Open Bill Stork in Flight

[Udai Bisht]

Took this shot during my trip to Ranganathittu last month.

450D
100-400mm L IS USM
f/5.6
1/1250
ISO 500
Shutter Priority

This was my first time with this lens and I faced a peculiar challenge. I would spot a bird in the air but when I used to put the camera to eye and zoom to 400mm, I would take at least 15-20 secs just to move the camera around to spot the bird again. It took some practice to get it right I must say.

[Rajan Kanagasabai]

Hi Udai

I know what you mean. Went through this myself when i got this lens almost a year and a half ago. The Push Pull suction zoom is not easy to master either and that is one of he reasons i moved to a Sigma 500.

Rajan

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Udai,
It becomes more difficult to track your subject, leave apart a moving one, as your focal length increases.

In flight photography, focus acquisition is a tricky task. It is better to prefocus at a point where you anticipate the bird. When the bird nears that area, just press your shutter button and the bird comes into sharp focus. You can then take your picture.

[Udai Bisht]

Hi Udai

I know what you mean. Went through this myself when i got this lens almost a year and a half ago. The Push Pull suction zoom is not easy to master either and that is one of he reasons i moved to a Sigma 500.

Rajan

Rajan, I've noticed that sometimes you don't get much time with the subject and you need to be fast to capture the moment. I haven't used a 100-500mm lens but was just wondering won't it take more time to zoom from 100 to 500mm using a zoom ring rather than push pull mechanism? You could end up missing some good opportunities. Just a thought, correct me if I'm wrong.

[Udai Bisht]

Udai,
It becomes more difficult to track your subject, leave apart a moving one, as your focal length increases.

In flight photography, focus acquisition is a tricky task. It is better to prefocus at a point where you anticipate the bird. When the bird nears that area, just press your shutter button and the bird comes into sharp focus. You can then take your picture.

Thanks Sabyasachi. I will try this out.