Lift Off

[bfjr]

The look
http://bfjr.smugmug.com/photos/51458910-O.jpg

The crouch
http://bfjr.smugmug.com/photos/51459015-O.jpg

Spring into action
http://bfjr.smugmug.com/photos/51458881-O.jpg

Houston we have lift Off!! :D
http://bfjr.smugmug.com/photos/51458930-O.jpg

[Bird Man Photographer]

Nice series, Ben. You know if you'd take that damn TC off...you wouldn't have chopped the wings off. :rofl :thumb :thumb

[vandana]

WOW! this is absolutely great - great action shots and awfully sharp :clap:clap
the crouch is funny - does it really do that? the 'look' is fantastic ! Is it really with a TC or a 500mm lens - I can't imagine this sharpness with a TC - or maybe it's just me :(

[DoctorIt]

great series. If this wasn't a raptor, on which the feet are the most impressive part, I'd say too bad you got focus on the talons instead of the eyes of the bird towards the end of the series.

btw, now that i'm in your camp, what do you use for AF settings when shooting a subject like that? Obviously Continuous, but what zone setting?

[Rohirrim]

Spectacular Ben. Awesome series! :thumb:clap Excellent composition, exposure. The first and second ones are very sharp on the eye!

[Thusie]

WOW, that's from Don looking over my shoulder..WOW me....Those are fantastic:thumb:thumb:thumb:clap:clap:clap

[ShannonW]

Anti-Bird girl :rofl chiming in.....

HOLY COW WOW those are great! My mouth was like this the whole series..:jawdrop

[jwear]

ok not too bad --but I did get a trick from ron on at you shots --for those that have not tried to shoot a bird that is coming right at you -in a split second --no --100th of a second you have to not get excited and then try and focus on a bird heading at you --it is noy easy --have you seen any shots on dgrin like that :scratch well easy it ain't --pelicans ect easy :1drink That hawk flew within inch's of us 4 times and the head on shots of mine are grap --so Ben I quess this is not too bad --but a kingfisher it ain't :rofl what a fun shoot if not 1 shoot worked it was a great moment :thumb

[ginger_55]

NIce raptor shooting, Ben. That bird has some "thigh" muscles he uses in lift off???

(Jeff, I can't get anything coming at me in focus. I think there is a lag time, not much, but enough to mess up a focus on anything coming at you. I, as you know, shoot Canon, 20D, and that is the only answer I have. So, to beat that, you would either have to prefocus or focus ahead of the moving towards you object. I made a half stab at that with the dogs today. I was trying to focus on the sand at the beach in front of them. I hope to have gotten one out of a bunch. They are often running straight at me.)

ginger

[bfjr]

great series. If this wasn't a raptor, on which the feet are the most impressive part, I'd say too bad you got focus on the talons instead of the eyes of the bird towards the end of the series.

btw, now that i'm in your camp, what do you use for AF settings when shooting a subject like that? Obviously Continuous, but what zone setting?

Here's a couple links which may help

http://nikonimaging.com/global/technology/scene/08/index.htm

http://www.nikoncafe.com/vforums/showpost.php?p=500008

http://www.nikonians.org/html/resources/nikon_articles/body/multi-cam2000_af/index.html

I use:

dynamic area 90% of the time
AF4 set to on
AF priority set to release
AF rate set to FPS + rate

[bfjr]

Nice series, Ben. You know if you'd take that damn TC off...you wouldn't have chopped the wings off. :rofl :thumb :thumb

Your right, but the hawky wouldn't wait for me :dunno

[bfjr]

WOW! this is absolutely great - great action shots and awfully sharp :clap:clap
the crouch is funny - does it really do that? the 'look' is fantastic ! Is it really with a TC or a 500mm lens - I can't imagine this sharpness with a TC - or maybe it's just me :(

Thank you glad you like
I've seen the crouch before the leap several times but never quick enough to capture it, till this one.
I do use a 300F4 + either TC 1.4 or 1.7, no 500mm lens not yet at least :thumb

[Harryb]

Not too shabby Ben. The first shot is the strongest of the series. The 3rd is a knock out. Has anyone mentioned that you clipped the wings yet? :rofl

Excellent work :clap :clap :clap

[Phil U.]

Wow - great series! :clap :clap

[bfjr]

Spectacular Ben. Awesome series! :thumb:clap Excellent composition, exposure. The first and second ones are very sharp on the eye!

Thanks Steve
I'm always thrilled to see, capture and share moments like these.

[bfjr]

WOW, that's from Don looking over my shoulder..WOW me....Those are fantastic:thumb:thumb:thumb:clap:clap:clap

Well then thanks Don and Thusie
appreciate your viewing and replying.

[bfjr]

Anti-Bird girl :rofl chiming in.....

HOLY COW WOW those are great! My mouth was like this the whole series..:jawdrop

Hi Shannon
very happy your still with us, yes I read you prior post!!
happier still you took the time to check out this little post :thumb

Anti - Bird ................ When Donkeys Fly :lol

[bfjr]

ok not too bad --but I did get a trick from ron on at you shots --for those that have not tried to shoot a bird that is coming right at you -in a split second --no --100th of a second you have to not get excited and then try and focus on a bird heading at you --it is noy easy --have you seen any shots on dgrin like that :scratch well easy it ain't --pelicans ect easy :1drink That hawk flew within inch's of us 4 times and the head on shots of mine are grap --so Ben I quess this is not too bad --but a kingfisher it ain't :rofl what a fun shoot if not 1 shoot worked it was a great moment :thumb


Exactly!! :thumb

[bfjr]

NIce raptor shooting, Ben. That bird has some "thigh" muscles he uses in lift off???
ginger

Thigh and some Shoulder muscles for sure :wow

[bfjr]

Not too shabby Ben. The first shot is the strongest of the series. The 3rd is a knock out. Has anyone mentioned that you clipped the wings yet? :rofl

Excellent work :clap :clap :clap

Hey Harry really happy to see you back :thumb
sorry about your loss.

Oh wing clipping well yeah it's been mentioned
:rolleyes :uhoh :D :wink

[bfjr]

Wow - great series! :clap :clap

Hey thanks Phil for viewing and taking the time to reply
appreciate it alot!!

[pathfinder]

Excellent series - It is hard to get focus that dead that quickly - kudos to Nikon and you for an excellent job.:thumb

[DoctorIt]

Here's a couple links which may help

http://nikonimaging.com/global/technology/scene/08/index.htm

http://www.nikoncafe.com/vforums/showpost.php?p=500008

http://www.nikonians.org/html/resources/nikon_articles/body/multi-cam2000_af/index.html

I use:

dynamic area 90% of the time
AF4 set to on
AF priority set to release
AF rate set to FPS + rateJust got around to reading these links and wanted to say thanks! The first is a great read about a very dedicated engineer! The second was kinda, uh, yeah, I've read the manual, thanks smartypants. But the third was particularly informative. My conclusion: Nikon and the D2 cameras are pretty darn smart and ready to rock out of the box... as in, I haven't really changed many of the default custom settings.

:thumb