Canon FDn 400/4.5.....what's not to love !

[Bill C1664885404]

<p><strong> </strong><br>

<strong>CANON FDn 400/4/5 @ 5.6, NEX-7, ISO100</strong></p>

<p><strong> </strong><br>

<strong>“…OK, THERE’S GOTTA BE SOME FOOD AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE…”</strong></p>

<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/PHOTOGRAPHY/BIRDS/BLUEBIRDS/FEMALE%20BLUEBIRD/121014A-FemaleBluebirdonPost_271C_zps82a56e57.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="584" /></p>

<p><em><strong> </strong></em><br>

<em><strong>“…UH, SORRY TO BOTHER YOU…..BUT THE FOOD TRAY IS EMPTY AGAIN...”</strong></em></p>

<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/PHOTOGRAPHY/BIRDS/BLUEBIRDS/FEMALE%20BLUEBIRD/121014B-FemaleBluebirdHeyTheFeedTrayIsEmpty_07_zpsc5bb4456.jpg" alt="" width="770" height="800" /></p>

<p> </p>

[Alex_Es]

This is an exceptionally good shot. Better feed the little critter.

[mwmcbroom]

<p>Yes, more excellent bird photos, taken with a superb lens. I enjoyed mine while I had it. Sadly, it was stolen a couple years ago, and I've just been slow to replace it. My practical side sez that I can attach a 1.4x to my Tamron 300mm f/2.8 LDIF, and I'll have a 420mm f/4, with the LD glass even. So, because this combination does such a good job, I just haven't pulled the trigger and bought another . . . yet. Still miss it, though.</p>

<p>Oh and, as always, keep up the good work, Bill.</p>

[michael_chuang1]

<p>> I can attach a 1.4x to my Tamron 300mm f/2.8 LDIF<br>

And you get a free workout as well! (I shot with the olive-drab Tamron 300/2.8 for years and liked it, but cosmetically the lens barrel looked as if it had mange because of all the flaking paint.) You owe it to yourself to get the 400/4.5 for weight savings. ;)</p>

<p>Incidentally, I saw a nice tidy FDn 400/4.5 at a recent camera show but didn't ask what the seller wanted for it because I was afraid I'd buy it. He also had a 55/1.2 that I was able to convince myself I didn't need. Whew. Didn't entirely pass GAS however, I came away from that show with a pair of Minolta fixed-lens rangefinders.</p>

[Bill C1664885404]

<p><strong>I’m as hooked on shooting this Female Bluebird as she is on peanut butter !</strong><br /><strong>A couple more shots with the Canon FDn 400/4.5.<br /><br /></strong><br>

<strong> </strong></p>

<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/PHOTOGRAPHY/BIRDS/BLUEBIRDS/FEMALE%20BLUEBIRD/121814A-FemaleBluebirdsideofPBtree_262C1M_zps351816fc.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="711" /></p>

<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/PHOTOGRAPHY/BIRDS/BLUEBIRDS/FEMALE%20BLUEBIRD/121814B-FemaleBluebirdsideofPBtree_201C_0Amt_0Hue_1Sat_zpsdc4bdf36.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="556" /></p>

<p> </p>

[richard_mccaw]

<p>Bill - your pictures have been key in swaying me towards the FD primes for my Nex 6 & 7. Just wondering if you are using the FD 400mm on a Nex as well?<br>

I played around with a EF 300mm f4L IS + Kenko 1.4x TC + EF-Nex adapter on my Nex 6. Decent but definitely nowhere as sharp as the bare 300mm f4L was on my now-sold 1D4. Any idea whether it would be better instead to just use a FD 400mm on the Nex and crop?</p>

[Bill C1664885404]

<p><strong>Don't know anything about the other gear you mentioned but the only cameras I have now are NEX-7's and with nature & wildlife my primary area of interest, my two most heavily used lenses on them are the Canon FDn 300/4.0-L and FDn 400/4.5…you'd have to steal them to get them away from me, LOL.</strong><br /> <br /><strong>While not officially designated as an “L” lens, it’s written that the 400/4.5 construction utilizes some of the same elements as the 300-L, and for all practical purposes produces L-like results…that’s been my experience as well.<br /></strong><br /> <strong>The canon FD 2x-A Extender on the 300/4.0-L also produces excellent images on the NEX-7…couple squirrel shots at some distance, essentially taken at 600mm / 8.0.<br />( 2^nd squirrel shot was not my intended composition, simply what can happen when using the timer on a camera…but it turned out so unique / good that I kept it ).</strong></p>

<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/PHOTOGRAPHY/SQUIRRELS/CanonFD300mm40L402XTele-ConverterSquirrelA1383Crop1C-1M_zps6fe0bdd3.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="674" /></p>

<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/PHOTOGRAPHY/SQUIRRELS/CanonFD300mm40L402XTele-ConverterSquirrelB1391Crop1C_zps0247bf49.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="772" /></p>

[richard_mccaw]

<p>Looks pretty darn good to me - the 300mm + 2x-A combination. Is it true that the 2x-A would only work on focal lengths 300mm and below?</p>

[gary_d1]

Good comparison of the 2xa / b.

