Am I asking for too much 'reach'?

RacingSnake

RacingSnake

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Gavin
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I've not done a huge amount of photography over the last year (not had the time), but I think I must have forgotten the amount of crop I can reasonably make.

Anyway, I'm using a leggy 7D with a 300-800mm, I'm sat just under 300m from my 'target' - how reasonable is it to obtain a 'usable' image from this distance?

The non-cropped images look reasonable, but there is no definition at a 100% crop, am I asking too much?


ALso, for those with this lens, do you have any advice for the 'sweet-spot'? it seems to be better at f 7.1 - f8 than it is at wide open.
 
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The 'sweet spot' on mine seems to be f7.1 and I am generally there or f8 by choice.
TBH I don't do too much 'distance' shooting as I'm normally doing wildlife with it and using it to get more in the frame rather than sucking the subject toward me from a distance.
I do sometimes take a distant shot but a usable 100% crop would be challenging and that might be more to do with me than the lens, 800mm does take some getting right.
What have you got it on when taking this sort of shot?
 
gramps said:
What have you got it on when taking this sort of shot?
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I've always been using f5.6, but whilst in the field (literally), I was experimenting today decreasing until I found 7.1 or 8 gave me noticeably better shots... but still not good enough for anything other than 'record' shots.

ETA, most shots today were on manual, varying from 1/400-1/1600 @f5.6-f10 with auto ISO.
 
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RacingSnake said:
ah, I've got a red-snapper tripod with a manfrotto gimbal head
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I use a Feisol C/F (32mm dia legs) and a Wimberley gimbal which makes for a really solid support.
I think at 800mm you need really good support and really good long-lens technique.
 
RacingSnake said:
Just to add a bit of context...
This is the tree I'm aiming at:
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Looks a bit challenging to me, I would be wanting to get closer than that appears to be ... long lenses are better at filling the frame than shooting at long distance.
 
it's just under 300m according to google maps, but getting closer is (sadly) out of the question.
jerry12953 said:
Not sure what you mean by a "leggy 7D" but if it is a 7D mk 1
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:D in that I've had it for years and it's showing its age, occasional shutter jam, a few hot pixels after increasingly short long exposures etc.

I guess it's not often I do such heavy crops, so haven't experienced this for a while - I think between the 7D's crop-ability, and the fact I'm a third of a kilometer away, means the odds are stacked against me :(
 
You have to remember that when shooting over long distance. There is a lot dust, flies, heat haze and moisture in the air between you and the subject. These all helps to degrade the image
 
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Genuine question - why can't you get any closer? That does seem quite an extreme long-range shot...
 
As others have said you have 300metres of crud between you and the subject, whilst a log focal length can get you closer, there are limits. Perhaps after a downpour that has washed the sky, then bright sunshine to give you some contrast, else you are going to struggle for a good image.
 
I'm guessing fenced-off private land.
 
I guess it depends on your expectations however that does seem an optimistic distance.

Only you can decide what's 'usable'.

Unless I've missed it I'm unsure what it is your wanting to photograph at that range. If you're talking about birds then you're looking at record shots rather than prize winning images whatever kit you're using.

Similar distance here. Even with a good sized bird = nothing worth writing home about.

IMG_0918 by dinners85, on Flickr

Osprey Loch of the Lowes by dinners85, on Flickr
 
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gramps said:
I'm guessing fenced-off private land.
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This....
The 'field' is an in-filled landfill site covered in methane vents.
dinners said:
Unless I've missed it I'm unsure what it is your wanting to photograph at that range.
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Dead centre of frame in the 100% crop...
dinners said:
Similar distance here. Even with a good sized bird = nothing worth writing home about.
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hmmm, yes, my bird (little owl) is considerably smaller.

I think my only hope is that it'll take off and fly towards me!
 
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RacingSnake said:
Dead centre of frame in the 100% crop...
hmmm, yes, my bird (little owl) is considerably smaller.
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Wow - I had to look for a while there which probably answers your question.

Difficult subject but worth sticking with.
 
Looking at the area you have the camera and lens situated I would be tempted to put a Little owl nest box up ,the surrounding posts are perfect for leaving the odd bit of food,if you want some ideas on what to put on the posts send me a PM ,your coming in to breeding season soon,not sure what part of the country you are in my in my experience the further south the earlier they start mine started on March 12th last year and I know a friend of mine his started a good 4 weeks before mine ,I have a recording of the first mating session from last year,if your bird is the male he will coax the female in but the female decides were they nest and picks it,especialy if their is a nice supply of food knocking around ,its surprising how close a male and female have their territories and I wont be surprised if their is another bird around the area .
 
Thanks Den, I wouldn't (sadly) be able to put up a nest box - but they do nest in that hole in the branch, the other challenge I have, is that I'm sitting on public land, and the owl is sitting on (very) private land.
There is a Barn Owl box in the next field (behind me), so I don't know if the proximity would cause issues?
 
No issues with a barn owl and a little owl,and I know that for a fact ,also with Kestrels ,do you know the land owner ,I spotted a third owl site this last summer ,and was pleasantly surprised that the farmer gave me permission to go on the land ,its always worth a ask as I was expecting a no chance, that also led to another farmer bragging about his owl so I ended up with another one just a mile away,looks like the are established then in that tree as they will use them for years ,is their no chance of speaking with the land owner because they can only say no,
 
You mentioned auto-ISO. The scene doesn't look over-bright and you're shooting varying from 1/400-1/1600 @f5.6-f10, yet I'm not seeing noise in the image as I would expect so much as smearing of detail. I wonder the camera is picking a highish-iso setting and your noise reduction software could be removing a lot of detail to compensate?
 
ancient_mariner said:
You mentioned auto-ISO. The scene doesn't look over-bright and you're shooting varying from 1/400-1/1600 @f5.6-f10, yet I'm not seeing noise in the image as I would expect so much as smearing of detail. I wonder the camera is picking a highish-iso setting and your noise reduction software could be removing a lot of detail to compensate?
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Still too far away though :)
 
den said:
is their no chance of speaking with the land owner because they can only say no,
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Yep, I do know where the land owner is, so certainly worth asking, but I'd be surprised if the local "birders" hadn't already tried!

ancient_mariner said:
I wonder the camera is picking a highish-iso setting
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ISO 100 according to the exif :D
I think plain and simple, too far away - but you have made me wonder about the in-camera noise reduction, so I might capture in RAW and see how that comes out.
 
I would never have spotted this too! The owl being the same colour as the tree isn't helping.
You'll need a telescope for that shot! How did you even spotted this!

Definitely worth asking the owner politely.
 
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