Finally got one (Without cheating this time)

[Messiah Khan]

Finally managed to get a Kingfisher without needing to resort to shooting captured ones. It was taken with my Sigma 300mm f2.8 + a 2X TC. Even with that I needed to crop a fair bit. Don't think my local reserve (Low Barns) is going to be the best place to get shots of them without something like a 600mm f4 or 800mm f5.6. Anyway im still quite pleased with this one for now;

 

[V-Spec]

Very nice shot, shame you had to crop it.

just wondering if it was taken from a hide, and if you heard it coming at all?

Nice shot though.

 

[Scam]

Congrats, it's a nice shot. Nice and sharp too. What does it have in it's mouth?

Oh, how come the exif says 1600.0mm (35mm equivalent: 2400mm)?

 

[danza]

Nice shot MK. I know a few Kingfisher haunts in my relative locality, I just don't have the equipment.

I bought a Canon 70-200 f/4 with maybe a bit of inopportune birding/wildlife in mind, but realisation hit home that it wasn't really adequate, so I sold it!

 

[33L]

Thats really nice mk! i went to hide yesterday and was struggling with a 300mm lens - do you find much of a problem with the 2x TC. judging by your pic it seems pretty sharp. does it tend to get soft at 300mm. BTW which Tc are you using.

 

[King4aDay]

Nice one buddy, that must be satisfying. Nice n sharp, now you just need to get one in a decent pose

I'm seriously considering some sort of long 2.8 + TC combo as my net major investment, no idea how I'm going to afford it though, I can barely pay rent at the minute!

 

[Messiah Khan]

Very nice shot, shame you had to crop it.

just wondering if it was taken from a hide, and if you heard it coming at all?

Nice shot though.

Yeah it was taken from a hide. He kept doing laps of the lake, spending most of his time on the other side in some trees. But occasionally he'd come a bit closer. Only managed to get 4 shots when he was sat in this location. No, I didn't hear him at all.

Congrats, it's a nice shot. Nice and sharp too. What does it have in it's mouth?

Oh, how come the exif says 1600.0mm (35mm equivalent: 2400mm)?

He's got a little fish in his mouth. I have no idea about that exif info, think its the camrea being confused. It was 300mm X 2 = 600 + 1.5X crop factor, so 900mm. I wish I had a 2400mm f5.6!

Nice shot MK. I know a few Kingfisher haunts in my relative locality, I just don't have the equipment.

I bought a Canon 70-200 f/4 with maybe a bit of inopportune birding/wildlife in mind, but realisation hit home that it wasn't really adequate, so I sold it!

Cheers. I really want to get a better shot than this bu getting much closer and using only the 300mm without a converter. Im going to have to scope out a good position and set up a small hide when it gets a bit warmer. Also when they have young it might be easier.

Thats really nice mk! i went to hide yesterday and was struggling with a 300mm lens - do you find much of a problem with the 2x TC. judging by your pic it seems pretty sharp. does it tend to get soft at 300mm. BTW which Tc are you using.

Its not too bad with the 2X TC, but I had to use quite agressive sharpening on this one to get it up to scratch. The lens itself doesn't get soft at 300mm as its a 300mm prime (300mm f2.8). Im using the Sigma 2X TC. Ive also got the 1.4X and 2X Kenko converters, but they don't like HSM lenses at all.

Nice one buddy, that must be satisfying. Nice n sharp, now you just need to get one in a decent pose

I'm seriously considering some sort of long 2.8 + TC combo as my net major investment, no idea how I'm going to afford it though, I can barely pay rent at the minute!

Yeah, long fast lenses are where the real money is in photography. I love this lens and it was a bargain price I got it for, but im still longing for more reach. Would love a 300-800mm Sigma.

 

[Phate]

Congrats dude - I read on potn it took someone 6 years to capture one.

Very nice!