Birds at supper time

Eating on the patio as usual most fine evenings. The feeders just got refilled, so I had to go get the camera. D750 with old 80-400 ED 4.5- 5.6. I'm finding that I get more satisfactory results with manual focus. The Goldfinches are already starting to shift to winter plumage.

House Finch Carefully Selects Thistle Seeds by David Stephens, on Flickr

@sandy: are you using a tripod -- the focus just isn't there like dcstep's. It's tough to get enough light with a f4.5 - 5.6, so a tripod is a must.

@sandy: are you using a tripod -- the focus just isn't there like dcstep's. It's tough to get enough light with a f4.5 - 5.6, so a tripod is a must.

 

Mine's hand held at 1,000mm, 1/800-sec. f/8, ISO 3200 (it was overcast). Miss too many flight shots with tripods. I hand hold almost everything. I haven't used manual focus since my Spotmatic was stolen, decades ago. These days, our viewfinders don't really help us to manual focus.

One from 9 years ago, D200 with AF-D 80-400 (same lens as Sandy's), 1/500s, f/5.6, 400mm, ISO 560

The lens was OK on DX and 10-12 MP but was showing its weakness on 20-24MP bodies, and certainly on anything with more than 12MP on FX

 

Some 8 years later, D7100 with 300/4E PF VR, 1/1600s, ISO 720, f/7.1

 

D7200 with 200-500 at 500mm, f/5.6, 1/1000s, ISO 140

 

All handheld.

Seems like dinner time is about every ten minutes!

 

he focus just isn't there like dcstep's. It's tough to get enough light with a f4.5 - 5.6, so a tripod is a must.

You are right, was jjust sitting at the dinner table, camera in the unused place to my left. Normally wouldn't have posted these - must have looked better to me after an extra glass of wine. Thought the same when I looked at them the next day.:oops:

Kingbird Shows Off Its Dragonfly Treat by David Stephens, on Flickr

 

Handheld, 1,000mm.