On Computers and Photography
From time to time I scroll through old images. Especially ones from the same location and same time frame. And usually end up in a ruthless editing session. Technical imperfections, suboptimal compositions – you name it, I delete it. But once in a while I find a gem.
Great Reed Warbler Singing
Just sit back, and enjoy the song of the warbler on a late spring morning.
Herons finally arrived and I spent the afternoon with warming up for the season. This year will be radically different from the previous ones because of the rig I use. The issue with photographing herons at this specific location is that they land at varying distances. This usually means frequent teleconverter and body changes, and lots of inadvertently cut wings and feet.
But not this time. The 5DS R has more than enough resolution for cropping if the bird lands further away while I can avoid truncating vital parts with closer landings thanks to the full frame sensor. I’m using the EF 500mm f/4L IS USM with the 1.4x III teleconverter.
Purple Heron Landing Ballet
Images are also much better from the 5DS R than they were from the 7D Mark II and 5D Mark III used for the last couple of years. Not to mention the ancient 1D Mark II… Frame rate is a bit slow sometimes, but still manageable. The real problem is that emptying the buffer to the card may take a lot of time even with a speedy 1066x Lexar CF. This is one point where I expect the 1D X Mark II to do wonders.
Besides the herons, a bunch of bearded tits were also hanging out in the reeds. They are funny little birds and I really enjoy working with them. So much that I missed quite a few heron landings.
Bearded Tit – Another Take
The light was great, so why not take advantage of the situation and the cooperating birds? Heck, I already have a ton of great heron landing images…
The latest update to the Mark II Artist’s Viewfinder adds complete support for the iPhone SE.
This means two things. First, we’ve measured the angle of view of the SE’s camera. Second, since the SE takes iPhone 5s cases, we’ve created a distortion correction profile for each and every wide converter that we support on the 5s. You see the complete list on the left.
As usual, we’ve added a bunch of new cameras to the app’s database. I’d encourage you to take a look on the release notes for the detailed list.
Version 4.6 is a free update for existing Mark II owners. Users of former Viewfinder Basic/Pro/Cine editions can upgrade for a reduced price.
I’m waiting for several things to arrive. For egrets, herons, and my 1D X Mark II. And while waiting, I’m sifting through last year’s images. The one below was made with the 7D Mark II and the then new EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens (plus the 1.4x III teleconverter).
Egret Landing
This is a deadly combination that brought me a bunch of great images during the last twelve months. I’m curious whether the 1D X Mark II will replace the 7D Mark II in my bag. Weight, size, reach, convenience are all factors – not just speed and image quality. I’m really really curious. But don’t worry, I’ll let you know once the 1D X Mark II is in my hands.
