Hummingbird images for C&C please...

[JohnRostron]

Missed this one, cool shots Izzie.

I love the last one where the bird is flying away, but definitely a bit noisy!

So did I. I was intrigued in your original set as to why the males (#4 and #5) seemed better than the females (I take it that the ones with the ruby throats are males).

A great set, especially #4, #5 and #7. I leave the others to comment on the technical stuff.

John

[IzzieK]

Izzie, congratulations on a really good shot!

Thanks, Bruce...truly appreciate your added comment. Very kind of you...melts my heart.

[bnnrcn]

Your last shot looks much much better Isabel

[IzzieK]

Well there's certainly improvement there Izzie and good to hear you got lots of consistent results.

Thank you. I owe you lots of thanks.

What we can clearly see here is that you have nailed focus and hence sharpness on it's beak, the majority of its head and throat as well which is ideal considering the limited DoF that's available at f/7.1.

So the question that arises now is how can you improve on this, if that's what you want to do?

Now that I had nailed my mistake and able to correct it, the next one will be an HIF then composition, just like how you guided me with my early flower shots a few months ago that one last time, I went out there and thought of composition instead of thinking of the flower itself...

It would be easy if there was more light and you had the simple options of stopping down for more DoF or lowering ISO for less noise but lets assume there's not.

I'd have to move my feeder to a more suitable place near the pines...'been thinking of that yesterday but Bill wa busy doing something else to ask him until I forgot to ask him before he left for the airport...

If you wanted to increase DoF without upping the ISO whilst maintaining the same speed you could consider using your D300 with its smaller sensor for these subjects. This image was taken at a subject distance of 2.11 mtr (yesterdays were at 4.47 mtr) but by using the D300 you could achieve the same framing shooting from a farther distance and the result would have a greater DoF.

Data, for the shot framed the same with both cameras;

Full Frame D800 : lens at 380mm FL, shooting distance 2.11 mtr gives a DoF of 1.08 cm
Crop Frame D300 : lens at 380mm FL, shooting distance 3.38 mtr gives a DoF of 1.89 cm

I'm not saying that this is the way you should go but it's an example of advantages that can be gained when you are in a position like this of pushing things towards the boundaries

Grahame

I had not thought of that...thank you. I should had listened to you first when you told me that the 150-500mm is just too heavy for my hands since I had not bought it yet but ordered it from "the boss." I can only shoot handheld for a short period of time with this one...usually holding it on the body of the lens instead. I will try to load this lens on the D300s and see how I go...the birds come and go during the day but I got things to do around here but I can sit around during my break. I did not take my camera inside the house at all yesterday all day hoping I can find time to take pictures...I just enjoyed watching them...time to get serious tomorrow...

Thank you so much for your help...appreciate it very much.

[IzzieK]

Missed this one, cool shots Izzie.

I love the last one where the bird is flying away, but definitely a bit noisy!

Thanks Matt -- will try to do better tomorrow...keeping my fingers crossed.

[IzzieK]

So did I. I was intrigued in your original set as to why the males (#4 and #5) seemed better than the females (I take it that the ones with the ruby throats are males).

I was guessing so too. We have 4 of them...my neighbour across the road said they are her hummers...as she had been putting her feeder for years now whereas I only have for about three years?? I don't know...

I think the one with the green back is the female and I have yet to catch the two babies...youngies..

A great set, especially #4, #5 and #7. I leave the others to comment on the technical stuff.

John

Thank you John...this is the first time I got the inclination to take a shoot of these birds and I am enjoying just watching them...some of my clear shots was when I put on the remote and went inside the deck door and just clicked my fingers away...missed quite a few...

Thanks for your kind comments...I will strive to do better tomorrow...