40 mins with a 400mm lens.
Hi there
A customer of mine, kindly lent me his 400mm lens. So whilst out doing a quote today, I gave it a little whirl. Hand-held, but braced on wall, or my van window.
A female Blackbird singing her little heart out.
A cormorant standing on a lone rock out in the Menai Straits
The same Cormorant, just in a different pose. Bless it.!!
Two Cormorant now.
I quite liked this one, a flock of Oyster Catchers flew onto the rocks where the cormorant were.
A Moorhen doing the "Turkey Trot"
Eider Duck
Magpie on a wall.
Pied Wagtail
Rock Pipit
I liked the way the water spiralled off this Labrador's tail.
Sorry it's not too interesting unless you like birds. All taken within 40 mins whilst on the way back home after doing the quote. One thing is for sure. If I do get the job, I know where I will be spending my lunch hour!!! Lol
Sorry it's not a long one. But what else did you expect from a 40mins photoshoot.
Thank you for having a peep.
- Steve Ransome's blog
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I will have to peek steve some stunning photos that lens certainly produces pin sharp photos
Gez
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WoW! I want one!! Brilliant sharp photos and good bokeh.
what mm on the lens did you shoot at?
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Lovely blog Uncle Stevey wevey! Short but sweet with some superb captures, well done you.
Viv
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Hello Chris. The lens is not a zoom lens, it's fixed at 400mm. It has auto focus but NO image stabiliser. Hence me having to brace myself. Thanks too for yours and other comments so far. You are a very encouraging lot of folk.
Thank you.
PS: No problems whatsoever uploading this one. Things are looking up!!
Steve
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some good photos i too like the dog one really really disappointed there is still no KINGFISHER or WELSH penquin lol
ohhhhhhhhhhhh well done for posting this without losing your rag like you did on the fuji meet blog lol
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Super pics Steve! Soooo... a 400mm prime...how much does that set you back?? I want one!!!
Well done on a lovely little blog
Jacqui xx
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Some good shots there Steve, loving the dogs tail!! Steve.
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Lovely bird shots,trust you to get a great palce to stop oof and all the birds pose for you.Do they wait for you to come along? Lucky you to be out and about.Just jealous that's all. Alison
PS I 've had no problems posting a blog.
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Some nice shots Steve ,so are you tempted to splash out on one to add to your kit
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I think the Blackbird and the rock pipit are superb.
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Superb, pin sharp shots Steve.
The Moorhen shot is my favourite.
I would imagine that a 400mm prime lens would cost a fortune - do you think that your cusomer would notice if you 'forgot' to return it?
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Fab shots Steve matey!! Sigma lenses are overlooked too much, they're optically pretty damn good, especially if its a full framer as you're only using the best glass in the middle with an aps-c camera :-)
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The lab shot is a class act Steve,looks like you will have to save your pennies, or fingers crossed you've not been naughty for Santa
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Great images, liked the dog pic!
Ray
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Hi Steve another brilliant photoblog as usual and you do find some wonderful places to take your photos that labrador looks a so much like my daughter"s dog I know it"s not as it cannot walk to where you took these pictures LoL. A super picture of the Oyster Catchers on the rocks and that Blackbird stunning it"s a pleasure to see your blog Steve you never disappoint many thanks for sharing M8 and thanks for your kind comments on my Safari Tour many regards BoB. P/S What a Photographer can do in 40 mins it would take me hours if not days to find all these birds LoL.???
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Love the first pic best, but they were all excellent photographs Steve. They made a very nice blog.
Regards Christine
Christine
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Some great shots there Steve!! Sigma do good glass!
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Lovely stuff Steve. That blackbird shot is a gem. Oh for a Lottery win!
Best regards, Steve
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Hi Steve - not bad for 40 mins!!! wonder why all the birds pose beautifully for you? are you a "bird whisperer"! lol
thanks for this
and it looks like you'll be doing some saving up now for one of these lenses xx
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This is where you have to ask yourself if you really want to own a lens that costs more than your van
Good fun though aren't they
How long before you think you can shoot further than filling the frame though ?
The major drawback to primes is just that.
Nice as they are you spend a lot of time waiting around for something to be a good distance for the lens you have strapped to the front.
Still, you can dream mate
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I don't know if you're aware Steve....Sigma don't make the 400mm prime anymore
So you'll have to make do with the 300mm f2.8 @ £2,800 plus a EX teleconverter @ £280, or the 500mm f4.5 @ £4,800!!
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One of the drawbacks of the eight-hour time difference between you and us is that I'm either the first or forty-first to comment on new blogs! In the latter case, all I can do is agree with the majority: Great stuff here, Steve. The dog's tail is great, I agree, but the two cormorants is my favourite.
Glad to hear the site is cooperating better--I just might post a blog yet tonight.
judypw
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Hiyah Ray...You do really have a "down to the earth" way of putting things. Lol. As the lens is on loan, I am not even thinking that way. As Kev points out, I could not get one now for myself anyway. Not without selling the van, my house and the Mrs.!!! Lol
You are right in saying, they are good fun and finding out what they can do. I am enjoying it while it lasts.
Thank you all, for your feedback and comment. We live and learn when really we should "live and earn" these days.
Cheers.
Steve
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Great pics m8, wish I could spot all those birds.
Ray
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I think it's a great way to find out why you don't want such a lens Steve.
