BIRDS AS ART BULLETIN #432

• The Canon 500mm f/4L IS II vs. the Canon 600mm f/4L IS II
• Please, Please, Pretty Please
• Fort DeSoto/Hooptie Deux/Roseate Spoonbill Short Notice IPT
• TPPA Convention Keynote
• The SW FLA IPT Report
• Swan Island Dahlia Farm Instructional Photo-Tour
• Used Camera Gear
• IPT Info

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This landing Royal Tern was photographed on the In-the-Field Workshop at Fort DeSoto earlier this week with the hand held Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR camera. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at zero as framed: 1/2000 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode confirmed by histogram check. Central sensor Surround/AI Servo/Rear Focus AF active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. I am able to hand hold the 600II for flight and action for short periods of time.

The Canon 500mm f/4L IS II vs. the Canon 600mm f/4L IS II

Many folks have written asking for advice on which of these two great lenses to purchase. If you have that dilemma you are truly blessed as the price tag on each is borderline astronomical. I am pretty blessed myself as I own one of each. Let’s make a category by category comparison of the Canon 500mm f/4L IS II vs. Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lenses.

Cost

The cost of a new 500 II at B&H is $10,399 while the current B&H price tag on the 600 II is $12,799. You will not find either lens for a penny less anywhere. The big advantage here for most folks goes to the 500 II. Let’s call it a $2400 advantage. The 500 II costs 18 3/4% less than the 600 II.

Weight

The 500 II weighs 7.04 pounds (3.19 kgs). The 600 II weighs 8.65 pounds (3.93 kgs). The new 600 is 1.61 pounds heavier than the new 500. The 500 II weighs 18.6% less than the 600 II. Again, the advantage goes to the 500 II but by a somewhat smaller margin than one might have thought.

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This vertical front-end portrait of a young Yellow-crowned Night Heron was created with the hand held Canon 500mm f/4L EF IS II lens, the Canon 1.4x EF tele-extender III, and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 2000. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. 61-Point/AI Servo Rear Focus AF active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image for a larger version. In short, hand holding the 500 II is easier than hand holding the 600 II with or without either teleconverter.

Hand Hold-ability

Here I can only relate my experience with these lenses. I have hand held the 500 II, mostly with the 1.4X III teleconverter, for an entire morning. I was sore the next day. Since then I have hand held it occasionally for flight and for action. I have hand held the new 600 for a short while for flight and action, with and without the 1.4X teleconverter. And even for a short while with the 2X TC (with success).

Both lenses are similarly designed with the balance point much farther back that on previous Canon super-telephoto lenses. This makes the lenses seem a lot lighter than they actually are and enables younger and stronger folks to hand hold them routinely for bird photography. Many of these folks no longer take a tripod into the field, enjoying the freedom of hand holding for flight and action while not having to maneuver and position a relatively heavy and cumbersome tripod. I am not one of them. On occasion I head out without a tripod, usually with the 500 II but occasionally with the 600 II. Each lens features an incredible 4-stop image stabilization system that really helps when hand holding with static subjects.

It is important to note that it is easier to hand hold for flight and for action that it is to hand hold while trying to photograph static subjects unless you are seated or are otherwise able to support the lens. Lactic acid builds up quickly when you are attempting to hold the lens up and in place. Note also that if you photograph on a regular basis and hand hold a lens that is too heavy for you, the risk of injury is real. Wrist, elbow, and shoulder problems are commonplace for folks who whose eyes and dreams are bigger than their muscles and joints are strong.

Is hand holding either of these lenses right for you? I cannot possibly answer that question and can only advise that you try before you buy.
The hand holding advantage clearly goes to the 500 II.

Important hand holding note: sitting on the ground and resting either your left forearm or the lens foot on your left knee (I prefer the former) makes hand holding for static subjects a lot more practical for most folks. And the images will be a lot sharper especially for those like me who simply do not have the strength and endurance to hand hold either lens when working with perched or resting birds.

