Canon FDn 200/2.8 in low light...a.k.a. "if you've never seen a drenched Woodpecker up close"

[Bill C1664885404]

<p><strong>A lot of rain here the past couple days…but birds have to eat so I put out the morning sunflower seeds, birdseed, mealworms, and peanut butter as usual. And when this Red Bellied Woodpecker showed up, he was understandably soaking wet.</strong><br>

<strong> </strong><br>

<strong>Canon FDn 200 / 2.8 @ 2.8, NEX-7, ISO200</strong></p>

<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/PHOTOGRAPHY/BIRDS/WOODPECKERS/RED-BELLIED/122414WetRedBellyWP200mm28-1B1CCrop1Amt_0Hue_-1Sat_zps7e773378.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="653" /></p>

[Alex_Es]

<p>That is really a fantastic shot!</p>

[Bill C1664885404]

<p>Doesn't matter if Canon FDn lenses were made 30-40 years ago...they still get it done, eh...</p>

[mwmcbroom]

<p>I owned one of these lenses back in the 80s -- the second version with IF. I found it to be an exceptionally good lens for some uses. For others, it was a big disappointment. I got severe CA -- color fringing in green and magenta when shooting bright, high-contrast subjects. But if things were more muted at all, it worked wonderfully. For example:</p>

<p>Canon F-1, FDn 200mm f/2.8 IF, Kodachrome 64<br>

<img src="http://michaelmcbroom.com/images/asr_riversidepp.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667" /></p>

[Bill C1664885404]

<p>"...<em><strong>the second version with IF................for others, it was a big disappointment</strong></em>..."</p>

<p>I was not all that impressed with my IF version either...rarely used it and after getting an FDn 80-200/4.0-L, I never used it so I eventually sold off the 200-IF, original box and all.</p>

<p>Since then I came across my 1st Generation FDn 200/2.8 at a good price and having just sold off a couple other things decided to get it and am glad I did...so far, it seems to be a very good lens.<br>

<br />And not being into fast action shooting, I don't miss the short focusing throw of the IF model...indeed, I believe I get more precise focusing with the slower Helicoid mechanism in the 1st Generation...its identical to the Helicoid focusing mechanism used in the FDn 50/100/200 Macro lenses which yield precise focusing.</p>

[sfcole]

<p>The woodpecker shot has lots of purple fringing.</p>

[ant_nio_marques]

<p>Bill C takes awesome pictures.<br>

Where do birds go when it rains?</p>

[Bill C1664885404]

<p>".....Where do birds go when it rains?....."</p>

<p>They got it pretty tough I guess...I suppose the best they can do is get up under some thick vegetation.<br />I've added a piece of tin on top of the roof of a couple bird feeder so there's a few extra inches of overhang all the way around to keep rain from blowing in on the birdseed...and sometimes I notice small birds lined up camping out under the overhang when it's raining</p>