First Day with the 500MM

[Harryb]

Hey you'll,

I got the 500mm/f4 lens yesterday and gave it a test run today. That is one big hunk of glass. I never saw a lens that came with its own suitcase before.

The weather was overcast as per our usual down here lately so I took a quick run out to the wetlands. Using the lens was a real experience. It can be shot handheld but why you would want to do that is beyond me. I'm gonna have to upgrade my tripod and tripod head to accomodate this lens. It is one of the fastest focusing lenses I've had so far. I used it with the 1.4 TC today.

The first problem I had was that the birds were too close. This was taken from car window.
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/25828319-L.jpg

then I spied an osprey landing in a tree a good distance away. Taken using car roof for support
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/25828320-L.jpg

the osprey wasn't doing much so I drove around and found this feller at a reasonable distance. Taken from car window
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/25828321-L.jpg

I saw a Red Shouldered Hawk flying overhead. Taken handheld, that's why its so soft
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/25828322-L.jpg

Then I lucked out and the osprey landed at the usual spot and I was able to set up the tripod
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/25828318-L.jpg

http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/25828323-L.jpg

http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/25828324-L.jpg

I think I'm going to keep it.

[Andy]

ho hum

more excellent shots from harry

[Dee]

or whatever it is the poor fellow is scratching :rofl :rofl :rofl

From the CAR????? Geeeessssssh! Yeah, I guess it "is" a keeper!

Must be nice to sit in the car, safe from gators, and just aim the camera and lens out the window and fill the viewfinder with a bird's head!

Congrats, and enjoy...

[jeff lapoint]

I think I'm going to keep it.
uh yeah...i'd say so:jawdrop . enjoy:thumb

[Harryb]

ho hum

more excellent shots from harry
Hey Andy,

That's one heavy piece of glass. I'm going to need two sherpas at Zion next year. :D

[Steve Cavigliano]

Looks like a keeper Harry :thumb :thumb

It also looks like , while handholdable, the results are more consistent using some support. What a nice piece of glass and I'm sooooooooooo jealous :rolleyes

All the shots are up to your standards. Including the "soft" one that isn't all that soft :clap

So did you get Linda something in a blue box? :lol3 Or, was it one of those "you owe me bigtime" deals? :lol



Steve

[bfjr]

Hey Andy,

That's one heavy piece of glass. I'm going to need two sherpas at Zion next year. :D
I'll be your Huckleberry, Harry :D
Major Congrats on your Lens, certainly has found a good home :thumb

Oh Schucks there goes my nose bleed again :lol :rofl :D

[wholenewlight]

Jeeez . . . . . .

Amazing first shots.

I'm now anticipating a whole new wave of spectacular wildlife shots from you. What a great new tool for you to use.

You know, I was at Borders today at lunchtime, looking at photo magazines (that I didn't buy, shame on me). I was looking at one of the current outdoor photo mags (don't remember which one) with an article on bird photography. I was surprised at their examples of good bird photography - soft where they shouldn't be soft, low contrast, mediocre composition on a couple shots. I remember thinking, "Harry's average shots blow these away - they should have some of Harry's as better examples". True story!

:clap :clap

[bochie]

I actually really like the first one :thumb
There is no such thing as too close.

I've seen D2H + 500mm used by a duck photographer here in AZ.
Talk about intimidating.
You must be one strong guy to be able to handheld that montrous combo :D

[Seamus]

Congrats :clap ,


shay.

[MuskyDude]

Congrats Harry! :super :thumb :1drink :clap :slosh :beer

Where does one apply to be your sherpa?


AJ

[Eric&Susan]

Way to go Harry:thumb Congrats on the new lens:clap


Eric

[jwear]

very nice new lens in the hands of someone that can use it :clap your poor old lens is being handled by a rookie [it ask about you today ] it does like the dry weather tho .Boy look what happens when you know what you are doing :uhoh :rolleyes congrats Harry the lens found a very good home ,now can you call the 300 and tell it to do some auto shooting to help me out :D

[Trish323]

YaaaWHOOOOO! :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap :rofl :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap

....But Harry, now what will you be whining about?

Great Captures!

I wish I was there to capture the look of total satisfaction on your face as you finally got to shoot with it! From now on when we go on a shoot...we take your car...your liability is too high for me!

Have fun and if it ever stops being cloudy I'll meet you up at the WL

[Harryb]

or whatever it is the poor fellow is scratching :rofl :rofl :rofl

From the CAR????? Geeeessssssh! Yeah, I guess it "is" a keeper!

Must be nice to sit in the car, safe from gators, and just aim the camera and lens out the window and fill the viewfinder with a bird's head!

