They say that bad news comes in threes. Maybe sometimes the good stuff happens in triplets too.
Lately I’ve been quite discouraged by the indeterminate amount of time I’ll be without my 500mm lens while it’s in the shop for repair. Being limited to 400mm with my 100-400mm zoom lens has been very frustrating. But in an email conversation a couple of days ago my friend Brian Gatlin of Arizona reminded me of something that had completely slipped my mind.
In the past no cropped sensor Canon camera would autofocus with a lens slower than f/4 with a teleconverter (tc) attached which meant that I’ve never been able to use my 100-400mm with a tc. But Brian reminded me of something that I knew and had forgotten – one of the advancements of the new Canon 7D Mark II is the ability to do just that.
So yesterday morning, overcast though it was, I headed to Farmington to see if the Bald Eagles were accessible and to try out my “new” gear combo. The trip was an eagle bust (the eagles are there but they’re still way too far out for photography) but I was pleased with the performance of the tc on that lens.
1/800, f/8, ISO 1600, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon 100-400 @ 400mm + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
And I was even able to try it out on one of my primary nemesis species, the Belted Kingfisher. Until yesterday I’ve never been able to get this close to a kingfisher but this bird was fishing from a bridge and was willing to put up with light vehicle traffic rather than give up its fishing spot. The first time I drove by the bird was spooked by a truck but this time it stood its ground until it caught a small fish and flew off with it.
I knew that the tradeoffs with using a tc on the 100-400 include somewhat diminished image quality and slower autofocus so my expectations were low but I was fairly pleased with the results. At least this combo will give me a reasonable option for bird photography until I get my 500 back.
I was disappointed to have left Farmington for home (a half hour drive) without even a single chance at a Bald Eagle but guess what was waiting for me as I pulled into my driveway?
1/2000, f/8, ISO 2500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon 100-400 @ 300mm + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Yep, an adult Bald Eagle in the middle of suburban Salt Lake Valley and near the top of my own tree directly above me. It’s a huge elm tree with an almost infinite number of obstructing branches so this is the clearest view I could get but this welcoming committee of one Bald Eagle certainly cheered up my morning.
1/400, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon 17-85 @ 33mm, not baited, set up or called in
My home sits at the top of a large hill that overlooks a suburban fishing pond about a quarter mile away so I suspect the eagle (near the top in the tree) is in the area for the fishing and escapes the neighborhood hubbub in this tree because it’s the largest tree in the area and its high vantage point appeals to the bird. I’ve occasionally had eagles in my tree in the past but it’s a rare occurrence and finding this bird yesterday morning made my day (especially after looking for eagles all morning).
So, yesterday was a triplet of good fortune for me – a new gear combination that gives me some hope for fairly decent shots until I get my 500 back, a close encounter with a Belted Kingfisher and a Bald Eagle in my own yard.
All three serendipitous events were very much appreciated. And needed.
Ron
That Kingfisher shot is terrific – what a treat to get this close! And, to see an Eagle in your own backyard…..how much better can it get?!
That is a beautiful shot of the Bald Eagle. Twigs and all. I would give anything to see a Eagle in our Elm Tree. Lucky day for you!
Serendipity is one of my most favourite words and concepts. I am so glad that she has chosen to roost with you for a while…
Jealous thought about the take-home eagle though. Very, very jealous thoughts.
Thinking back on it I use the word “serendipity” fairly often on my blog posts, EC. Reminds me that not all of my luck is bad…
How nice that you had such a serendipitous morning! I can remember a prior occasion when you posted pictures of a bald eagle in that tree, and as I recall that one made me smile, too. It would be hard to find something more exciting than a bald eagle in my yard (but since we don’t have them here, I’ll settle for the Kestrel or any other raptor we get). It’s also exciting that you were able to get so close to the Kingfisher. Definitely a good photography day.
Susan, I’m actually curious if this was the same bird as the one you mention from a couple of years ago. Both birds perched in the same spot. That one had a band but I couldn’t see if this one did or not.
I actually chuckled when I scrolled down to your “but guess what was waiting for me as I pulled into my driveway?” … YAY!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks, Lois.
Ron, are you familiar with Canon Professional Services? For $100 per year a Gold status give you 3 day turnaround time for repairs. I have used a number of times and I am very impressed with their level of service. Also you get 20% discount on repairs.
Rich
Richard, Yes, I’m familiar with CPS and at this point wish I had it. I don’t.
In all these years I’ve never had to send a camera or lens in for repair so I took the “insurance gamble” and didn’t purchase it. I probably will now…
He was ready for his close-up. How fun!
Yes, it was fun, Stephanie.
I can imagine how lucky you felt when you looked up and met the gaze of the Bald Eagle. See, I looked for you all over the land, and here you are waiting for me. I am sure a little thank you came out of your heart.
Glad to know that you will be able to venture out with your present gears and bring some great memories and photos.
Love the kingfisher too. Is it a female one?
Rima, I’m no kingfisher expert but this appears to me to be a male.
Ron, you are correct. The females have a big rufous stripe down their sides. This is one species where the female is more colorful than the male.
Thank you Ron and Susan!
Wow, what a fantastic treat for you, Ron! There are “baldies” just north of us, but I’ve never seen one in our residential area. I’d be doing my “happy dance” all day if I did.
Yep, “happy dance” is exactly what I did, Mary.
Congratulations on the arrival of triplets – of good fortune, anyway. May quintuplets (of photographic felicity) be on the way next!
I hope so, Alison. I’m hoping to give it another try this morning.
Must admit though, the words “congratulations on the arrival of triplets” brought a double-take from me…
You know Ron, this post does my heart and pocketbook good!! My big lens is a 100-400 with a tc! Matter of fact I have several tc’s on three lenses. Your shots prove to me that my small lens, even though I don’t have a 7D only a 5Mk3, then I should get some half way decent shots!
Many, many thanks for this post!!
You’re very welcome, Dick. I was actually embarrassed to admit on this post that I’d forgotten about the possibility of using the tc with that camera/lens combo. I’m such a creature of habit that after all these years of using 4 different cropped sensor cameras where I couldn’t use the tc the possibility just didn’t occur to me until Brian reminded me.
Have you considered replacing your older version of the 100-400 with the new one that just came out? I have to admit that the possibility intrigues me but if I were to go that route it would have to wait until I get the issue with the 500 cleared up.
Hmmm, hadn’t thought of that, because I didn’t know they came out with a new version. Thanks for telling me about it.
I will definitely look into it! But, until we sell our house the budget will be tight.
Congratulations!I’m so pleased to hear this. I’d flip if I came home to find a Bald Eagle in one of the trees on my property.
I did flip, Sharon – at least inside.
Awesome!
Thanks, Cindy.