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This image of a preening King Penguin was created at Fortuna Bay, South Georiga with the tripod mounted Canon 500mm f/4L EF IS II lens, the Canon 1.4x EF tele-extender III, and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops as framed: 1/1250 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. Central sensor Surround/AI Servo Rear Focus AF on the bird’s eye and recompose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image for a larger version. In short, traveling with the 500II to places with tame birds, especially those with weight restrictions, is far easier with the 500 II than with the 600 II.

Ease of Transport and Handling

Being physically smaller, shorter, and less bulky than the 600 II, the 500 II is far easier to travel with, especially by air. And when working in a vehicle or on the ground, it is much easier to maneuver and handle the 500 II than it is to work with the 600 II.

Note that though the 600II weighs only 1.61 pounds more than the 500 II and less than 2 ounces more than the old 500 it is larger and bulkier.

Advantage: 500 II.

Minimum Focusing Distance

Both of the new super-telephoto lenses offer excellent minimum focusing distances (MFDs). The MFD of the 500 II is 12.14 feet or 3.7 meters. The MFD of the 600 II is 14.77 feet or 4.5 meters. The new 500mm f/4L IS II lens is able to focus 2.3 feet (or 15.6%) closer than the new 600. Here again the advantage goes to the Canon 500 f/4L IS II.

Magnification

Do not be fooled by thinking that the longer of two lenses will have the greater magnification. Magnification is a function of both the length of the lens and the Minimum Focusing Distance. Both the 500 II and the 600 II have a magnification of 0.15x. This one is a tie.

Angle of View

All 500mm lenses have a diagonal angle of view of 5 degrees. All 600mm lenses have a diagonal angle of view of 4.1 degrees. A narrower angle of view will reduce background clutter to some degree. The edge here goes to the 600 II.

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This Royal Tern head portrait was on last Monday’s In-the-Field Workshop at Fort DeSoto with the created tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 2x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR camera. ISO 400: 1/1000 sec. at f/11 in Manual Mode is the equivalent of my standard ISO 400 bright sunny day WHITE exposure: 1/2000 sec. at f/8. Central sensor (by necessity) Expand/AI Servo/Rear Focus AF on the base of the open bill active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. You cannot beat the 600II/2XIII TC combo for reach (with phase detection AF).

Reach: The Size of the Subject in the Frame

The size of the subject in the frame is a function of the square of the focal length. A subject that fills 25% (5X5) of the frame in an image created with a 500mm lens will fill 36% (6X6) of the frame if photographed with a 600mm lens from the same distance. The huge advantage here goes to the 600 II which will render the subject 44% larger in the frame than the 500 II.

Along with this huge advantage comes less disturbance of birds and wildlife and less chance of flushing a desirable subject while approaching. It is difficult to quantify or overstate the importance of these closely related factors.

Subjects and Location

What do you photograph? Are the bird species in your area small or extremely skittish? Or do you live in Florida where many of the target species are large and easily approachable? If the former, you would lean towards the 600 II. If the latter, towards the 500 II. If you travel regularly to places where the birds and wildlife are silly tame, places like the Galapagos and the Southern Oceans, then you should be leaning towards the 500 II. At most locations in Africa the birds are just not that tame so the 600 II is what I will be bringing with me this August. You need to consider both your home turf and your travel plans when considering which of these two great lenses might be best for you.

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This Great Egret head portrait image was created at Little Estero Lagoon on the SW FLA IPT with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR camera. ISO 400. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop: 1/1250 sec. at f/13 in Manual mode confirmed by histogram check. Central sensor Surround/AI Servo/Rear Focus AF active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Most of the time I will be working with the 600 on a Gitzo 3532 LS tripod topped by a Mongoose M3.6. Both the 500II and the 600II have superb minimum focusing distances.

Your Style

Do you like to create bird-scapes featuring small in the frame subjects or do you prefer to work tight and make lots of head portraits? If you like to work wide most of the time the 500 II might be best for you. If, like me, your style leans towards clean, tight, and graphic, the 600 II will make your life easier.

