Moving

I have a new website with a new blog so this one won't be updated as much. To see the new one, please go here

I am a lens addict

On my way back after visiting the beach yesterday, I went to the local camera shop (the only camera store on the island these days) in Ryde on a whim, just to see what second hand Canon items there were in the window and happened to see a nice little EF 300mm f/4 L IS  prime lens there.

I'd actually been browsing online for one of these or a 400 mm f/5.6 so the sight of one in the window of the camera shop was A Sign, surely? Anyway, before I could stop myself, I went inside, examined the lens, whisked out my credit card and left the premises with it. I always wondered why the 300mm had IS while the 400mm f/5.6 didn't, maybe Canon thought that putting IS on the 400mm would erode sales of the huge primes at the time. That said I had a 400 f/5.6 years ago and don't recall ever being dissatisfied due to no IS.

I've not had a chance to try it out yet so, unless I take it with me to work this week for use at lunchtime, I won't get a chance to until Friday.

I really should stop buying stuff that I don't really need though. I now have three cameras and five lenses. Apart from the two R-series cameras and the RF 200-800, my gear is all second-hand EF lenses and one DSLR. Mirrorless is where the camera makers are going but the old EF lenses - with an adapter - work extremely well on R-series bodies. I use all my EF lenses on my R6 Mk II, with the Canon EF to R adapter and, for the foreseeable future, it is a good solution as the L-series RF lenses are extremely expensive (as are the newer EF-series). EF L-series primes, particularly the older iterations, can be found second hand for fairly low prices now, and it is a cost-effective way to have seriously good glass, the sort that I coveted not that many years ago. For now, I use the 200-800 on the R7, which gives ridiculous reach.
The older L-series lenses, such as this one and my 500mm f/4 L, aren't repairable these days, due to no spare parts being available, but still represent decent value for money. Get the lens insured old for old and you can get another if the existing one packs in.

Autumnal gloom

The seemingly endless gloom persists, it's at least two weeks since even a glimpse of the orb in the sky. It's dark and, for photography, a waste of time. Despite this, I did go to Ryde and Seaview as I was on the third of my four days off and wanted to get out of the house so I didn't return to work feeling the time has been completely wasted.

I took the 500mm f/4 and R6 Mk II with me, simply because I don't think the 200-800 would have been fast enough for the conditions. The R-series cameras have insane sensors that can deal with ISO stupid-thousand but, even so, it's nice to have a faster lens option. I put the 1.4x extender on so I had a focal length of 700mm, which is good enough.

Most of the birds gather west of the pier, probably because there are fewer humans and dogs at that part of the beach. The Brent Geese have arrived and it's always nice to see them. They were joined by Sanderlings, Turnstones and the usual gulls, plus some swans floated offshore near the pier.

As can be seen, the light was horrendous and flat, dull, weather means flat, dull photos, but it was nice to go out and see and do something. 

There was a mini-drama while I was there. Down in the corner by the sea-wall was a first-winter juvenile Herring Gull which looked injured or unwell. When it moved, as it did to get away from the incoming tide, I saw one of the legs was bent backwards. I called a local gull rescue group and a lovely woman came down and, between us, we collected the gull from the beach. Sadly the youngster passed away a couple of hours later. I know 'they' say you shouldn't interfere with nature but I couldn't, in all conscience, leave it to drown in the rising tide. I also believe that, as a so-called intelligent species (haha), we humans have a duty to help other beings when we can. After all we have destroyed so much.

After that, a brief visit to Seaview. This was busier human-wise than Ryde. I like Seaview but it can be an absolute pain in the arse at times as it's a popular spot - unfortunately there are really no places on the Isle of Wight that are completely quiet. The hide was busy but the people were just about to leave, so I had it to myself. For the grand total of five minutes. My peace was absolutely shattered by a family with three very small children, including one little banshee that could shriek out of all proportion to its size. I don't mind kids (honest!) but when the parents don't encourage them to be quiet in such a place and they bang on the windows and shout at the birds, then it's a bit much. I left. I do think kids should be encouraged to be interested in nature but letting them shriek the place down is annoying and sheer bad manners.

After I 'abandoned hide', I went to the beach. Trying to follow a flying bird while hand-holding 4.7 kg of lens, camera and 1.4x extender is a bit of a tall order but the photos of the Grey Heron are ok. Ish.

Quality

Looking at my pictures on the computer they always look fine. However, once uploaded they look soft, out of focus and a bit shit, to be honest. I don't believe this to be the fault of my cameras, lenses or the computer and editing software but the way I am editing the photos. Firstly, I believe that the saved images are too large, as I usually save them at 3000px on the longest side when it should be 1024px; secondly I think the saving function I use might not be the best way. This means that, once uploaded onto the net, the website or social media app then compresses them even more, leading to soft images.

I am going to redo some recent photos and optimise them for web viewing - after all, most people use phones or iPads and these have much smaller displays than a decent computer monitor.

November already

It's the first of November and so another year that's flying by too fast. In true November fashion, the weather is continuing in the same vein as the previous few days, dull, still, grey nothing weather. Having said that, it is better than high winds and rain which is usually the alternative at this time of year.

I went for a walk locally this afternoon and took a camera with me, although the light was utterly crap and the camera was probably a waste of time. That said, it is nice to get out and go for a walk despite what the sky is doing; I don't like wasting time doing nothing on my days off.

