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Wildlife Photography

Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 12:04 pm
by hvj1
Hello Friends,
Begining a new chapter in my life, had to wait a long time to get the correct equipment. On the advice of my friends (pros), I have gone in for the D 5000 DSLR with 18-55mm and 70-300mm AF lens. I welcome all IFGians, amateurs and professionals to contribute their wildlife photographs (however humble) and to advise on increasing our wildlife photography skills.
I am particularly indebted to 'Shooter' for motivating me to take up WLP, in order to 'SEE rather than just look'. Hence all WLPs should bear details of species and scientific names. This way we will all learn and get to know our feathered, spotted, striped etc friends better.
Best Regards to all.
D5000.jpg
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70-300mm.jpg
18-55mm.jpg

Re: Wildlife Photography

Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 2:21 pm
by srswamy
hvj1 wrote:begining a new chapter in my life, had to wait a long time to get the correct equipment
Congratulations on your new buy :cheers: and wish you lots of "moments in wilderness to cherish".
Thanks for the photos, they're good :clap:

I, for the first time got an opportunity to see the 'bharadhwaj' bird :)

Re: Wildlife Photography

Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 2:32 pm
by hvj1
Thanks srswamy.

Re: Wildlife Photography

Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 3:11 pm
by m24
Great investment, nice pics, Chief. :cheers:

Regards

Re: Wildlife Photography

Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 3:52 pm
by fantumfan2003
hvj1

Hearty Congrats.

Great to rediscover that we all have common interests.

The Nikkor 70-300AFS VR is a cracker. I assure you one thing. This has just started and you will pursue better equipment for the hobby. Although your lens has VR, the next item to purchase will be a good tripod and ball head. Manfrotto comes to mind. Followed by a Nikkor 105mm macro lens or the Tamron 90mm Macro lens. While you are at it start drooling on the Nikkor 300mm f4 prime lens. You will have it in your kit bag before you know it.

Here are some pics I clicked with a Nikon D50

http://www.flickr.com/photos/manish_r_k ... 403850255/

And some more I clicked with my Lumix FZ28

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mike_romeo_kilo

There are many more pics clicked in Africa which need to be scanned.

Lets talk more on this kind of shooting sometime.

M.

Re: Wildlife Photography

Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 5:01 pm
by hvj1
Arre Manish,
Request you to kindly post these photgraphs 'in line' and wherever possible please describe the species by its name. Boss that us the rule of the game here. The idea being to 'study'.
Your photographs are FANTASTIC! The 200mm to 300mm costs a bloody bomb! Rs 6.31 lacs! I do aim to have it, but only when my photography skills reach that point.
By the way, what is this paint net? The editing is hardly discernable and pictures are far too classy. By the way, visit the topic, kazi rung her by nagarifle, I hope to have you on board for the rhino 'shoot'.
By the way, I got simpex 333 tripod free along with two marruni filters for both lenses as well as 2 4GB cards. I have also bought a remote and placed an order for the gps device. Further, I am waiting for my man to give me some IR lenses.
Regards

Re: Wildlife Photography

Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 6:02 pm
by fantumfan2003
hvj1

I'll get started on that
hvj1 wrote:Arre Manish,
Request you to kindly post these photgraphs 'in line' and wherever possible please describe the species by its name. Boss that us the rule of the game here. The idea being to 'study'.
Thanks, have been at it for many years now...
hvj1 wrote:Your photographs are FANTASTIC!
Not quite, I think 60K is more like it for an 300mm f4 AF-S. You will need AF-S because your body does not have an inbuilt motor to drive the lenses auto focus mechanism.
hvj1 wrote:The 200mm to 300mm costs a bloody bomb! Rs 6.31 lacs! I do aim to have it, but only when my photography skills reach that point.


Paint.NET is a free image editing program like Adobe Photoshop (which is not free). You can download and try Paint.NET from here

http://www.getpaint.net/download.html
hvj1 wrote:By the way, what is this paint net? The editing is hardly discernable and pictures are far too classy.


Will do. Looking forward to it. I hope work schedule does not get in the way.
hvj1 wrote:By the way, visit the topic, kazi rung her by nagarifle, I hope to have you on board for the rhino 'shoot'.


Thats some good equipment being sought. Let me know if I can help you at all with tech details, reviews etc.
hvj1 wrote:By the way, I got simpex 333 tripod free along with two marruni filters for both lenses as well as 2 4GB cards. I have also bought a remote and placed an order for the gps device. Further, I am waiting for my man to give me some IR lenses.


Best,

M.

Re: Wildlife Photography

Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 6:57 pm
by hvj1
Hi Manish
Correction, its the 200=400mm lens which costs a bomb. Requesting you to give me a call, since I dont have your number. Sorry to remind you once again, kindly place your WONDERFUL photographs 'in line' with name of species etc. Looking forward to joining the Maharashtra Contingent to Kazirunga.
Regards

Re: Wildlife Photography

Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 8:51 pm
by fantumfan2003
hvj1

Photos as requested. PMed my number to you.

