[M_Six]

I was out at a local nature center today with the Grand Prairie Butterfly Club (run by a prof at our university). I brought my 70-200 f2.8 IS this time, as the last time I went out with them I had the 400 5.6 and I had trouble with the MFD. So of course this time I get a chance to grab pics of a great blue heron and a northern harrier and all I have is 200mm and a 1.4x TC to work with.

These are 100% crops. The first shot has some leaves in the way. I was kicking myself for leaving the 400 in the car. I should have done like Dave does and hauled two bodies.

[Itsed65]

You did the best with what you had, which of course is better than nothing at all. The raptors are starting to migrate out here, so I usually carry two bodies as well. I either have the 400 prime or the 100-400 on my 1D, and something smaller on my 5D or 7D.

The second and third pics do a great job of showing the birds in their environment. Even with the 400 I often have to settle for that type of shot as I'm often just too far away. My new chair should help with that, but I am also anxious to see what Sigma is going to offer in a 500 or 600 prime as rumored to be coming out, that might cost a bit less than a car, and still have great image quality.

[dcstep]

Yeah, two bodies is surely the way to go if you're going after wildlife or shooting sports, preferably including at least one that'll AF at f/8, so you can put a TC on that 400mm.

Despite how it slows down my 5D3, I can't bring myself to take off the 2.0x TC-III. One day I'll get the 1D X so that I don't have to struggle with AF so much, but the struggle is worth it.

Shooting out of my car-blind:


More Doe Eyes by dcstep, on Flickr