bill_horn

I can't speak for Minolta either, I own a Nikon 300/2.8. Used to have the 300/4. The 300/2.8 is a little snappier, but this might be due to its increased isolation ability over the 300/4 when used wide open. I would not want to live on the difference sharpness-wise however. I much prefer it to the zooms. Size is a big factor, and sometimes when I pack a lot of equipment on an outing, I wish for the smaller 300/4. I get excellent results at 420/4 using a 1.4X converter, less than optimum usually with a 2X.

I agree with Shun's #5, your back yard. That can be taken literally or meant as a wide area near where you live. I live and shoot almost exclusively in my home state, Oklahoma. We have some 450 species, some common, some rare. My long term goal is to publish a book, "The Birds of Oklahoma." It'll take me 5-10 years to amass the needed number of quality images. Even if I never get it published, it will, nontheless, be a labor of love. You don't necessarily have to go to the ends of the earth to find good birding opportunities. Working close to home saves travel dollars, but you often have to work harder to get better photos.

I would be sure to take along a polarizing filter, if you have one to fit your 300/2.8. I have a Nikon 300/2.8 and use a Kirk drop-in. It has saved and/or enhanced many images taken in bright sunlight, and it cuts down on unwanted reflections. You'll have to be alert and fast on the shutter too. I would think it best to set the motor drive for CH (Nikon). Plan on wasting some film and hope for a few nicely composed,well exposed frames. Good Luck !!

Thanks for the interesting and varied responses. I shoot with F5/N90S, so the software route might be a good alternative. What surprised me the most about Morris was how often he used plus/minus compensation. Don't know if the software even records compensation data? Moose Peterson's site contains a review on the SW, and he does not bother to even use the feature (downloading exposure data). For now, I will just make a mental note when I opt to dial in compensation or encounter unusual lighting conditions, review my slides, and hopefully learn from my mistakes. Practice is what makes us all better, and separates the average photographer from the seasoned pro.

Fellow photogs,

 

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I just read Arthur Morris'"The Art of Bird Photography." It contains hundreds of well exposed images,nearly all of which include exposure data. Many other well known pros include like data in their publications,books, etc. Morris encourages us to "...take good field notes or use a field recorder." I share his passion for avian photography, but to date have rarely gone to the trouble to keep records on exposure. No doubt, I could learn from doing so. My questions are, "What are your thoughts on this? Would the value added excede the labor involved? Too often, I am caught up in the moment, worrying about changing light conditions, proper ball head tension, or finding that elusive Titmouse in my telephoto lens. Bracketing and other techniques make redording exposure even more difficult. Not sure if I want to add another task during my outings. Any comments?

Gabriel,

 

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I own a 300 2.8, 1.4E and 2.0E. With the 1.4E sharpness is excellent, and pretty good with the 2X although not on a par with a prime 600. If Nikon would get the price down to anywhere NEAR reasonable, I'd buy either a 600 F4 AF-S or the AI version. Bob is correct on this one, so if you plan on using it at the 600mm a lot, spend the cash on a prime lens. Best of luck to you.

I am interested in shooting birds in the area where I live and need a long, remote cable release. I am always careful with nesting birds to avoid disturbing them. Remote capability would facilitate this and be useful around feeders and bird houses. Are these available commercially for N90S and F5 nikon bodies? I read somewhere a while back these could be made fairly easilly. I'd like to keep cost as low as possible, but as bird photography has become a consuming passion, I'll spend whatever it takes. Help anyone?

 

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Bill Horn

Oklahoma