This is a White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis). Still easily found in Mumbai and Delhi if you have an ear for its call. The crows in Mumbai drive them away. Its a shy bird and is not easy to click at short range. This one is a regular behind my house and obliged by posing because he was after his meal, a lizard which it picked up seconds later. Although kingfishers are fisheaters this species has adapted itself to city surroundings and survives on with lizards etc. There is no better visual than a KF hovering over water and diving for fish and taking off again after entering the water with its catch. I have a special place and admiration for the kingfisher.

Clicked with a Nikon D50 and Sigma 400mm f5.6 APO with 1.4x TC

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All the rest are with Nikon D50, Sigma 400mm f5.6 APO

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I now use a Panasonic Lumix FZ28 which has an 18X optical zoom from 28mm to 476mm (in 35mm terms) with image stabilisation and awsome macro. Its an all in one package that I take everywhere. The following pics have been taken in BNP I had bought the FZ literally two days ago and was quite pleased with my output.

I am currently zilch at id'ing butterflies and dragonflies but I'll tag them later if I can.

Moth that had just stepped out of it cocoon. Its wings were wet and could not fly. It rode on my friends shoulder till its wings tried and took off. Amazing.

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Funnel spider's nest with owner in house

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Butterflies

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Dragonflies. The macro capability brings out the textures well.

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This one was in our society premises, it was sitting there for more than 15minutes.

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M.

Re: Wildlife Photography

Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 11:04 pm
by hvj1
Bloody mind blowing photographs and do tell me about this new camera Lumix F228? And what are macros?
Regards

Re: Wildlife Photography

Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 1:08 pm
by hvj1
Hi Fantumfan
Figured out the macros. Here is a picture for today;
DSC_0084.JPG

Re: Wildlife Photography

Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 5:18 pm
by hvj1
And another one.
DSC_0090.JPG

Re: Wildlife Photography

Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 6:03 pm
by ssc
Hi hvj1, That makes two of us now.



i bought FX Gladiator & at the same time Canon D500 with 18-55mm & 55-250 mm lens. But I still am shooting the Fx.
But photography has its own charm & I am enjoying it hope u do too.

Re: Wildlife Photography

Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 6:32 pm
by Vikram
HVJ1,

Congratulations on the excellent decision and the purchase.Wildlife photography is such a heart warming occupation.Wish you many happy moments.

FF, those are some amazing photographs and you have that special 'eye' which people like me severely lack.

Thank you gents for sharing your pics with us.

Best-
Vikram

Re: Wildlife Photography

Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 6:50 pm
by fantumfan2003
Vikram,

Thanks, I was actually living in fear wondering if I went overboard with my pictures on the forum.

M.
Vikram wrote:HVJ1,

Congratulations on the excellent decision and the purchase.Wildlife photography is such a heart warming occupation.Wish you many happy moments.

FF, those are some amazing photographs and you have that special 'eye' which people like me severely lack.

Thank you gents for sharing your pics with us.

Best-
Vikram
-- Mon Aug 09, 2010 19:10 --

hvj1

Certainly.

The FZ28 ( http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/q109sup ... /page7.asp) is a family of cameras called superzooms.

These cameras are an all in one combination containing a lens with a very useful and big optical zoom range typically 28mm to 400mm in 35mm terms. They also have the ability to take macro pictures and come with Image Stabilisation/Vibration Reduction a technology that reduces camera shake (and hence reduce chances of a blurry image) especially at high magnifications.

The downside to a superzoom is that its image capturing sensor is very small, 6.13 x 4.60 mm (The sensor size of a D5000 is 23.6x15.8mm) and noisy (thats why not preferred by Pros) but this also has an advantage that the lens size is small, hence less expensive and hence can accomodate a much larger zoom range.

The biggest factor for me with super zooms is easy of carrying. Imagine the incovinience and hassle of a carrying a DSLR body (750gms), 18-55mm lens (200gms), 105mm Macro lens (1000gms), 300/400mm lens (2000gms atleast), Tripod legs (3000gms), Ball head (1000gms), Flash (500gms) and other accessories in the kit bag. I have owned all this and have carted it around over half the world and let me tell you its not easy. In contrast the FZ28 weighs only 417gms and gives me all the above and the price I have to pay is slightly poor picture quality which is not easily noticed by the naked human eye.

The FZ28 was replaced by the FZ38 and this one is being replaced by the FZ100. There is the urge to upgrade so whether it will be the FZ100 or the Fuji HS10 ? Yikes....Life is complicated these days.... :mrgreen:

Phew....I guess I will stop here for now. I am afraid it does get very technical.

M.


hvj1 wrote:Bloody mind blowing photographs and do tell me about this new camera Lumix F228? And what are macros?
Regards