Lucky Me

As above, I am fortunate to be able to own both the 500 II and the 600 II. I will travel with the 500 II when weight and size are issues and when I am traveling to places with very tame birds and wildlife, places like the Galapagos, the Falklands, South Georgia, and Antarctica. I use it when I want to hand hold while traveling light. For Africa and Japan where reach is more important, I will opt for the 600II. And the same is true for most of the places that I visit in North America, even Florida for the most part.

The Bottom Line

If I could own only one super-telephoto lens for bird photography the no-brainer choice would be the Canon 600mm f/4L IS II.

Please, Please, Pretty Please

If you enjoy the blog, if you learn from the blog and from the Bulletins, if you appreciate the work that I am doing here, if the information you have gleaned here has influenced you to purchase either of these great lenses, then please, please, pretty please choose to use one of the two affiliate links below to make your purchase.

Doing so will not cost you a penny. You will be assured of the best price anywhere and receive the customarily great B&H customer service. Yesterday’s blog post took me about five hours to create, this bulletin about 7 hours. Using our affiliate links or the search boxes below is a great way to say thanks and to show your appreciation.

Please remember to purchase your tripods, LensCoats, lens plate and low feet, Wimberley heads and Mongooses and the rest of your accessories from the BAA Store. Your patronage there is greatly appreciated as well.

Fort DeSoto/Hooptie Deux/Roseate Spoonbill Short Notice IPT

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This preening Roseate Spoonbill in full breeding plumage was photographed last year at Alafia Banks with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV now replaced by the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR . ISO 500. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop as framed: 1/800 sec. at f/11 in Manual mode. Central sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus AF on the bird’s face and recompose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image for a larger version. The very best opportunities in Florida to photograph this species in breeding plumage are with Captain James Shadle on the Hooptie Deux.

Fort DeSoto/Hooptie Deux/Roseate Spoonbill Short Notice IPT: March 6-10, 2013. 5-DAY: $2399 (Includes 3 mornings on the Hooptie Deux). Limit: 6/Openings: 2.

Join me as part of a small group for five great days of bird photography and learning. We will spend three mornings with the breeding plumage spoonbills on James Shadle’s customized pontoon boat. This alone would cost you $1050 so this works out to the cheapest IPT ever: 5 full days for only $1349. We will spend two of our mornings and four of our afternoons at Fort DeSoto photographing all manner of wading birds, gulls, terns, and almost surely some Great Horned Owl chicks. Our last afternoon will be spent at an active Wood Stork rookery with lots of flight photography opportunities.

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This displaying Roseate Spoonbill in full breeding plumage was photographed last March at Alafia Banks with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV now replaced by the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR . ISO 400. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop as framed: 1/800 sec. at f/11 in Manual mode. Central sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus AF on the bird’s face and recompose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image for a larger version.

The New Concept IPT

At lunch after the Fort DeSoto In-the-Field Workshop, I had the group look over my shoulder as I picked my keepers from the morning session on my laptop. In addition to learning why I selected one or several images from a series, folks got to see the images that I created and compare them to the images that they had made. One very nice man, Chuck Murphy, who was using the same lens as me–the 600 II, was amazed. He said, “Having the chance to see the images that you created and to watch you edit them was worth the price of admission for the whole weekend. (Chuck attended the weekend seminar as well as the ITF-Workshop.)

That set me to thinking about a new type of IPT, one with lots of photography, one with lots of small group in-the-field instruction, one with folks watching me edit my day take every day at lunch, one where folks have a chance to share their images from each session. (Bringing your laptop to lunch is of course a necessity.)

The Hooptie Deux mornings will offer lots of great flight photography not only with spoonbills, many in full breeding plumage and many carrying nesting material, but with Brown Pelicans and Double-crested Cormorants (many also carrying nesting material), Reddish Egret and White Ibis in full breeding plumage, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Turkey and Black Vultures, and lots more.