Congrats, and enjoy...Hey Dee,

I don't do fleas. I leave the macro shots to Skippy and Dani. :D That GBH is a real character. He will let you get up to a few feet of him. If you are in your car you can drive right by him. At one point I could have reached out and touched him from the car window. Don't you get the same cooperation from your west coast birds? :lol

I'll have you know that I stepped into a fire ant hill while shooting that hawk. Gosh those fire ants are nasty buggers. :hurt

Thanks. :wave

[Harryb]

uh yeah...i'd say so:jawdrop . enjoy:thumb
Hey Jeff,

I think this lens and I will have along and happy relationship. :lust

[Harryb]

Looks like a keeper Harry :thumb :thumb

It also looks like , while handholdable, the results are more consistent using some support. What a nice piece of glass and I'm sooooooooooo jealous :rolleyes

All the shots are up to your standards. Including the "soft" one that isn't all that soft :clap

So did you get Linda something in a blue box? :lol3 Or, was it one of those "you owe me bigtime" deals? :lol

Steve
Hey Steve,

It was one of those "you owe me bigtime" deals. I may be in big trouble. :rolleyes

This lens will sure change my style of shooting. I definitely will be getting a Wimberly head next. You can shoot it handheld but not for long. Its 2.5 lbs heavier than your Bigma and around 2" longer.

[Harryb]

I'll be your Huckleberry, Harry :D
Major Congrats on your Lens, certainly has found a good home :thumb

Oh Schucks there goes my nose bleed again :lol :rofl :D
Hey Ben,

You hired just so long as you work for gratitude and nothing else. After buying this puppy I am busted. :rofl

[tmlphoto]

Wow Harry. Good for you. We will expect even better things out of you. Enjoy! I'm jealous beyond words :).

[ginger_55]

Hey Ben,

You hired just so long as you work for gratitude and nothing else. After buying this puppy I am busted. :roflI was reading all so I could respond, just saw this thread.

Harry, your birds are MAG!

Now that they take themselves, the photos I mean, well you can just send the lens out to play, take photos for you, etc, can't you?
Anyway, what do you do with the rest of your life?

And us???? I give, capitulate............the crown is yours! Now can I just post crummy shots????

I had to laugh at the word "busted", especially after talking about some kind of tripod thingy, probably quite expensive, that I have no clue about. Are you all busted as in only going to the best restaurants? As opposed to?

HAHA. For some reason I think this is funny.

For the record, I thought you didn't like tripods...............do you like them now? I thought they were too "pricey" for you? Are they cheaper now?

Is all this none of my business ?...........I have some landscape orphans, maybe I will keep doing those. Put them on the landscape thread where no one knows me. Someone else posted the most god aweful gorgeous landscape shots, sharp as a tack.

And steve, I think it was, someone, I don't see stuff this sharp in the magazines, either, nor in the 50.00 books, the 100.00 books (I don't see the other books). I tried to work up a super sharp landscape before I went to sleep, I do remember that, it was a complete dud.

Harry, your shots rock!!!

Is this retirement?

ginger (Steve, I was going to tell you that I like my photography, am in culture shock right now!):D

Congrats, Harry.

(To anyone who thought I was being serious, I wasn't. I really do like the shots, Harry. That lens performs magnificently, but I was just kidding about it playing on its own, you have to be behind it, and, as someone else said, it opens opportunities for you. In any other post I made, if I was being sarcastic, or whatever, I was playing around, I am not unhappy myself, I am happy for you, Harry, that you got the lens. And I am also hungry.....that is true.)

And I was just kidding about my shots being crummy, too. As my daughters have said, "but mom, people are going to believe you".

[Harryb]

Jeeez . . . . . .

Amazing first shots.

I'm now anticipating a whole new wave of spectacular wildlife shots from you. What a great new tool for you to use.

You know, I was at Borders today at lunchtime, looking at photo magazines (that I didn't buy, shame on me). I was looking at one of the current outdoor photo mags (don't remember which one) with an article on bird photography. I was surprised at their examples of good bird photography - soft where they shouldn't be soft, low contrast, mediocre composition on a couple shots. I remember thinking, "Harry's average shots blow these away - they should have some of Harry's as better examples". True story!

:clap :clap
Thanks. I'm looking forward to learning this lens and using it in the future.
I know what you mean about some of the shots I see in the magazines. I see better shots posted every day on the various forums I hang out in.

[ginger_55]

I forgot to mention that I do have something in common with you, Harry..................... bug bites. I sat in red ants while WAITING for my osprey to do something yesterday. I have all sorts of unknown bug bites on my calves. Kind of like chiggers, but they only seem to itch half as much, stay twice as long.