As I say they are great fun and can be very useful but it's not a lens that lives on most cameras for good reasons other than price.The reason sigma don't do that lens any more is because of this one.
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-120-300mm-f-2-8-ex-dg-os-hsm-canon-fit/p1524203
put a x1.4 TC on it and you have an f4 195-450mm zoom that's almost as good and more usable.
A lot of people are selling their Canon 400mm f4s for that combo.
In fact if you want someone elses Canon F4 second hand Colin Reed is selling one. This is from a sports forum conversation I had with him last week.
Although that lens is no longer in production there is the new version. Canon have now introduced a 2nd generation EF 400mm F2.8 L series IS USM with 4-stops of image stabilisation - obviously all bells and whistles, yours for approx £8,500 !!
Oh , he's up for near offers too
Seriously though, enjoy it while you have it. These opportunities are rare for most of us.
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Ah thanks Ray, that's interesting. £4600!! When ever I feel I am a good enough photographer to spend that sort of dosh, I would give it serious thought. Perhaps when I retire when I could make FULL use of it. Until then, I will keep hanging onto this one and hope that my customer forgets where it is. Mind you, he does live next door!!!
Thanks though for the advice and info Ray. Today is looking good so far. I think I may go out with the tripod today if the weather holds out.
Catch ya later.
Steve
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A lovely blog with a terrific set of images Steve. I think you've done extremely well with no stabiliser and hand held. They're all good but the dog has that extra zing. Thanks for posting.
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Might cost the earth, but you can't better the image quality from prime lenses. Great stuff Steve, and love that dog shot
There is a cheaper option for prime lenses Steve You can buy M42 screw fit prime lenses for peanuts. I now have a 50mm, 55mm. 2 x 135mm, 210mm, and 300mm primes, and total spend was less than £100
If you are wanting a long reach lens, at seriously low money, have a look at summat like this http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=500mm+mirror+lens&hl=en&safe=...
Yes mirror lenses are not the sharpest in the world, but for what most people want them for, you can't go wrong. Few examples taken with the above lens
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Some brilliant shots in a short space of time, i love the Rock Pippit, and Blackbird, and i am envious of the Cormorant shot as i can never get close enough to do them justice, not even with the HS10, so i have no chance with the Nikon 70-300mm, i would have liked a longer lens, but its all about being practical and getting the best quality you can afford. Congrats on the Sparrow on the scroller well desrved.
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Super shots. I don't know one bird from another so I've learned something today.
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Great shots Steve ~ love the dog one splashing about. Shows what a good combination of a good piece of equipment and a good eye for a good photo composition can achieve. Thanks for sharing
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Smashing blog Steve, cracking sharp pictures - but you'd expect that from such a good lens.
I love primes and have a couple, though not as long as that one ;-) Sharp as tacks. And I don't find them at all restricting - but then I grew up with lenses where zooms were few and far between and those that were available were either of poor quality, ridiculously expensive, or both. ;-) Primes were the norm, so I learned to 'zoom' with my feet.
Enjoy it while you've got it.
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You never let us down - great blog, fantastic images and great variety.Thanks for sharing. Liked. Chris xx
Thanks for your kind comments on my Kingfishers - very much appreciated
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Excellent blog Steve! Clear, crisp shots of a variety of birds/animals in 40 minutes! You are good, aren't you? I certainly enjoy reading your blogs! Thanks for sharing...
Eleanor
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Hi Steve, no need to be sorry about it only being birds when they are such fabulous shots. Loved the dog tail shot. That's not a bad lense. Can I suggest you put pen to paper... Dear santa... you fill in the rest. LOL
Great blog Steve.
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Aw, absolutely loved the last pic of the dog he's having so much fun, the water effect off the tail....brilliant
Nice one Steve.....again!
Nadine x
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Good blog Steve Looks like a great lens as well is it on your wishlist from Santa
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Some fine shots here Steve, and you have clearly been putting that long lens to good use! I grew up with prime lenses (the first zooms were fairly poor optically) and I still use them a lot. If you're seriously into wildlife (especially birds) then a long prime is still a great tool. Let's hope your customer is forgetful
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Great blog Steve.
Mike
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Top lense - great shots
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Hi Steve,
I've had big problems but I'm back now..................long story ....I'll explain later.
Brilliant photos mate and well put together........its what makes this site.
Thanks, ...but wheres the bat !!!!!!.......................lol
Jim
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Just spotted the photo of the dog on the Scroller Steve, he is georgeous, as are all your photos. Certainly is some camera you have got there, pin sharp clarity. But of course you have to have the right photographer as well
.
Another great blog from you, I am now off to look at the next one. Thanks for sharing, Pam x.
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Well shot, Steve, especially considering the long zoom. Not an inkling of camera shake there at all.
Mmmm! and I wonder what you will spend your propits on. lol
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So glad I didn't miss this Steve, it's fab
I absolutely love the magpie on the wall - the dof is excellent and the composition is perfect and just busy enough.
Oh....and the others shots are typically good too.....as they always from you
I'd be very proud if I had taken these so as usual, I'm in awe. Very well done.
Big Mwah, Ali xxx
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Great shots Steve,they are all beautiful photos well done.....A big LIKE from me!
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Great shots.Thanks for sharing.
This time will pass.
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Took me that long to get down here! be nice if you could email me before you do one ha ha ha, nice one Steve I like birds of all kinds any way, enjoyed it and a like from me, regards Leon.
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