Sunday Fishing 4 - Click image to view larger!

Thanks for viewing/comments! .. the most difficult shot to catch of an Osprey

Fishing shot is this one (in my humble opinion) - The Approach! when the

bird extend the talons ready to grab the fish ....

I am always amazed at your bird shots.    Capturing this Osprey just before he hits the water with wings folded back, well, you must have a lot of patience.   I see you are still hand holding 700 mm worth of lens too...well done!

Thanks Dom! It's very much the 2nd time I got this in a long time but I think I got the hang of this now by using all focus point and hold the button while panning / following the bird dive. I've been using one focus point and it's not possible to track at that speed. In any event, I've been told /shown a  few times that the 1DX can do this stuff much better ...  same goes for the Nikon D4. 

Thanks Steve! When I was shooting, I had no idea I got this one (I know I got at least 2 out of the 3 shots before this one though) either. I lost  3,4 shots after he landed in the water because of the multiple point auto focus got confuse with all that water splashing. I wish to have time to switch to one single center point focus once he's in the water but no time for that.  I like to shoot with single point auto focus since I generally get much sharper image with one center point focus.

Great dive, great capture! The whole sequence is captivating!

Thanks Greg & Verena!

Tm J,

Excellent!

I have tried the multiple focus points when tracking fast moving subjects but have felt I had a better success rate with the single point.

Maybe I should try some more of the multiple focus points!

Definately a "special moment" to activate the shutter!

Regards,

Jim j.

Thanks Jim! Just like you, I've been going back and forth between 1 point and multiple point. I think multiple point is the way to go but to get a good capture it also depend on how close the bird is and how fast he's diving. I am still trying to get the next dive & approach shot. :-)

Very impressive and fascinating capture! almost catching a bullet....

Regards! Hanan

Thanks Hanan! A few years back when I was shooting with the ... sloow Olympus I also got lucky then  too. It's a lot easier now with the 1D Mark III

http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=10573471&size=lg

http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=10573396&size=lg

 However, that bird was a slow one. This one is a very, very fast one . :-)

Oh yes! the earlier captures were indeed at a very very high quality outcomes!!!

Somehow i am quite confident that as long the focal lenght and distance rises the hase decreases the clarity.these marvelous exampess of yours is only a proof that close range achives fantastic results.

I wonder if you consider to work without the t/c ? I gave up the 1.4 t/c and

300mm works much better, (opticaly and hase problems).

Sorry to mix up subjects here but i'll appreciate your opinion.

Hanan

Hi Hanan, you observation is quite correct. The shorter the focal length, the more DOF we would get and the wider view allow easier tracking as well. My friend who shoots with a 300mm F2.8 does seem to get this easier than I am (with my 500mm) on many shot. The problem is that we don't know where the bird would come down and it's all about luck with the 'right' focal choices at the moment. I like to use the 2X TC but had to cut down to 1.4X because it allow multiple point focus is one reason I've been shooting with the 1.4X much lately. The 2X is good for perching or slower flying bird  :-) .

In any event, I will keep your suggestion in mind and will try to shoot a diving or approaching shot with my 100-400mm lens sometimes.

Thank you Tm j.was a pleasure changing opinions with you.

I'll write to you through mailbox in the future.

Many regards and successes!!

Hanan