At DeSoto the Laughing Gulls will be in splendid breeding plumage with their full black hoods, their wine-red bills, and white eye crescents. They are one of our most under-appreciated species. The Royal, Sandwich, and Forster’s Terns will also be in breeding plumage. And all of these species will be displaying, courting, and mating. You can also expect a variety of shorebirds including Long-billed Curlew, Marbled Godwit, Dunlin, and many more. And you will need to beat the Willets off with a stick. The additional possibilities are too numerous to mention.

All of the above plus practically private access to one of the planet’s premier photographic educators represents a rare opportunity to grow as a nature photographer. A $500 deposit is needed to hold your spot; call us at 1-863-692-0906. Your deposit may be placed with a credit card. Your payment in full by personal check will then be due along with your completed paperwork both sent via US Mail. If you would rather pay in full via personal check, please immediately to save your spot. I have no idea whether anyone will sign up or if folks will think that the new concept is nothing special. I am sure that it will be a huge success, a new way of learning. As always, this IPT will run with only a single registrant. Yeah, I know that I am nuts but I cannot live with telling folks who have arranged time off from work and made travel plans that I am cancelling the IPT because I will not be making enough money to justify running the trip….

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TPPA Convention & Keynote Presentation

I will be presenting the keynote address at the Texas Professional Photographer’s Association Convention in Arlington, TX on the evening of March 16. My appearance is being generously sponsored by Canon USA/Explorers of Light. I hope that you can make it. Here is additional information on the convention:

Weekend Photo Event: 24 programs and Trade Show only $49: March 15-17, 2013

Attend the event with the best photographic education value in America! For only $49 you can attend your choice of 24 different programs from Landscape Photography, Understanding Exposure, How to enter Print Competition, People Photography, Fashion and Boudoir Photography, Pet photography, How to Get Published, Adobe Lightroom, Nature Photography, Sports Photography, How to Turn your photos to Art and much more! On Saturday evening we have Arthur Morris, one of the nations top bird photographers, doing his “A Bird Photographers Story” program!

How would you like the chance to have your work published in our award winning, regional photography magazine. You can participate in the Print Competition and get into the Trade Show absolutely FREE! Just announced, win a LexJet trophy and $100 if your entry was printed on LexJet product. We also have several Hands-On programs on Friday March 15 on PhotoShop, Posing, Lighting, How to Market Your Photo Business and more for a small additional cost. You must pre-register for the event at www.tppa.org but you DO NOT have to register for the classes on Saturday and Sunday. You can attend as many or as few as you want! All will take place be at the Arlington Convention Center just 15 minutes from DFW.

Regardless of your skill level, you’ll find something for you! Please join us! Even if you and only attend one day! Learn more here.

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This bathing Royal Tern image was created on the SW FLA IPT with the hand held Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR camera. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at zero as framed: 1/2000 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode confirmed by histogram check. Central sensor Surround/AI Servo/Rear Focus AF active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

The SW FLA IPT Report

Same old, same old. Great folks, great weather after a nippy start–it was 37 degrees on our second morning, non-stop learning, total exhaustion, great food, and oodles of great photographic opportunities. As usual I had heard that Little Estero Lagoon was poor with few birds. As usual it was spectacular with lots of great birds. The problem is that most folks do not know where they should be in the early morning…. Learn the details in our Southwest Florida Site Guide.

IPT veterans along included Dierdre Sheer-Gross of New Hampshire–she is really getting it now after her third IPT, Alan and Pat Lillich who will be traveling with us to Holland in a few weeks and to Japan in February of 2014, Gaurav Mittal a skilled young photographer who traveled all the way from India for his fourth IPT, Bill Wingfield, a real sweetie of a doctor from Charleston, SC who is also improving by leaps and bounds, the quiet Brent Bridges, and crotchety old man Bill Goodhew who was with me in Bosque about a decade ago. The newcomers included soft-spoken retired geologist Ron May, Nikon-guy Russell Kinnerson, who with his irrepressible smile is the epitome of a Happy Camper, and Sheila Blamire and husband Geoffe who traveled from the UK for their first IPT. Sheila had a stroke a while back but did very well. Everyone admired her determination. The way that Geoffe took helped her and took care of her during the IPT was inspiring to all who attended.

