[Theme] 2 BIF's

[simato73]

Anthony,  I am also impressed by the definition and the details of the feathers.
What did you use for the shot, Nikon or Fuji? I have an eye on that 100-400 lens. ... what I need is demonstration from real life that apart from the optical quality of the lens,  also the AF  system can keep up with the action.

[Anthony]

Armando, Frank, Matthew, Simone, thanks.

Simone, the shots were made on a D800 with 80-400VRII.  I found that a very good wildlife combination, despite not being the D800's speciality.  The lens is a great safari lens, being easy to handhold and not too heavy for walking around.

I do not think the X-T1 could have captured these shots (there are more in the series, all spot on focus) because of the slow AF lock on, the small number of PDAF points, and the viewfinder lag.  Maybe the X-T2 will solve these issues.  On the other hand, the Fuji 100-400 is optically superb (even better than the Nikon 80-400), even with the 1.4 t/c installed, and the AF is probably fast enough if the camera supporting it is fast enough.

[simato73]

Armando, Frank, Matthew, Simone, thanks.

Simone, the shots were made on a D800 with 80-400VRII.  I found that a very good wildlife combination, despite not being the D800's speciality.  The lens is a great safari lens, being easy to handhold and not too heavy for walking around.

I do not think the X-T1 could have captured these shots (there are more in the series, all spot on focus) because of the slow AF lock on, the small number of PDAF points, and the viewfinder lag.  Maybe the X-T2 will solve these issues.  On the other hand, the Fuji 100-400 is optically superb (even better than the Nikon 80-400), even with the 1.4 t/c installed, and the AF is probably fast enough if the camera supporting it is fast enough.

Thanks for the information.
So it really as I thought: it is all down to the AF capability of the Fuji's.
This is the limiting factor, and for certain applications such as this one the limitation is big.
For me this really means that the purchase of the 100-400 is delayed until the AF system is sufficiently capable.

[Asle F]

Two east of Greenland. I admit one of them is very close to the ground:

Grønlandshavet by Asle Feten, on Flickr

[Asle F]

And many at Svalbard:

Ved Sjettebreen by Asle Feten, on Flickr

[Kim Pilegaard]

Cranes in southern Sweden (D800 + 500/4 AF-S VR)

[ColinM]

I promise this isn't a multiple exposure.



This loses definition in the cropping, but I love this view of the incoming kite

[tommiejeep]

Many cool and good images.
House Crows Harassing a Booted Eagle (dark morph) at altitude

[FredCrowBear]

Snow Geese, in central Pennsylvania, USA, on their migration north.  D7100 and Nikkor 200-500mm at 500mm.  Cropped from 6000 pixels to 3200 pixels (horizontal), before downsizing to 1200 for posting.  PP in PS CC 2015.  Full disclosure - small portion of another bird's tail removed from left edge of image. 

[ArendV]

wood pigeon in flight

[ArendV]

And a grey heron

[Peter Connan]

Great thread, not sure how I missed it for so long!

[Frank Fremerey]

I got a collection of several dozens of Swifts in my backyard
Training my AF. VR. PANNING. AIMING. TELE. skills with these
completely new field for me.