There wasn't much around, a few common species and a Red Squirrel which I didn't get a chance to get a decent photo of.

Back home, I deleted most photos I took - mostly due to me having the wrong ISO set - but I did get a couple that turned out well enough with a little bit of editing.

The Robin was giving passers-by a round of abuse from the top of a hedge while, in the woods, the Jay was watching a family attempting to lure a squirrel closer with nuts and seeds, ready to help itself when the opportunity arose.

Canon R7 with 200-800mm zoom lens. Click for larger image.

Samhain

The end of October has brought a high pressure system which has resulted in overcast skies for the past few days - 'non-weather' I call it, flat grey sky, no rain, no wind and definitely no sun. However, I thought it was still worth going out to see what was around so I put my cameras and binoculars in the car and went to Seaview. It was just after high tide so I was hoping that some sanderlings or turnstones would be about. No. I had forgotten it was half term so people, their kids and dogs were out in force, with not a bird to be seen - apart from gulls, of course.

The beach being full of people and dogs, I crossed the road and went into the little nature reserve. The hide was unlocked and there was nobody in there - result! Bird-wise there were plenty of Coots, a few Moorhens, a couple of Mute Swans (one adult and a grown cygnet), a couple of Little Grebes, a Little Egret and a Mallard. In the reeds were Blue Tits, I am not sure what they were feeding on, probably insects.

I put the R6 Mk II on to the 500mm lens, plus the 1.4x extender, to make it 700mm rather than use the 5D Mk III as I felt that it would be better in the poor light, with the inevitable higher ISOs that would result.

Click for largest image.

R6 Mk II, 500mm f/4 L IS and 1.4x extender (iPhone photo)

In the hide (iPhone)

View from the hide looking south (iPhone)

On the way back to the car, I saw a couple of Goldfinches on teasels nearby. Firing off a few shots yielded a couple that were not bad at all, I didn't expect much as I was hand holding the big lens.

After Seaview I went to Culver to see what was there. Not a lot, as it turned out. but I did manage to get a reasonable photo of one of the many Stonechats present.

Behind a substantial-looking electric fence were the local sheep which the National Trust keep on the down to keep the grass and shrubs at bay.

Yarmouth

On the way back from Farringford, we went to Yarmouth to see what birds were about on the river. While approaching Yarmouth from Thorley Road, a female Marsh Harrier flew low across the road. Typical when I'm in the car and can't take a picture. Cracking views though.

The tide was high and still rising and a lot of birds were present on the little islands, including Teal, Widgeon, Canada Geese, Cormorants, Oystercatchers, Lapwings and gulls.

The sun was harsh and you are shooting into the light, so conditions weren't ideal; also as it was very warm, around 18C, the dreaded heat haze was present.

Canon R7 with Canon RF 200-800mm lens.

The (or 'a') Marsh Harrier appeared, across the other side of the creek opposite the old station, towards Wilmingham Lane. It was too far away for a decent shot (and, again, the heat haze was bad) so I went for 'bird in its environment' shots instead.

Robins were singing from the tops of shrubs

Walking back to the car park, a Redshank was close to the path. It was searching for morsels in the mud and took no notice of me.

Farringford

A complete change of scene, with a visit to Farringford gardens near Freshwater. There wasn't much in the way of fungi, but there was a nice blackening waxcap and a cute little gathering of shaggy inkcaps (a.k.a. lawyers' wigs). The Farringford house and grounds was owned by Alfred, Lord Tennyson for around four decades and the nearby Tennyson Down was named after him, with a monument built on top.

Canon R6 Mk II and Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L IS macro lens. Click for largest images.

Blackening Waxcap

Blackening Waxcap (the other side)

Shaggy Ink Caps (at f/2.8)

Shaggy Ink Caps (at f/11)

No idea what these are (stack of four images)

 

Back at Osborne House

More focus stacking, at Osborne House this time. Results were mixed, again, but better than previously. This is an excellent year for fungi, as we have had a wet summer and the autumn, so far has been wet and warm.

The camera will stack photos for you, if you set it to, but I have found that it isn't very good at it and you end up with some 'interesting' results, so I stack them in Photoshop.

Canon R6 Mk II with Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 IS macro lens. As usual, click for best image.

Slimy Waxcap (Gliophorus irrigatus)

 

Seaview

A visit to Seaview and Hersey NR at high tide. High tide, especially just after high tide, is a good time to photograph shore birds. There wasn't much about but there were some turnstones, a rock pipit and the usual gulls.

I took some photos from the sea wall but also from among the rocks to get down lower although my knees weren't too keen on the latter.

Click on each one for the largest size and better quality.

Rock Pipit with Canon 5D Mk III and Canon EF 500mm f/4 L IS

Turnstone with Canon R7 and Canon RF 200-800mm zoom

Turnstone with Canon R7 and Canon RF 200-800mm zoom

Turnstone with Canon 5D Mk III and Canon EF 500mm f/4 L IS

Turnstones with Canon R7 and Canon RF 200-800mm zoom

Just across from the pay and display parking area is the little nature reserve of Hersey. The hide is often open during the day although the light isn't great as it faces south so you are taking photos into the sun.

Little Grebe (Canon R7 with RF 200-800mm)

Little Egret (Canon R7 with RF 200-800mm)