Tag Archives: zoom

More Woodland Experiments

February 27, 2015 by Words | 7 Comments

I’ll put a couple of wildlife shots at the end of the blog, but I’ve been spending more time taking dodgy woodland photos. I was better prepared today, and actually had a tripod with me. This certainly makes a big difference and will open up more possibilities. I have plans, but am not going to reveal them yet. Suffice to say, there are some interesting sections in the 7DII user guide which are going to come in handy.

Anyway today, it was basic stuff. Woodland path. Tripod and big tree in the centre of the shot. This is what it starts off looking like. Nothing fancy here, just a basic shot.

woodland

The I started playing around with the zoom. The tripod meant I could concentrate on how I was using the camera and the differences between fast/slow, pause/zoom, zoom/pause and so on. Counter-intuitive though it may be, the fastest zoom doesn’t produce the greatest blur. I suppose that should be obvious, but now at least I know for sure.

Woodland zoom

Here’s another pair, the second one being a steady zoom that moved for the whole period the shutter was open. As you can see, the effect is extreme.

Woodland zoom

Woodland zoom

I also played around with some proper woodland photography.

tree detail

As for wildlife, I took this shot of a robin earlier in the week but didn’t use it in the Cormorant post. I like it too much to waste it though.

Robin on wall

Robin on a brick wall

And the final shot is one from this morning… one of the local rodents.

rat

Rat Portrait-style

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens.

Posted in Birds, Landscape, rats, Wildlife Also tagged , , |

Woodland Scenes

February 24, 2015 by Words | 3 Comments

I’m still in something of an experimental mood with the camera, and spent some time today taking more woodland shots. The technique is the same as I’ve used previously, but I’m attempting to learn a little more control. I also took a wider lens out with me, in addition to the 100-400.

The first two shots here were taken with the long lens.

woodland scene

Shutter 0.8s, aperture f/22

woodland scene

Shutter 0.6s, aperture f/22

There’s noticeably less ‘motion’ in the second image. I delayed slightly before zooming, and probably zoomed more slowly. I’m still exploring the variables and how they affect the image (90% of the time they affect it directly into the recycle bin), but I’m getting a better notion of the type of setting that is likely to work, and I’m slowly increasing the likelihood of the shot looking something like I expect it to.

One of the difficulties I’ve found with the long lens is that it is quite hard to zoom smoothly while keeping the camera steady. I know that using a tripod would help, but even then the zoom mechanism is relatively firm and the barrel needs a significant turn to cover the whole range. The next two shots were taken with the 24-105 lens. It’s altogether lighter and faster to use, and obviously at the wide end takes in more of the scenery. It’s also a lot easier to zoom quickly, even with a faster shutter speed.

woodland scene

Shutter 0.6s, aperture f/22

woodland scene

Shutter 0.4s, aperture f/22

Camera note: photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM and EF 24-105 F4L IS USM lens.

Posted in Landscape Also tagged |

Song Thrush and Woodland

February 20, 2015 by Words | 2 Comments

Another damp February day. Nothing at all this morning (it was too wet), but by lunchtime the rain had eased to a fine drizzle and it the shlter of local woodland meant that I could more or less avoid getting wet. Of course, the conditions are limiting (dark), but actually ideal for taking more slow-zoomed landscapes.

woodland

I’m beginning to understand a little more about what will and what won’t work these shots (and no, I’m not posting the most obvious disasters), so to an extent they are ‘planned’, though the final effect is very much dependent on how still I hold and zoom the camera. I need to try this with a tripod.

One more in this experimental vein, but taken from a much closer position and framed around three pairs of golden-brown branches. This is a much harsher shot overall, and the zoom was faster.

woodland

There were plenty of small birds around (blue tits, chaffinches, blackbirds and robins), but the one to feature today is a song thrush which moved to the woodland fringe where there was just enough light.

song thrush

song thrush

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens.

Posted in Birds, Landscape Also tagged , |