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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Tamron SP 150-600mm F5-6.3 DI IF VC USD (2 Viewers)

Isaac, great pics here with the Tamron and others on your flickr page. Are they all shot in RAW and then converted to jpeg?
 
The pictures taken by Isaac shows how the Tamron is supposed to deliver. I'm pretty impressed how sharp and well focused they all are. I must say they all are taken in good light and thats mean a lot for the quality. So Isaac, you know when to take the pictures and when not to do it. I have a Sigma 150-500 and was considering to exchange it with the Tamrom, but I will hold it a bit more because I belive it's also have something to do with the person behind the camera. I have seen a lot of bad pictures taken with the Tamron, both in test and at Flickr, but maybe they are taken in bad light or by a not so experienced person. It's the same with the Sigma 150-500, I have seen a lot of bad pictures, but also a lot of pictures which almost compare to the Tamron. But keep on giving us inspiration how it's done, Isaac.;)
 
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A lot of people used to say rubbish to me when I had the sigma 150-500mm until they saw the photo's it can produce.Perhaps people expect too much out of these lenses,they are after all a budget option to more expensive glass.

Steve.
 
tommybj said:
The pictures taken by Isaac shows how the Tamron is supposed to deliver. I'm pretty impressed how sharp and well focused they all are. I must say they all are taken in good light and thats mean a lot for the quality. So Isaac, you know when to take the pictures and when not to do it. I have a Sigma 150-500 and was considering to exchange it with the Tamrom, but I will hold it a bit more because I belive it's also have something to do with the person behind the camera. I have seen a lot of bad pictures taken with the Tamron, both in test and at Flickr, but maybe they are taken in bad light or by a not so experienced person. It's the same with the Sigma 150-500, I have seen a lot of bad pictures, but also a lot of pictures which almost compare to the Tamron. But keep on giving us inspiration how it's done, Isaac.;)
Click to expand...

I have found that there are many components to taking sharp pics. I will list them in order of what I think are the most important to me.

Light. The most important for this and any other lens that I have. I do not own a full frame camera and rarely push the ISO over 800. I find that when I did with my 20d, 70d and now the 7d2 that the pics suffer. I am not saying that others can not get real quality shots with high ISO, but I certainly struggle with that. Most times when the light is bad and I am birding I do not even take the camera. Or I only bring it to document a rarity and not for the purposes of getting pics.

A close subject. In every circumstance, the best pics I have gotten are pics where the subjects are close and there is no need for a heavy crop.

Good field craft. Staying still and/or approaching wildlife cautiously to allow for close camera work.

Holding camera steady and proper settings.

Post production. Only so much that I can do in post. If I messed up in the field, then I just delete the pic.

Then there are things that I am still learning and working on. Composition, artistic shots, etc. that separate a sharp, in focus, well lit shot from a true beauty.

I do not own nor have I ever tried the Sigma 150-500. From all accounts I have read the Tamron is sharper. That seems to be a consistent theme even from people that went from the Sigma to the Tamron. If you find yourself wishing for extra reach, it is a very good option.
 
I've gotten through all my pics as a first go around. Will go back at some point and see what I missed. There are well over 1,000 of them so poses that were similar were just skipped over.

Here are more shots of different birds and some animals as well. In all cases the lens performs very well. In Florida the birds were very often in close so being able to zoom in and out and frame the shot the way I wanted was very important. I will post shots throughout the zoom range so the sharpness and performance can be judged. Also keep in mind that this was a family vacation and I was with the wife and 2 kids. As a result I had only a short time each day to get out and do some birding and shooting. Did not really have time to wait things out and try for the perfect situation. This was more of a see the bird, get in position and take some pics kind of trip.

A Royal Tern as the sun was setting at 600mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16035579704/in/photostream/

A Laughing Gull on the same beach wrestling with a crab at 450mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16450410487/in/photostream/

A Boat-tailed Grackle at 483mm. I was very close to this bird. Focus was on the face. Did not have a high enough f stop so the bill is out of focus, as well as the throat, but the wing and shoulder are in perfect focus. I think there is great detail in the wings as they are on the same plane as the face.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16469914358/

A Snowy Egret at 250mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16449860347/

An American Oystercatcher at 552mm. Wish I got lower but it was record cold that day with high winds and I did not have a change of clothes. Would have had to get very wet.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16630549286/in/photostream/

A Roseate Spoonbill at 329mm. Zoom in on the face to see the texture.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16462399098/in/photostream/lightbox/

An American Bittern battling a water snake at 500mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16462262620/in/photostream/

A Wood Stork at 300mm. Check out the texture of the face.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16029371213/in/photostream/lightbox/

An American Alligator at 428mm. Focus on the eyes

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16027106604/in/photostream/lightbox/

An Armadillo at 256mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16469577838/in/photostream/lightbox/
 
Stunning photos Isaac!

You clearly have great technique as well as a nice sharp copy of the Tammy!

Wish the light was as good in the UK & the birds a bit more approachable. But your shots show what the Tammy is capable of.