You can see images from the IPT in Shades of Pink and Blue here, in Shades of White here, in Is It Real? here, in One Snowy Egret Stretching to Land = So Much to Learn here, in Baptism Under Fire here, and here where you can take the Exposure Quiz if you hurry.

Swan Island Dahlia Farm Instructional Photo-Tour

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All images courtesy of and copyright 2012: Denise Ippolito. Click for a larger version.

A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART Swan Island Dahlia Farm Instructional Photo-Tour, September 11-15, 2013: 5 FULL DAYS: $1649

Join Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris at the Swan Island Dahlia Farm in Canby Oregon (just south of Portland) for a great learning and photography experience. Swan Island features more than 40 acres with over 350 varieties of dahlias in a plethora of colors, shapes and sizes, making it one of the largest growers in the United States.

Daily Photo Schedule

We will enjoy four morning (7:00am till 10:30am) and five afternoon (3:30pm till 6pm) photography sessions. While we will do most of our photography at the Swan Island Dahlia Farm, we will also visit the Portland Rose Garden and/or the Portland Japanese Garden on this IPT. The in-the-field instruction will include seeing the situation, the use of selective focus, creative use of depth of field, histogram and exposure guidance, designing creative images, choosing your background, isolating your subject, lens options, and the use of reflectors and diffusers. Our field sessions will include challenging photography assignments geared to make you think creatively. Both personalized and small group instruction will be provided. All times are tentative and subject to change based on the weather and on local conditions.

Seminar Morning: Friday, September 13: 8:30am till 12:30pm

Denise will begin by presenting her “Bloomin’ Ideas” program, an overview of the in-the-field and post-processing techniques that she has used and developed over the past few years to create her signature look. Artie will follow with a Photoshop session that will be geared towards all levels. He’ll be sharing some of his favorite techniques and tips while working on images from the first two days of the IPT. Denise will conclude the seminar portion of the IPT with a Photoshop demo; she will share her creative workflow using a variety of Photoshop filters and effects. The entire morning is designed to give you a peek into the minds of two very skilled and creative folks.

The group will have lunch together daily. All are invited to bring their laptops for image sharing. We hope that you can join us for an intense five days of learning and some of the best flower photography to be had in North America.

Deposit Info and Cancellation Policies:

A $449 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance is due 5 months before the date of the IPT and is also non-refundable. If the trip fills, we will be glad to apply a credit applicable to a future IPT for the full amount less a $100 processing fee. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date we will try to fill your spot from the waiting list. If your spot is filled, you will lose your deposit. If not, you can secure your spot by paying your balance.

Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check (made out to “Arthur Morris.”) You can also leave your deposit with a credit card by calling the office at 863-692-0906. We will be short-handed in the office until January 21 so please leave a message and we will call you back. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail

Used Camera Gear

Dr. Steve Bein

Steve is offering a mint condition lightly used Canon 600mm f/4L IS L lens for sale, used only once for $7,000 insured ground shipping included. The purchase includes the lens trunk, a LensCoat, the 4th generation foot, and the original Canon foot all in the original box.

Please contact Steve via e-mail or call him at home at 1-310-838-2346. As a last resort try him on his cell at 1-310-850-6061.

Ramona Boone

Ramona is offering the following used items for sale:

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS lens with its trunk, leather cover, hood, rear lens cap, drop in filter holder, forest green Lens Coat, strap, and 4th generation NP 51 low foot. All in very good condition. Just serviced by Canon: $5900.

Please contact Ramona with any questions: 1-719 231 5874 or via e-mail.

Denise Ippolito

Denise Ippolito is offering a Canon EOS-5D Full Frame Sensor 12 mp Digital SLR Camera in excellent condition for $800.00. Please contact Denise via e-mail.

Typos

On all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right. 🙂

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The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
BreezeBrowser. I do not see how any digital photographer can exist without this program.
Delkin Flash Cards. I use and depend on Delkin compact Flash Cards and card readers most every day. Learn more about their great 700X and 1000X cards here or about my favorite Delkin card here.