I have been ignoring the discomfort: and I do use bug spray.

ginger again.

[ginger_55]

Thanks. I'm looking forward to learning this lens and using it in the future.
I know what you mean about some of the shots I see in the magazines. I see better shots posted every day on the various forums I hang out in.
Various forums??

Have you moved on somewhere else?

Where are you good guys hanging out? I thought there was only one of you!
There are more?

g

[ian408]

Harry,

I have bad news and good news :D

First the bad news. You'll be needing a better tripod head (and heck, get
sturdy tripod while you're at it--save yourself the anguish). Wimberely.
Either the full on head or Sidekick (if you have a suitable head already).

Now the good news. Beautiful shots for the first time out!

Ian

[bfjr]

Hey Ben,

You hired just so long as you work for gratitude and nothing else. After buying this puppy I am busted. :rofl

Sounds like the job I have now :D
Just so long as I can hook it up to my D2hs and show ya how it's done :hide :D

[marlof]

Congrats, Harry, from the images shown that lens sure gives you yet more opportunities to shoot beautiful pictures. Not that you were lacking in that department....

[Frank]

Just beautiful Harry!

Looking over these shots is like perusing National Geographic, but without risk of paper cuts. :):


I expect to be in the JAX/Orlando area in late September and hope to sneak a few days down to your territory if I can.

- Frank

[Harryb]

I actually really like the first one http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/thumb.gif
There is no such thing as too close.

I've seen D2H + 500mm used by a duck photographer here in AZ.
Talk about intimidating.
You must be one strong guy to be able to handheld that montrous combo http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/icon10.gifI http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/15524779-Ti.gif about too close. I love wildlife close-ups.

I'm not that strong, just masochistic. http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/yelrotflmao.gif

[Harryb]

Congrats :clap ,


shay.
Thank you Shay.

[4labs]

Harry
congratulations on the new lens . Day 1 and it already looks like you have a handle on it.That first one is as good as any I have seen. Looks I know what my next expenditure on camera gear will be...

[Harryb]

Congrats Harry! http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/ylsuper.gif http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/thumb.gif http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/1drink.gif http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/clap.gif http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/smilie_bier2.gif http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/beer.gif

Where does one apply to be your sherpa?


AJThanks AJ. Consider your application filed. The wages are non-existent, the work is hard, and conditions suck. Does it get any better? http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/lol3.gif

[Harryb]

Way to go Harry:thumb Congrats on the new lens:clap


Eric
Thank you Eric.

[Harryb]

very nice new lens in the hands of someone that can use it :clap your poor old lens is being handled by a rookie [it ask about you today ] it does like the dry weather tho .Boy look what happens when you know what you are doing :uhoh :rolleyes congrats Harry the lens found a very good home ,now can you call the 300 and tell it to do some auto shooting to help me out :D
Thanks Jeff. You will love the 300mm/f4. It was my favorite lens before the 500mm came on the scene. I am sorry that i had to let it go. :cry

[Harryb]

YaaaWHOOOOO! :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap :rofl :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap

....But Harry, now what will you be whining about?

Great Captures!

I wish I was there to capture the look of total satisfaction on your face as you finally got to shoot with it! From now on when we go on a shoot...we take your car...your liability is too high for me!

Have fun and if it ever stops being cloudy I'll meet you up at the WL
Hey Trish,

I'm still a born NYer. We live to complain. I guess when we shoot together the lens won't be that heavy since you'll be carrying it for me. :lol

I started to smile when I reviewed my first shot with the lens and I haven't stopped yet. :D

Anytime you wnt to do Blackpoint or the WL just give me a holler.

[Harryb]

Wow Harry. Good for you. We will expect even better things out of you. Enjoy! I'm jealous beyond words :).Thanks Tom and I can understand the jealousy. http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/biggrinbounce2.gif

[PeterGar]

Very well done!

[Harryb]

Harry, your birds are MAG!

For the record, I thought you didn't like tripods...............do you like them now? I thought they were too "pricey" for you? Are they cheaper now?

Is this retirement?

Thanks Ginger. I don't like tripods, in fact I HATE tripods. Unfortunately they do come in handy at times. If I'm going to use this lens properly I have to upgrade my current tripod setup.

Yes, this is retirement and I'm loving it. http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/yelrotflmao.gif

I forgot to mention that I do have something in common with you, Harry..................... bug bites. I sat in red ants while WAITING for my osprey to do something yesterday. I have all sorts of unknown bug bites on my calves. Kind of like chiggers, but they only seem to itch half as much, stay twice as long.
The reason I hate fire ants so much is because they are the only bug that bugs me. Mosquitos, etc do not bite me for some reason. I spent two years in Vietnam and never got bit by a mosquito.