Keep the shots and comments coming!

cheers,
Nick
 
Nick Leech said:
Stunning photos Isaac!

You clearly have great technique as well as a nice sharp copy of the Tammy!

Wish the light was as good in the UK & the birds a bit more approachable. But your shots show what the Tammy is capable of.

Keep the shots and comments coming!

cheers,
Nick
Click to expand...

Thanks Nick. Florida is kind of ridiculous for getting wildlife shots. Plenty of sun and many birds that allow fairly close approach. I guess too much sun is a problem as well as it gets very harsh there. I was not able to spend the early morning and late afternoon hours as I pleased so did the best I could given the time restraints and family obligations I had.
 
I too wish we had the same light in Denmark. I normally use the same approach as you, but here it's not always easy to get close to the birds. I also try to keep the ISO low, but this time of year I have to push it to 1600. I haven't lost my wish for the Tamron because I want the longer reach and better IQ, but for now I will try to get better with the Sigma. But if you still post this brilliant pictures I can't convince my self not to buy it.
 
Here are some flight shots that I got. Still going through pics. All birds are large so they are not for you small BIF people.


Red-shouldered Hawk

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16467412630/

Roseate Spoonbill. The second one is not perfectly sharp. Focus was again on front wing. Bird was close and moving very fast and again I was on a small boat in high wind.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16023621644/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16476985838/

Northern Gannet. Used zone focus while out on a small boat. Was very hard to keep steady. The focus points were on the front wing so the rest of the bird is a bit soft, but I liked the lighting in this shot

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16647485451/

Glossy Ibis. Focus was on the front bird

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16623615596/
 
Are you down in the keys Isaac or Orlando area ? We were in cape may last year and fancied somewhere different but not sure if we would have to go right down to the keys area .
 
capdegat said:
Are you down in the keys Isaac or Orlando area ? We were in cape may last year and fancied somewhere different but not sure if we would have to go right down to the keys area .
Click to expand...

I spent a few days around Tampa. Went to Ft. Desoto, and a few local parks and walked around the grounds of where my friend lived.

Then spent a few days around Orlando visiting another friend. Stopped at Circle B Park going from Tampa to Orlando and hit the Apopka Restoration area.

Then did a few days on the east coast in Sebastion, Merrit Island and Viera Wetlands.

What are you trying to see/photograph? What time of year. The keys are good for certain things, and closer to seabird nesting colonies on the Torutugas, not as good for other things. Florida is really spectacular for the amount of birds there, the huge expanses of green and the many areas where the birds have become reasonably comfortable with people.
 
Thanks Isaac , Like a lot of Brits we could really fancy some winter sun . The problem is we were spoiled at Cape May where you hardly have to drive anywhere to enjoy the birds . Florida looks too b___ big without driving !
 
capdegat said:
Thanks Isaac , Like a lot of Brits we could really fancy some winter sun . The problem is we were spoiled at Cape May where you hardly have to drive anywhere to enjoy the birds . Florida looks too b___ big without driving !
Click to expand...

You certainly do not need to drive around too much. I just did to visit family and friends. Pick any spot that has a good place nearby and you will be fine. There are so many areas with board walks and beaches and loaded with birds. If you let me know where you have in mind I would be more than happy to tell you some great spots for birds and pics.
 
Some more shots from sunny Florida that show the kind of flexibility you get with the Tamron.

A Yellow-throated Warbler at 483mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16689230675/

A King Rail at an unbelieveable 165mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16492736877/in/photostream/

A Royal Tern at 552mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16067212764/in/photostream/

A Florida Scrub Jay at 500mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16662764091/

A Ruddy Turnstone at 329mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16491751218/in/photostream/

A flying Brown Pelican at 250mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16684947405/

A Wilson's Plover at 600mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16689374605/in/photostream/
 
Caught this Bluey on my feeder today with the Tammy 600

ISO 200 / 460mm / 1/160th / f7.1 / + fill flash
 

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Had a fantastic day out on Saturday with a friend of mine shooting sea ducks and Red Fox. Skies were clear and despite the bitter cold things were great.

Here are a few of the highlights. As usual all shots handheld and processed only in DPP3. Picking shots at different focal lengths to show versatility of lens.

A few of the Red Fox (being that this is birdforum not sure this is kosher):

@ 226mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16759191171/

@ 375mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16734373446/in/photostream/

Common Loon @ 600mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16572277970/in/photostream/

@600mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16572069148/in/photostream/

Harlequin Ducks. By the time I found them the sun was a bit too high in the sky. Some of the whites are over exposed. Obviously my fault and not a reflection on the lens.

@ 500mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16758818555/

@600mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16550790287/

@600mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16758597105/in/photostream/

@ 450mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16136710414/in/photostream/

@350mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16551862107/in/photostream/

Savannah "Ipswich" Sparrow @600mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16756802012/
 
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Had another day out with my Tammy lens the weather conditions were far from ideal dull and raining but I was still very happy with how the lens performed in such conditions.

Tim.
 

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