The smaller things in life!

[Bevb]

These are the butterflys and dragonflys i came across on my day out to Minsmere nature reserve, in Suffolk, i hadnt got my tubes or macro lense with me, as purely out to photograph deer, but got these using my 100-400, 1/500 f6.7 ISO400 @ 360mmm, and the dragonfly 1/500 f.5.6 @ 260mm.

A bit different to my usual subjects but had great fun, by the time i had taken enough shots, i looked up and was surprised to see i had travelled quite some way following these little creatures and was no where near where i thought i was!

[Loupey]

No tubes regardless - these shots are great! Nice sharpness out that 100-400

I especially like #2 - that little critter has such great wing shape.

Yeah, its fun to see a "different side" of you Thanks for sharing.

[Loupey]

Bev, I see from your posts in the Sports forum that you are still not very pleased (if that is the correct interpretation) with this lens. But these look fine. Did you do something different?

I read that you don't use a tripod but I don't recall if you at least use a monopod (which I highly recommend). Did they get you squared away on your Mode 1 vs. Mode 2 issue and the focusing points?

[Old Timer]

Superb sharpness and color Bev. Always a pleasure to view your post.

[quetzal]

I agree - good, sharp images. Nice job!

[Bevb]

Bev, I see from your posts in the Sports forum that you are still not very pleased (if that is the correct interpretation) with this lens. But these look fine. Did you do something different?

I read that you don't use a tripod but I don't recall if you at least use a monopod (which I highly recommend). Did they get you squared away on your Mode 1 vs. Mode 2 issue and the focusing points?

Thank you OT and Loupey your comments are always welcome good and bad!

Loupey, you ask about the 100-400L, this lense isnt the easiest to use (I have found out),
and attached to my new....ish 1D MKlN, of which i am still learning new things from every day, i have found to be quite a challenge, firstly the lense, obviously its not the quickest, and i was finding it a hard task to capture shots of action/birds in flight, no i dont use a tripod, never had, and to be honest it would be a last option if i had to. But, i have been using a monopod, i used a monopod for the Stag/deer shots, but not the butterflys, i admit 70% of the pictures whilst using the monopod were better, oh, and by the way the lense was on the 20D at the time, I have read up alot, and practised everyday with this lense and taken peoples adviceon certain aspects of it, and have now come quite attached to it, i still use it in 2 mode, and although it is quite soft wide open, its now a big part of my kit.

The MKllN, well as you read in the sports section, i have learnt alot about this camera from people there, and Smartwombat has been bombarded with questions from me, and i have taken his advice and over the past few days have'nt put the camera down, its paid off, and i now am confident using it, not scared as i was up until this week! as Smartwombat explained i have been trying to capture "little" birds on feeders,of which the focus point is about the size of the bird,pointing out its so important to get this right, and its not easy, big objects, ie large birds, dogs running etc are no problem,the focusing system on the MKllN is much more complex than my 20D, i have sorted certain settings out that i probably had on the wrong ones, and things have improved greatly, i am beginning to enjoy my camera!

I have added these images of which i used the 100-400L

[Loupey]

Bev, that's great that you are starting to feel comfortable with both the camera and lens.

I think, for you, that Mode 2 is the appropriate setting since you do so much action-related sequences that require panning. For me, Mode 1 allows relatively stationary macros at low shutter speeds. Otherwise, I turn the IS off to conserve battery (and IS life).

It is interesting that SmartWombat stated that he experiences the best sharpness at (f/9 to f/11?!) with this lens. That's awefully slow for N/W and sports shooting IMO. My 300mm is as sharp as its ever going to be stopped down just one stop at f/5.6.

These two images are very nice BTW.

[Bevb]

Bev, that's great that you are starting to feel comfortable with both the camera and lens.

I think, for you, that Mode 2 is the appropriate setting since you do so much action-related sequences that require panning. For me, Mode 1 allows relatively stationary macros at low shutter speeds. Otherwise, I turn the IS off to conserve battery (and IS life).

It is interesting that SmartWombat stated that he experiences the best sharpness at (f/9 to f/11?!) with this lens. That's awefully slow for N/W and sports shooting IMO. My 300mm is as sharp as its ever going to be stopped down just one stop at f/5.6.

These two images are very nice BTW.

Yes i thought the same re f.9/f.11, that takes some working, i usually set the same as you but at 350mm, any wider and things become soft, definate use for the monopod there.

[SmartWombat]

Good colour on those first two, amazingly good condition they're in too - particularly the Comma. Nice autumn shots posing on the berries.

On the softness front, you're taking a 4:1 zoom (where 3:1 used to be the maximum for quality) and wide open that's just not going to be sharp as the 70-200 at any focal length.
I also get significant vignetting on my 100-400 wide open, that goes away at about f8.

But if you consider the relatively low cost of that 100-400 it's pretty good for the price.
Compare it to a 400 prime L series, even the new DO lens, and it's at least half the price and probably not half the quality.

The Sigma 80-400 I found comparable optically, but with appallingly slow AF in comparison and terrible IS that drifts like mad when on a tripod. I did prefer the twist zoom, and liked the neck strap, but not enough to compensate for the AF speed and better IS on the Canon.
So I took the Sigma back to Jessops after a week (and a trip to le Mans and Goodwood) and paid the £300 extra for the Canon.

Oh by the way, you will find the 100-400 performs better on the 20D because you're only using the centre portion of the image, remember the 20D sensor is smaller. On the 1D (and particularly on a 1DS or 5D full frame) you will see more of the subtle flaws at the edge of the image that you don't get on the 20D ... and you lose the 1.6 crop factor and come down nearer its "real" focal length on the 1DmkII at the 1.3 crop factor.