Various forums??

Have you moved on somewhere else?
No but Dgrin is not the only photography forum that I participate in.

[Harryb]

Harry,

I have bad news and good news :D

First the bad news. You'll be needing a better tripod head (and heck, get
sturdy tripod while you're at it--save yourself the anguish). Wimberely.
Either the full on head or Sidekick (if you have a suitable head already).

Now the good news. Beautiful shots for the first time out!

Ian
Thanks Ian. At this point I'm looking at the sidekick (better for flight shots and highly recommended by another 500mm user I know). I'll be upgrading my whole tripod setup now. Once I do that then I'll upgrade my flash unit and get the Better Beamer. It never ends, does it. :dunno

[Harryb]

Congrats, Harry, from the images shown that lens sure gives you yet more opportunities to shoot beautiful pictures. Not that you were lacking in that department....
Thanks. This lens will enable me to get pretty much the same shots I have been getting. But I will be able to get them with a much lower chance of scaring the wildlife off.

[Harryb]

Just beautiful Harry!

Looking over these shots is like perusing National Geographic, but without risk of paper cuts. :):


I expect to be in the JAX/Orlando area in late September and hope to sneak a few days down to your territory if I can.

- Frank
Hey Frank,

Thanks and congrats on your first Dgrin post. Welcome to Dgrin.

Late September is the beginning of the increase in our local wildlife population so there should be plenty of photo ops when you get down. Let me know when you come down and I can give you a heads up as to good shooting locations.

[Harryb]

Harry
congratulations on the new lens . Day 1 and it already looks like you have a handle on it.That first one is as good as any I have seen. Looks I know what my next expenditure on camera gear will be...
Hey Eric,

Thanks and it is a fine piece of glass.

[Harryb]

Very well done!
Thank you Peter

[GREAPER]

Great stuff Harry, congrats on the new tool.

I have heard that it can be an advantage to add an extension tube to the lens/TC combo you have. It will reduce your minimum focusing distance allowing you to do tight shots to birds that are very close.

I am jealous.

Brian

[Netgarden]

Ahhh Harry the ultimate pleasure of not only trying the lens of your dreams, but bringing home fabulous shots the very first use! How exciting! Wow!:clap

....so thats what all those $500 tripod heads are for eh? I am hanging at Samys now and can't believe how expensive this hobby can be!:rofl :thumb Have fun!

[BigAl]

Congrats on the new lens Harry, and great shots first time out. Wish I could afford one but missus is going to Europe next month, so no spare cash :cry.

regards
alan

[Harryb]

Great stuff Harry, congrats on the new tool.

I have heard that it can be an advantage to add an extension tube to the lens/TC combo you have. It will reduce your minimum focusing distance allowing you to do tight shots to birds that are very close.

I am jealous.

Brian
Thanks Brian and that's a good idea about the extension tube.

[lynnma]

Geez Harry... I'm sooooo envious!! that is one beautiful lens.. no stoppin ya now.. You'll get big muscles holding that sucker up...congrats:clap :clap :clap

[Harryb]

Ahhh Harry the ultimate pleasure of not only trying the lens of your dreams, but bringing home fabulous shots the very first use! How exciting! Wow!:clap

....so thats what all those $500 tripod heads are for eh? I am hanging at Samys now and can't believe how expensive this hobby can be!:rofl :thumb Have fun!
Thanks Linda and its great hearing from ya. :wave

It was very exciting and more than a bit daunting getting that lens. It is a monster. I'll probably get the Wimberly Sidekick thats "only" around $270 but when you add the other stuff I'll end up paying a lot more to upgrade my tripod set-up. :cry I'm building up my courage to break the news to Linda.:uhoh

[Harryb]

Congrats on the new lens Harry, and great shots first time out. Wish I could afford one but missus is going to Europe next month, so no spare cash :cry.

regards
alan
Thanks Alan. Its a big hunk of glass with an even bigger price tag. I still can't belive I spent that much money on a lens. :rolleyes

[Harryb]

Geez Harry... I'm sooooo envious!! that is one beautiful lens.. no stoppin ya now.. You'll get big muscles holding that sucker up...congrats:clap :clap :clap
Many thnaks Lynn. I think a hernia is a lot more likely than muscles. :rofl

[Netgarden]

Hey Harry, we only live once....right? Some people love cars and some love cameras, thats how I look at it.:dunno :lust :lust :lust :lust :thumb

Another way to look at it.....:rofl I commented to my friend...."this last lens may very well save my marriage!!!":rofl :rofl :D