Thinking the Tamron 70-300 would really bring out the Sunbird?

[JBW]

[george013]

If this one was taken with a wide angle you might succeed. No exif.

George

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Brian,

If that was taken with your kit lens at 55mm, 300mm will help, but based on gut instinct, I'm not sure it would bring the subject close enough for a good quality shot.

To give you an idea, have a look at the grid of 9 shots of the red building (in a green landscape) on this web page (you need to scroll down the page a little to see it properly), it allows easy comparison of a shot at different focal lengths, with examples at 18, 24, 35, 55, 85, 105, 135, 200 and 300mm. At least it shows the ratio of change with focal length, even though you have a 1.5x crop sensor on your A58 (and therefore the absolute focal length figures for viewing that scene would differ).

I think your sunbird is smaller, as a percentage of image width, than the red building is in the 55mm example, but then at 300mm, the building does seem to be approaching half frame width, possibly allowing you to crop the rest. However, I wonder if you might have issues with camera shake, so you'd likely need your 'one legged tripod' trick for adding stability.

HTH, Dave

[JBW]

Hi Brian,

If that was taken with your kit lens at 55mm, 300mm will help, but based on gut instinct, I'm not sure it would bring the subject close enough for a good quality shot.

To give you an idea, have a look at the grid of 9 shots of the red building (in a green landscape) on this web page (you need to scroll down the page a little to see it properly), it allows easy comparison of a shot at different focal lengths, with examples at 18, 24, 35, 55, 85, 105, 135, 200 and 300mm. At least it shows the ratio of change with focal length, even though you have a 1.5x crop sensor on your A58 (and therefore the absolute focal length figures for viewing that scene would differ).

I think your sunbird is smaller, as a percentage of image width, than the red building is in the 55mm example, but then at 300mm, the building does seem to be approaching half frame width, possibly allowing you to crop the rest. However, I wonder if you might have issues with camera shake, so you'd likely need your 'one legged tripod' trick for adding stability.

HTH, Dave

At 55mm the tree just to the left of the building is close to bird width. It would seem 300 might not work unless i was a lot closer.

[JBW]

If this one was taken with a wide angle you might succeed. No exif.

George

taken with the kit 18-55 at 55.

[Dave Humphries]

At 55mm the tree just to the left of the building is close to bird width. It would seem 300 might not work unless i was a lot closer.

Yes, that was my feeling.

Is it possible for you to get closer? (perhaps in a hide/blind)
Or conversely, can they be enticed closer to you by some treat hoisted aloft?

[george013]

taken with the kit 18-55 at 55.

Something to play with. The picture is from http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/20...me-your-image/



Draw a vertical line and extend the lines of the wanted angle of vieuw. There where they cross is wat's sharp on the sensor.

George

[JBW]

Yes, that was my feeling.

Is it possible for you to get closer? (perhaps in a hide/blind)
Or conversely, can they be enticed closer to you by some treat hoisted aloft?

Actually they often are within 5 meters of where I can comfortably sit. (we planted flowers that they feed on)

[Tringa]

From another photographic forum the opinion seems to be that 300mm is about the minimum size of lens for wildlife photography.

There is a calculator on this size that could help - https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tu...era-lenses.htm

Dave

[JBW]

From another photographic forum the opinion seems to be that 300mm is about the minimum size of lens for wildlife photography.

There is a calculator on this size that could help - https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tu...era-lenses.htm

Dave

If I am understanding the calculator properly for a good shot of a 6 inch bird at 2 meters close to 300mm works nicely but at 3 meters it moves u to nearly 500mm. Seems to me learning how to sneak up on the birds is a reasonable idea?

[Stagecoach]

If I am understanding the calculator properly for a good shot of a 6 inch bird at 2 meters close to 300mm works nicely but at 3 meters it moves u to nearly 500mm. Seems to me learning how to sneak up on the birds is a reasonable idea?

Hi Brian,

You also need to take into consideration how much you can safely crop in post, which will be to your advantage.

From the results you have posted over time and the IQ of some of the images I suspect you can afford to crop around 50% of the frame away with your camera. That is roughly the amount I feel is safe to crop with my old 12 mpx D300, IF I have taken a well exposed sharp image.

So if you can get reasonably close as you suggest and have a variety of types of bird you can have some fun

[rtbaum]

Brian- I will tell what has worked for me. I have a small woodlot on the south side of my property, about 160 Acres. I have set a cushiony wicker chair and table for setting my tablet, a beverage, whatever...... at the edge of the woodline. I will get comfortable, read a while, and soon the birds will become comfortable with me and begin to go about business. Now is the time to begin shooting, don't make sudden, jerky moves, burst shooting gives me the best results. The tablet comes in handy as I have an app that plays bird songs, This seems to have worked the few times that I have tried it.

Just for the record, I use a 300 mm prime: about 50% of the time manually focusing.

You could also consider constructing a blind that is complimentary to your landscape, might be interesting what you would come up with.

[JBW]

Hi Brian,

You also need to take into consideration how much you can safely crop in post, which will be to your advantage.

From the results you have posted over time and the IQ of some of the images I suspect you can afford to crop around 50% of the frame away with your camera. That is roughly the amount I feel is safe to crop with my old 12 mpx D300, IF I have taken a well exposed sharp image.

So if you can get reasonably close as you suggest and have a variety of types of bird you can have some fun

Between the birds and the bats we have half a dozen smallish species that we can get within three yards of. Owls, hawks, swallows not so close. I am more than a little curious about how the Tamron 90 will perform on birds.

[JBW]

Brian- I will tell what has worked for me. I have a small woodlot on the south side of my property, about 160 Acres. I have set a cushiony wicker chair and table for setting my tablet, a beverage, whatever...... at the edge of the woodline. I will get comfortable, read a while, and soon the birds will become comfortable with me and begin to go about business. Now is the time to begin shooting, don't make sudden, jerky moves, burst shooting gives me the best results. The tablet comes in handy as I have an app that plays bird songs, This seems to have worked the few times that I have tried it.

Just for the record, I use a 300 mm prime: about 50% of the time manually focusing.

You could also consider constructing a blind that is complimentary to your landscape, might be interesting what you would come up with.

When we first moved here we built in bamboo. While not technically a blind it does open onto our garden and we planted to attract birds & butterflies. We have found as you have that the birds soon accept our presence.