Costa Rica is a paradise for bird photographers, offering a stunning array of hummingbirds that challenge even the most experienced shooters. One such gem is the Green-breasted Mango (Anthracothorax prevostii), a vibrant and agile species known for its dazzling iridescence and rapid flight. Photographing this magnificent bird at a feeder at the Cabañas Colibrí Tayutic… Continue reading Capturing the Elusive Green-breasted Mango with the Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM and Speedlite 580EX
Category: Reviews
Testing the Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM by capturing the speed and beauty of hummingbirds
Photographing hummingbirds is one of the most rewarding yet challenging endeavors for wildlife photographers. These tiny creatures move at astonishing speeds, making it essential to have a lens that delivers exceptional autofocus performance, sharpness, and flexibility. The Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM could be one such telephoto zoom lens. Does it offer the photographer… Continue reading Testing the Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM by capturing the speed and beauty of hummingbirds
Test of Canon RF 200-800mm f6.3-9 IS USM for photography of Pelagic Birds of the Atlantic Part II
Now the experiences with the Canon RF 200-800mm f6.3-9 IS USM. I have to say I was pretty impressed after the first shots. If the camera could catch the bird, the reliabiltity of tracking the eyes with the autofocus was excellent. There the Canon EOS R5 Mark II could beat it predecessor. Image quality, autofocus… Continue reading Test of Canon RF 200-800mm f6.3-9 IS USM for photography of Pelagic Birds of the Atlantic Part II
Test of Canon RF 200-800mm f6.3-9 IS USM for photography of Pelagic Birds of the Atlantic
For Seabird Photography I personally have been using a consistent set-up for the last years. This includes the professional flagship Canon “sports & journalism” camera recently the EOS 1 D X Mark III with a Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM lens. This in most cases without a teleconverter (TC). If using a teleconverter,… Continue reading Test of Canon RF 200-800mm f6.3-9 IS USM for photography of Pelagic Birds of the Atlantic
Canon EOS R3: first experiences in test
As a long-time EOS-1D user (most recently Canon EOS-1D X Mark III), I have been waiting for the (mirrorless) successor model to the EOS-1D X Mark III for quite a long time. Concerning the Canon EOS R1, the question is probably not whether Canon will deliver this new camera, but simply when it will come… Continue reading Canon EOS R3: first experiences in test
Making of „White Wagtail with nestling food“
A White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) perches in the top of a Willow tree just in front of the bird watching tower. With a thick package in its beak consisting of small small Diptera such as Flies (Brachycera) and Mosquitoes (Nematocera), Caddisflies (Trichoptera) and small Dragonflies (Odonata), it waits patiently in front of the bird observation… Continue reading Making of „White Wagtail with nestling food“
How to photograph Hoopoes? Part II
I already discussed shortly the limits and possibilities of remote photography at the Hoopoe’s nest in the blog “How to photograph Hoopoes? Part II” described. At the beginning of June the Eurasian Hoopoes (Upupa epops) are so far advanced that 3 young are waiting begging for food in the nest. Whether you photograph the approaching… Continue reading How to photograph Hoopoes? Part II
How to photograph Hoopoes? Part I
It’s the beginning of June. The Eurasian Hoopoes (Upupa epops) successfully reared the nest with 3 young in a shelter for the first few days. Due to the size of the garden plot, the nest and the approaching Eurasian Hoopoes could be photographed both from the car and from a camouflage tent. Just half an… Continue reading How to photograph Hoopoes? Part I
Nikon Super CoolScan 5000 ED operated with VueScan
Compared to my previous Nikon Super CoolScan IV ED, the Nikon film scanner Super CoolScan 5000 ED definitely got a higher speed and also more scanner resolution. The Super CoolScan IV ED only had 2,900 dpi instead of 4,000 dpi. The problem with both, however, was that Nikon discontinued support a long time ago. My… Continue reading Nikon Super CoolScan 5000 ED operated with VueScan
Photographing flying birds with slow shutter speed
A flying Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) low over the Blankensee in Brandenburg only 20 km south of Berlin. It was a gray day and the foggy clouds did not allow really short exposure times with acceptable ISO despite the Canon EF 400mm f / 2.8L IS II USM camera lens. A few duck birds flying… Continue reading Photographing flying birds with slow shutter speed
Feeding at a breeding cave: a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker family
While the male of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos minor) usually approached the breeding cave in a lean Alder tree (Alnus sp.) approx. 10 cm below the lower edge and then took action a little later, i.e. to hatch, the female more often first flew first to a dry branch above the cave and then… Continue reading Feeding at a breeding cave: a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker family
Blackbird with a thick maggot in the beak
A thick, fat maggot has been washed out of the earth on the former compost heap. The male Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula) had only briefly scratched the surface with its yellow beak and had already very skillfully removed a thick maggot – probably a large beetle larva – from a dark-black layer of earth. It… Continue reading Blackbird with a thick maggot in the beak