Dave Sherry
Well-known member
Hello All,
After a great day at Leighton Moss, I went to a nearby hide (Allen Hide) and saw the Avocets with their young and plenty of other interesting birds. I thought I'd try out my scope and camera/attachment and I felt like I was fumbling my way through after reading plenty of advice to others etc. It is harder than it looks! Worst of all these two avocets mated about ten seconds after this and I was fiddling with the controls and missed it!
Anyway, the day was very overcast, after three hours of torrential rain this dry spell appeared. The hide had quite a few people in it and the wind was whistling through the windows, so vibration was a problem, as was focussing the camera. The camera was attached to an Optolyth 80 with an Eagle Adapter and I used the 3 second delay as I don't have a cable release attachment. The photo took at 1/414th - f5.2 at 17.5mm and I have cropped out some excess water - but not on the left. I have also removed one obvious speck of white noise that showed up on the head and very slightly increased the contrast. Apart from compressing thats all. I suppose the birds were about 30-40yds away but it was difficult to estimate.
Please would you help me on a few issues?
1. Please give a true critique - I realise practice makes perfect, and being pointed in the right direction is useful.
2. I took loads of photos and all the rest turned out blurred.
3. Any advice about settings would be gratefully received. Auto/manual, if so what? etc.
Thanks All,
Dave
After a great day at Leighton Moss, I went to a nearby hide (Allen Hide) and saw the Avocets with their young and plenty of other interesting birds. I thought I'd try out my scope and camera/attachment and I felt like I was fumbling my way through after reading plenty of advice to others etc. It is harder than it looks! Worst of all these two avocets mated about ten seconds after this and I was fiddling with the controls and missed it!
Anyway, the day was very overcast, after three hours of torrential rain this dry spell appeared. The hide had quite a few people in it and the wind was whistling through the windows, so vibration was a problem, as was focussing the camera. The camera was attached to an Optolyth 80 with an Eagle Adapter and I used the 3 second delay as I don't have a cable release attachment. The photo took at 1/414th - f5.2 at 17.5mm and I have cropped out some excess water - but not on the left. I have also removed one obvious speck of white noise that showed up on the head and very slightly increased the contrast. Apart from compressing thats all. I suppose the birds were about 30-40yds away but it was difficult to estimate.
Please would you help me on a few issues?
1. Please give a true critique - I realise practice makes perfect, and being pointed in the right direction is useful.
2. I took loads of photos and all the rest turned out blurred.
3. Any advice about settings would be gratefully received. Auto/manual, if so what? etc.
Thanks All,
Dave
