why it is tolerated).

Nice photos, I'm guessing the softness was due to shake?

MValore wrote:

Nice photos, I'm guessing the softness was due to shake?

No, they were on a tripod or balanced on a post and the shutter speeds were generally high (most of these were 1/500) - I think it's just that the 100-300 is a little soft at the 300 end. So is the 75-300.

The closer I got to 200mm the sharper the shots. Sharpness isn't everything, but if you read my blog post you'll see I'm querying the availability of long, sharp, fast primes (maybe a 150mm F2.8...).

Excellent use of light and shadow in no.s 3 and 5! - Peter

Liked to see these creatures. Pictures are fine.

sgoldswo wrote:

Sharpness isn't everything,

I'm not even sure what softness is anymore. I think subjects like this are made to be soft.  I suspect these were taken in the latter half of the day which is when I've been to the same place and thought I should have come this morning.  That afternoon light probably alscontributes to the 'softness.'