Close-ups - Portraits

[Canon_Bob]

Just wading through the TON of PP work I have after last week. Here are a few I decided to go portrait with. Some of these are 15+ megapixel crops. Before anyone points it out, the posterizaion you see in the BG for the White Morph Reddish Egret and the Great Egret are a result of saving for web size. The posterization does NOT exist on the originals. Darker, multi-colored BG's will do that when saved with bicubic sharper for the web. I'm just too lazy to go back and re-save them as gradient from the TIFF

Enjoy:







This next one was shot using Artie Morris's Canon 1DsMIII (21 megapixel Full Frame CMOS Sensor). I put a 25mm extension tube on the 600mm F/4 and went into macro mode on this cute litte fellow. I was able to get within the minimum focusing distance with the tube (around 12 feet - instead of the usual 18 feet for the 600). Let's just say there's a LOT of detail in this image :lol: I was really just playing with the 1DsMIII to see if I wanted one or not. VERY nice camera.

[AgingEyes]

Wow!

Have you made up your mind about the 1DsM111 yet?

[Bigcity]

Really great shots. The feather textures on the owl is really cool.

[Canon_Bob]

Wow!

Have you made up your mind about the 1DsM111 yet?

It's a phenomenal camera, but I'm not sure it's a big enough jump up from my current 1DsMII body. I'm currently at 17.5 megapixels, and I'll go out and reshoot this same composition with the same parameters this week and then compare. I don't think I'll be able to tell the difference (there really isn't that much difference between 17.5 megapixels and 21 megapixels). The one significant improvement I did see in the MIII was the buffer. I was able to shoot several images of BIF before the buffer would fill. On mine, I seldom got more than 4 before the buffer latency kicked in. So I guess the question is whether getting a few more frames on flight shots is worth that price tag to me. I'm guressing it probably isn't. Right now, I'm leaning toward skipping the MIII bodies and waiting a couple more years for the next generation. That may change if I find a deal on a used MIII body out there. Lots of folks frustrated with them, although I don't think the 1DsMIII has the same focusing problems that the 1DMIII had.

One thing I am really happy about is that Nikon is FINALLY a player. They are definitely threatening Canon at the top level now, and that will be good for everyone. I'm hoping to see prices come down substantially. Street price on the 1DsMIII is just over $8000.00. I can still get around $4000.00 for my MII.

[Loupey]

...I put a 25mm extension tube on the 600mm F/4 and went into macro mode on this cute litte fellow. I was able to get within the minimum focusing distance with the tube (around 12 feet - instead of the usual 18 feet for the 600)...

Holy cow! I can't get to within 12' of my bird shots (save for perhaps a handful of lucky images) - and my subjects are simple little creatures Excellent work! I guess I need to improve my stalking skills.

Exquisitely detailed images!

[spiraleyes]

Those are great pictures, but the owl takes the cake! I can't believe how vivid and sharp the entire shot is.