ibarker
Ian Barker
I'm an retired veterinary pathologist who was involved in teaching, research and diagnostic work on wildlife diseases in Canada and Australia for about 40 years.
As well as technical photography at work, I did a fair amount of casual travel and nature photography with the Minolta SRT 101 and MC Rokkor-PF f1:1.7 55mm and Tokina 60-300mm f4-5.6 lenses that I bought in 1967 (I still have them), until free time and Kodachrome became scarce. I eventually graduated to a succession of Canon G series digital cameras, beginning with the G3, and made the leap to and through Canon Rebel DSLR bodies and lenses in 2009, as retirement loomed, my graduate student count declined, sensor resolution increased, and my concerns about dirt on them waned.
My basic equipment for birds and most other animals now is a Canon 7D body, used mainly with a Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM telephoto, often mounted on a BushHawk gunstock mount, usually with a Canon 580EXII flash and Better-Beamer in play. If I'm hand-holding, I use a Cotton Carrier system for the 7D, often carrying my second camera as well.
It is a Canon 60D body, which I use with a Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM lens mounted for landscape and more general shots, or with a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens, taking advantage of the vari-angle LCD and Live View. The 60D also serves as for back-up in case the 7D fails (I had the dreaded 7D 'Error Code 30' for 24 hours on a recent trip to Malaysia. It may have been due to use of the camera in a coastal location with lots of fine salt spray one day, and in a hot humid inland environment the next; ?shorting. Fortunately it resolved on its own). My back-up telephoto is a Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM Lens, which also is part of my basic one-body 'light' travel kit with the 60D and the 17-55mm lens. At one time I used a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens. Tho its optics were great, I found it too short for most birds and too big to carry around as a back-up or for travel.
I'm using a Canon T1i with the 70-200 zoom and flash on the Bushhawk, looking for marmosets on a chilly morning in the Mata Atlântica of Brazil in the attached shot.
I shoot mainly .jpgs and process using DXO Optics Pro 7.5 and PaintShop Photo Pro X3.
I'm not a twitcher, have no life list, and have interests in natural history broader than birds. I appreciate the outdoors, the fun of the find, the technical challenge, and the satisfaction of occasionally capturing a decent shot.
I appreciate the ornithologic and photographic resources and wisdom in BirdForum, and the opportunity to participate.
Have fun. I'm trying to.
Ian
As well as technical photography at work, I did a fair amount of casual travel and nature photography with the Minolta SRT 101 and MC Rokkor-PF f1:1.7 55mm and Tokina 60-300mm f4-5.6 lenses that I bought in 1967 (I still have them), until free time and Kodachrome became scarce. I eventually graduated to a succession of Canon G series digital cameras, beginning with the G3, and made the leap to and through Canon Rebel DSLR bodies and lenses in 2009, as retirement loomed, my graduate student count declined, sensor resolution increased, and my concerns about dirt on them waned.
My basic equipment for birds and most other animals now is a Canon 7D body, used mainly with a Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM telephoto, often mounted on a BushHawk gunstock mount, usually with a Canon 580EXII flash and Better-Beamer in play. If I'm hand-holding, I use a Cotton Carrier system for the 7D, often carrying my second camera as well.
It is a Canon 60D body, which I use with a Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM lens mounted for landscape and more general shots, or with a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens, taking advantage of the vari-angle LCD and Live View. The 60D also serves as for back-up in case the 7D fails (I had the dreaded 7D 'Error Code 30' for 24 hours on a recent trip to Malaysia. It may have been due to use of the camera in a coastal location with lots of fine salt spray one day, and in a hot humid inland environment the next; ?shorting. Fortunately it resolved on its own). My back-up telephoto is a Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM Lens, which also is part of my basic one-body 'light' travel kit with the 60D and the 17-55mm lens. At one time I used a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens. Tho its optics were great, I found it too short for most birds and too big to carry around as a back-up or for travel.
I'm using a Canon T1i with the 70-200 zoom and flash on the Bushhawk, looking for marmosets on a chilly morning in the Mata Atlântica of Brazil in the attached shot.
I shoot mainly .jpgs and process using DXO Optics Pro 7.5 and PaintShop Photo Pro X3.
I'm not a twitcher, have no life list, and have interests in natural history broader than birds. I appreciate the outdoors, the fun of the find, the technical challenge, and the satisfaction of occasionally capturing a decent shot.
I appreciate the ornithologic and photographic resources and wisdom in BirdForum, and the opportunity to participate.
Have fun. I'm trying to.
Ian
