Couldn't agree more, Christian. :-) Jostein Quoting Christian <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
> Sorry, I was commenting purely on size-of-the-bird-in-the-frame. My > experience is that with less than 400mm the bird is too small in the frame > for decent composition. Obviously a group of birds can be photographed with > less and an "environmental" shot can use less as well. But for a bird > "portrait" without much cropping 600mm is pretty much the standard from what > I've seen, unless the bird is easily approached. Martins are such small, > fast birds that getting any kind of shot is a real accomplishment! I have > barn swallows buzzing the lake I live on. I've been tempted to try to > capture one on "film" but realized that it's way beyond my ability and > equipment at this stage... > > Christian > > -----Original Message----- > From: Jostein <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: May 19, 2004 4:00 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: OT 8-) Wasting film on birds > > If trying to pan house martins, I'd say it's about right. Those buggers are > too fastto keep within view with a more narrow angle. > > My experience with house martins is that it's impossible to get a decent > shot of them while they are feeding. Then I heard others say that it's much > easier by the nests. To sit down and study their preferred flight paths to > and fro the nest, and then set up the camera and wait. > > On the one occasion I have had, I wasted one and a half roll of provia that > way to little avail, but I do see the point anyway. :-) I also learned that > they fly fast, even just before landing. > > Here's one example. The flying bird must be about 40 cm away from the nest, > and still it's fast enough to be slightly blurred at 1/750s... > > http://oksne.net/paw/paw5.html > > > Jostein > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Christian" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2004 8:46 PM > Subject: Re: OT 8-) Wasting film on birds > > > > 90mm and a 1.7x TC... 153mm... for birds? > > > > Christian > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: mike wilson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: May 19, 2004 2:33 PM > > To: "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: OT 8-) Wasting film on birds > > > > Hi, > > > > <purple> > > Just been mowing the lawn in a glorious, early summer evening. Gazing > > westward, I noticed against the setting sun a small flock of house > > martins (Delichon urbica) skimming over the stand of Sycamore trees > > (Acer sp) feeding on the hatching insects. > > </purple> > > > > Legging inside, I brought out the Z1-p, AF1.7 and Tamron 90mm. 100ASA > > slide film. Touch of overexposure. Did I get any good pictures? Did I > > pills - and I don't mean lager. They were just too fast to keep up > > with. A whole film gone and I'm sure that there will be nothing on it > > worth looking at, although I'll process it anyway. The camera could > > keep in focus but I couldn't get "the moment" right. _Much_ harder than > > black grouse..... > > > > Looking out of the window, I see the little, feathered sods are back. > > Dilemma: do I try again or just enjoy the sight? > > > > Got any spare barn owls, Cotty? > > > > mike > > > > > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------- This message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program.
