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An inexpensive birding combo.
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 12:46 am    Post subject: An inexpensive birding combo. Reply with quote

The Vivitar 400mm f/6.3 T4 lens and a 2X screw mount TC. They won't make me retire my Sigma 50-500 lens but they do a nice job for less than 50-75 dollars according to how you acquire them.

No crops here and very very little PP involved. Distances from 30-70 feet. Hand held.












PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 12:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Too soft.


PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 1:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Could you try a few on the tripod just to see if there is any improvement....how heavy is the 400mm? Not bad for Hand held.


PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 1:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

woodrim wrote:
Too soft.


For what they cost they are sharp enough. LOL


PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 1:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mo wrote:
Could you try a few on the tripod just to see if there is any improvement....how heavy is the 400mm? Not bad for Hand held.


Tripod's about the same. 985g. Total with the TC is a little over 1,000g.


PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 1:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks BD....worth thinking about if the price is right. Very Happy


PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 1:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a Spiratone 400/6.3 pre-set that I would let go.
BD, is it the same lens?


PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 3:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I also had the Vivitar 400mm f6.3 for a while -- there was no way I could hand hold it, so my hat's off to you, BD. A couple frames with it on a tripod:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gaeger2/4320438937/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gaeger2/4321172082/

I agree -- in good conditions, could be fine for birding.


PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 3:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

fish4570 wrote:
I have a Spiratone 400/6.3 pre-set that I would let go.
BD, is it the same lens?


Not the same Paul. This is the T4 mount lens from Tokina.


PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 3:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

gaeger wrote:
I also had the Vivitar 400mm f6.3 for a while -- there was no way I could hand hold it, so my hat's off to you, BD. A couple frames with it on a tripod:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gaeger2/4320438937/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gaeger2/4321172082/

I agree -- in good conditions, could be fine for birding.


Some nice ones there. Was your's the T4 or the fixed mount?


PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 8:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very nice shots.Like the Cardinals.
Don`t know what the birding scene is like in the States but a lot of birders in the UK digiscope.
We all have telescopes and some attach their point and shoots to the scopes using a varity of after market devices which maintain the camera at a steady fixed angle but allow it to be swung clear when you need to use the scope.


PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 10:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quite a bit of that here as well but I never got the digi-scope bug.


PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 11:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Big Dawg wrote:
gaeger wrote:
I also had the Vivitar 400mm f6.3 for a while -- there was no way I could hand hold it, so my hat's off to you, BD. A couple frames with it on a tripod:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gaeger2/4320438937/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gaeger2/4321172082/

I agree -- in good conditions, could be fine for birding.


Some nice ones there. Was your's the T4 or the fixed mount?


Hi there: It was the T4 -- the only one I've ever owned!


PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 11:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Big Dawg wrote:
woodrim wrote:
Too soft.


For what they cost they are sharp enough. LOL


Just because they were cheap, doesn't mean those are usable images. Those don't even look remotely sharp at web size.


PostPosted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 12:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

tkbslc wrote:
Big Dawg wrote:
woodrim wrote:
Too soft.


For what they cost they are sharp enough. LOL


Just because they were cheap, doesn't mean those are usable images. Those don't even look remotely sharp at web size.


Maybe so but I like them. LOL And usable for what? My pleasure in enjoying them? They do that well enough.


PostPosted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 2:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Extremely well done with that equipment. Hitting focus with 800mm, that close, is an achievement by itself. On moving birds, its even better.

800mm handheld is too much for me.


PostPosted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 3:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

luisalegria wrote:
Extremely well done with that equipment. Hitting focus with 800mm, that close, is an achievement by itself. On moving birds, its even better.

800mm handheld is too much for me.


Thanks. The fact that the TC took out any focus confirmation made it very difficult.


PostPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 6:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

BD- thanks for the welcome in the other thread my friend. good to see you here, I just found this forum a few days ago, very nice and informative place. Was not surprised to see you here, given your nice selection of legacy glass Very Happy

I agree with the above post, hitting close focus at 800mm without focus confirmation, that is no easy task lol. nice combo and reach for the price.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 11:27 am    Post subject: Very Interesting Reply with quote

Very High ISO? The noise may be softening the result more than the faults in the lens as in parts of the photos the sharpness is as you rightly say, adequate. Do you try to reduce noise much?

I would still ask you to use a mirror lens! For these subjects, particularly. Easier to hand hold?

Thanks for posting, useful as always!


PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 4:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hards80 wrote:
BD- thanks for the welcome in the other thread my friend. good to see you here, I just found this forum a few days ago, very nice and informative place. Was not surprised to see you here, given your nice selection of legacy glass Very Happy

I agree with the above post, hitting close focus at 800mm without focus confirmation, that is no easy task lol. nice combo and reach for the price.


Thanks my good friend. I am glad to see you here. You'll find the folks here much the same as the good folks at Steve's.


PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 4:54 am    Post subject: Re: Very Interesting Reply with quote

pat donnelly wrote:
Very High ISO? The noise may be softening the result more than the faults in the lens as in parts of the photos the sharpness is as you rightly say, adequate. Do you try to reduce noise much?

I would still ask you to use a mirror lens! For these subjects, particularly. Easier to hand hold?

Thanks for posting, useful as always!


ISO 400-800 but no noise reduction software used. The actual focus when taking these photos was a little soft. No matter how I tried it just would not resolve much better than these show. Some to do with the available light but more I think to do with the amount of glass in the way. I'm going to try my other TC's on this to see if there is any improvement.


PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 4:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Big Dawg wrote:
luisalegria wrote:
Extremely well done with that equipment. Hitting focus with 800mm, that close, is an achievement by itself. On moving birds, its even better.

800mm handheld is too much for me.


Thanks. The fact that the TC took out any focus confirmation made it very difficult.


Just curious. I shoot film only. But if you used an Auto TC, you would get focus confirm. wouldn't you?


PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 8:11 pm    Post subject: Re: An inexpensive birding combo. Reply with quote

[quote="Big Dawg"]The Vivitar 400mm f/6.3 T4 lens and a 2X screw mount TC. They won't make me retire my Sigma 50-500 lens but they do a nice job for less than 50-75 dollars according to how you acquire them.

No crops here and very very little PP involved. Distances from 30-70 feet. Hand held.


Hello, not convincing examples!
M


PostPosted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 9:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Depends on where you want to use them. They would not go to "Alabama illustrated book of birds" but if I saw any of those bird on the roof next door I could send these photos to local newspapers.

Last summer I actually saw an extremely rare insect here in my garden but my stupid Sigma 50/2.8 af macro scared it away.


PostPosted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 10:17 am    Post subject: Focus confirm Reply with quote

Walter G

I am sure Big Dog will reply to you when he gets a chance, but maybe the answer is:

When too much glass is used, the f stop goes beyond f1:8 and thn the electronics cannot cope? A 2x and a f1:4.5 makes f1:9?

It is, as you imply, possible that he had manually stopped down, but the lens is slowish anyway?