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That image looks pretty over processed to me, and doesn't look like it started as particularly sharp. Shooting from your inside warm temp outside is a guarantee to soften an image.
Thank you. I guess all the positive comments I have received from my eagle groups are from people that don’t know photography. A little LR editing. Will have to go back and look at the original RAW. Did not know that about shooting from inside. in my 80’s so afraid of slipping outside these days. Will hope spring brings some better images.
It looks pretty crunchy to me, and lots of color fringing around the trees. I'm not sure if you cropped in super heavily originally, or if you just exported it that small, but the small image size means there's just not that much detail to work with on it.
30 to 40 ft is not close enough. For a bird such as this Fox Sparrow I'd be much closer to the lens' minimum focus distance, most often in a blind at a spot the bird finds attractive such as a bathing spot or feeding spot. Think of cropping as a necessary evil, the more you crop the greater the evil.
Lance, You have succeeded in getting a killer shot of the elusive green heron! My nemesis……well doneHold your breath, be very still, gently press the shutter and then practice, practice, practice. You will end up seeing what works and what doesn't as you can see it in your review shots on the rear screen at 100%. You will probably need to check shots on your computer for critical sharpness results and this is why I always rattle off a number of shots with high fps. I have managed to get sharp shots handheld with the 800 pf at 1/40sec completely unsupported. It helps to have a very stationary subject as well!
Z9 + 800 pf, 1/40s f/6.3 at 800.0mm iso720
Here is the crop I wanted:
With VR/IBIS I usually will go for a shutter speed of about 2-3 stops under 1/focal length but may venture lower if I know I nailed a few at that speed. I only do this if I want to keep ISO low or where I am sure the subject will be still for a second or so. If I am shooting a moving bird, then I go above 1/focal length. If I am shooting BIF than it may be 1/3200 or more.
After a while, you can get the feel for what you can get away with on a particular lens and what the subject is doing. These are probably cropped a little as well. All free standing no support.
Z9 + 800 pf, 1/320s f/6.3 at 800.0mm iso800
Z8 + 800 pf, 1/160s f/6.3 at 800.0mm iso450
Z8 + 800 pf, 1/125s f/6.3 at 800.0mm iso450
Your sparrow actually appears to be a hermit thrush.
And here's another tip to keep in mind for focusing on small/difficult-to-see subjects in the frame. Shifting from FX to DX mode enlarges the birds eyes, making it a bit easier for the AF to detect them.I shoot with the same equipment. I’m pleased with the results even through the windows in the winter
Don't depend on forums for critcal image reviews. So many respond with the typical meaningless comments; "awesome, amazing, beautiful, absolutly stunning, etc.", no matter the quality.
It’s a Fox Sparrow.Your sparrow actually appears to be a hermit thrush.
If you were to specify Sooty Fox Sparrow, I could concede. Fox sparrow’s in NC, where I live, are winter resident Red Fox Sparrows, which bear little resemblance to Hermit Thrushes. But having just looked up fox sparrows, I see there are several variants, with the sooty variant bearing a very close resemblance to the HT, especially in the shot presented earlier.
This is very true. As I shoot with the 800PF I find shimmer/distortion much much more frequently in the winter than the summer
Yep. I find it extremely noticeable in the winter when people shoot from warm areas into cold (from their car, or house) or don't allow the gear time to cool, or in the summer shooting over water. Concrete in the winter can also do it.