 

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/fdlenses/extenders.htm

[Bill C1664885404]

Richard, I haven't tried the 300 or 400 with anything other than the Canon recommended 2x-A

[richard_mccaw]

<p>Thanks. Sounds like the 400mm does work with the 2x-A. </p>

 

[Bill C1664885404]

<p>Yes, Canon 300mm telephoto lenses and longer...and a good information site you might want to bookmark is one called MIR.COM.<br>

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/fdlenses/index.htm</p>

<p> </p>

[richard_mccaw]

<p>Got it Bill. Have quite a few articles over there. Very informative and factual. Thanks :)</p>

[Bill C1664885404]

<p><strong>What ???????<br />You DON'T have naturally occurring Peanut Butter Trees in your area ???????<br /></strong><br>

<strong> Male & Female Downy Woodpeckers on the tree at the same time.</strong></p>

<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/PHOTOGRAPHY/BIRDS/WOODPECKERS/DOWNY%20and%20HAIRY/122614MaleFemaleDownyWoodpeckers_13ACCrop_zps65c75ac4.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="597" /></p>

 

[Bill C1664885404]

<p><strong>Ran some F8.0 DoF Tests on the 400/4.5 just now…( ISO100, beanbag on the window sill ) </strong></p>

<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/PHOTOGRAPHY/BIRDS/BLUEBIRDS/MALE%20BLUEBIRDS/122614MaleBB400mmF80DOFTest01_zps582d77e7.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="772" /></p>

<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/PHOTOGRAPHY/BIRDS/BLUEBIRDS/MALE%20BLUEBIRDS/122614MaleBB400mmF80DOFTest02_zps9ca1bde7.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="746" /></p>

<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/PHOTOGRAPHY/BIRDS/BLUEBIRDS/MALE%20BLUEBIRDS/122614MaleBB400mmF80DOFTest05_zps3615158b.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="540" /></p>

<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/PHOTOGRAPHY/BIRDS/BLUEBIRDS/MALE%20BLUEBIRDS/122614MaleBB400mmF80DOFTest07_zpsee65de67.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="651" /></p>

[gary_d1]

Bill. Very nice. The colors are so vivid. Nothing like

that in my backyard. Time to break out the seed...or

the peanut butter. :)

[Bill C1664885404]

<p><strong>The "quarter moon" is not officially a quarter until day after tomorrow on the 28th.</strong><br /><strong>But...I was wanting something to shoot and decided to go after it in B&W with the 400/4.5.</strong><br>

<strong> </strong><br>

<strong>3 photos...original plus 2 crops to show distance then detail captured as it comes up.<br /></strong></p>

<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/PHOTOGRAPHY/SCENICS/MOON%20SHOTS/122614%20BW%20Mid_PM%2027%20Percent%20Waxing%20Crescent%20Moon/122614ABW27WaxingCrescentMoon276C-4MPre-Crop_zps059c80bd.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="533" /></p>

<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/PHOTOGRAPHY/SCENICS/MOON%20SHOTS/122614%20BW%20Mid_PM%2027%20Percent%20Waxing%20Crescent%20Moon/122614CBW27WaxingCrescentMoon276C-4MCrop2_zpsc9058045.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="662" /></p>

<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/PHOTOGRAPHY/SCENICS/MOON%20SHOTS/122614%20BW%20Mid_PM%2027%20Percent%20Waxing%20Crescent%20Moon/122614DBW27WaxingCrescentMoon276C-4MCrop3_zps8cfd41ac.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="792" /></p>

 

[Bill C1664885404]

<p><strong>And here it is again shot in regular color set-up, a few hours later after black dark with no bright sun and bright sky to make it difficult to see, stronger contrast.<br />Plus, while Sunday is the official "25% quarter moon"...rain is forecast here then so I shot it today / tonight at 27% while I could.<br />Note the crescent tonight shows much more horizontal from the change in angle with the sun light.</strong></p>

<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/PHOTOGRAPHY/SCENICS/MOON%20SHOTS/122614%20Color%20After%20Dark%2027%20Percent%20Waxing%20Crescent/112614A-400mmAfterDark27WaxingCrescentMoon06_zps0e94af78.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="533" /></p>

<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/PHOTOGRAPHY/SCENICS/MOON%20SHOTS/122614%20Color%20After%20Dark%2027%20Percent%20Waxing%20Crescent/112614B-400mmAfterDark27WaxingCrescentMoon06Crop_zps3d80d37f.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="570" /></p>

<p> </p>

[Bill C1664885404]

<p>Rare catch.....Female Downy Woodpecker on a limb instead of the side of a tree.<br />Canon FDn 400/4.5 </p>

<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/PHOTOGRAPHY/BIRDS/WOODPECKERS/DOWNY%20and%20HAIRY/010915A-FemaleDownyWP-treelimb_801CPBS50_zps7d1ed7f8.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="629" /></p>

<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/PHOTOGRAPHY/BIRDS/WOODPECKERS/DOWNY%20and%20HAIRY/010915B-FemaleDownyWP-treelimb_761CPBS50_zps0b56051d.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="634" /></p>