BIRDS AS ART BULLETIN #401

• THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES: HOMEWARD BOUND
• JAPAN IPT REPORT: PART III/THE WHOOPER SWANS
• THE BLOG IS THE BOMB
• SELECTED e-MAILS
• GEAR EVALUATION: THE CANON 300MM F/2.8L IS II LENS
• NIK Color Efex Pro
• IPT UPDATES

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This sleeping Red-crowned Crane was photographed at the Akan Crane Center with the with the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, the 1.4X III TC, and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop off the snow: 1/800 sec. at f/11 in Manual mode. Central Sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus on the bird’s eye and recompose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, more spectacular version. This image, made in sweet, fading sunlight, was one of the last that I created on my wonderful trip.

THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES: HOMEWARD BOUND

We just got off the plane from Kushiro, Hokkaido to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. I am sitting on a limousine bus that takes us from there to Tokyo Narita, the international airport. From there it’s a shuttle bus to the hotel where I overnight. I fly home on Tuesday March 13. We depart at noon and because we cross the International Dateline, I the flight is scheduled to land at DFW at 9:20 am on Tuesday March 13. So I get into Dallas before I leave. You gotta love that. After clearing customs I fly to MCO; if all goes as planned my right hand man Jim Litzenberg will be picking me up just a bit before 3pm. Still on Tuesday. It will be good to get back into the pool. Was it worth the hassles of international travel, dealing with often numbing cold, changing motels often, and getting up early? For me it was well worth it as we were super-lucky on all counts, the birds and monkeys were beautiful and interesting, and the photographic opportunities were limitless.

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This Whooper Swan head portrait was created with the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/1250 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. Central Sensor Rear Focus/AI Servo AF active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. For a greater appreciation of the image, click on the photo. With the subject only two meters beyond the minimum focusing distance of the lens I stopped down 1 1/3 stops from wide open for some additional depth-of-field. I like the head angle here, the sweet afternoon light, and the blue water background. I ran White Neutralizer in NIK Color Efex Pro 4 to juice up the BLUEs. This and pretty much all of the images here have had both Tonal Contrast and Detail Extractor applied with he opacity reduced. Both in Color Efex Pro 4.

JAPAN IPT REPORT: PART III/THE WHOOPER SWANS

On March 1st after a final sea eagle boat trip, we packed up our two vans, left Rausu, and headed for Lake Kussharo. When we arrived at the primary viewing area we found a small strip of open water packed with about 75 Whooper Swans, almost all adults. As the birds were surrounded by dozens of eager cell phone photographer tourists and another dozen somewhat more serious photographers we were once again left wondering how it would be possible to create even a single good image…. As Yogi Berra would have said, “It was like de ja vu all over again.”

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I created this Whooper Swan image will lying flat on the snow my tripod–with the legs splayed-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6 in Av mode. Central Sensor Rear Focus/AI Servo AF active on the bird’s eye and recompose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. For a greater appreciation of the image, click on the photo. You gotta love to make good images in order to get down on the ice and snow when it is 4 degrees Fahrenheit, but heck, it was a still morning! When working behind your flattened tripod a bubble level is indispensable. I tried the bird on both sides of the frame with the bird looking both ways; this image design–with the bird on the right looking left–was the most powerful by far.

But before we left late that afternoon we had begun figuring the place out and had begin creating some very fine images. When we returned the next morning we were greeted by the sweet soft light of a clear morning as dozens of swans flew in from their evening roosts. We enjoyed some cloudy bright conditions that afternoon as well as some more good flight chances. On our last morning at Kussharo it was snowing when we arrived but turned cloudy bright from about eight till nine or so. By the time that we left at ten am a hazy sun had broken through. When the dust cleared we had enjoyed a wonderful variety of light and weather as well as two great mornings and two great afternoons with the swans.

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I created this Whooper Swan image on our last morning with the swans when it was snowing. I used the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2 1/3 stops: 1/30 sec. at f/14 in Av mode. Central Sensor Rear Focus/AI Servo AF on the bird’s eye and re-compose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. For a greater appreciation of the image, click on the photo. I went with lots of depth of field at point blank range in an effort to sharpen up the feathers and the snow.

THE BLOG IS THE BOMB

Even while in Japan I have continued to put in 20+ hours a week towards making the blog informative, timely, and beautiful. Most of the educational features that formerly appeared in BAA Bulletins now grace the BAA Blog. If you have a problem subscribing, please contact us via e-mail. If you are not subscribed, you are missing a ton of great stuff almost daily. You can subscribe to the blog posts by clicking here.

If you’d like to read all all of the Japan IPT blog posts (that include lots of great Snow Monkey images) click here and scroll down and down.

Here are some links to recent posts of interest:

In One Songbird Image/So Many Lessons: Count Em! you will garner tips to help you in the field and at the computer.

If you’ve been dreaming of making a trip to the Antarctic Continent you will surely want to click here.

Check out the comments below Ten Degrees of Flight Photography to see the single factor that everyone missed.

There will be lots of new Snow Monkey, sea eagle, and Red-crowned Crane images coming to the blog during the next month or so; be sure to subscribe so that you do not miss any of the valuable free lessons.

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This image of a Whooper Swan drinking was created with the hand held Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/2500 sec. at f/2.8 in Manual mode. Central Sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, more spectacular version. The 300 lens alone is incredibly sharp even at the wide open aperture.

SELECTED e-MAILS

An e-mail from Sallyanne Cousans:

Hi Jim, My packages arrived today, safe and sound. Eveything is perfect. Thank you. It was such a joy going through the box and opening everything. I now know the true meaning of the phrase, “It was just like Christmas morning. I have just finished trying out all the goodies; I love EVERYTHING – but especially my new Gitzo tripod and my Mongoose M3.6 head. It has made me realize how ridiculously handicappped I have been, all those years, with my old gear. I can’t believe how light and fluid the new head is; it is just amazing!!

I can now look forward to improving my photography. Thanks again, Sallyanne

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This image of a Whooper Swan coming in for a landing on a snowy morning was created with the hand held Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2 1/3 stops off the snow: 1/1600 sec. at f/4.5 in Manual mode. One sensor to the left of the Central Sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, more spectacular version. I created this somewhat out-of-the-box composition after I clipped off the end of the bird’s right wing and the primary tips on the left wing.

For a look at the original image check out the BreezeBrowser screen capture immediately below.

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I added expanded canvas top as described in detail in Digital Basics and added the missing primary tips using techniques from APTATS I. The crop placed the bird on a Rule of Thirds spot and maximized the impact of the snowfall. I ran NIK’s Color Efex Pro 4’s Detail Extractor at 80% to bring up the background trees. This screen capture of a BreezeBrowser main view page shows how far to the right I push the exposure in low light conditions with scenes that average to near white. You can learn the basics of digital exposure and histograms in the “Exposure Simplified” section of ABP II. And you can learn why I use BreezeBrowser every day for sorting, editing (selecting the keepers), and storing my images by clicking here.

An e-mail conversation with John Willard:

AM: Hi John, re:

JW: I appreciate that you give us advice for Travel Insurance Services. When I click on the icon on the birdsasart web site there is are a number of different policies available. I was wondering what specifically you purchase when you go on foreign trips as there are many choices when I click on the link: Student Health Insurance, Travel Medical Insurance, Annual Travel Insurance, Trip Cancellation Insurance, Business Travelers/Employers, Medical Evacuation Insurance, Cancel For Any Reason, Custom Group Plans, People with Medicare.

AM: John you need to get the policies that will protect you in a given situation and meet your needs. I get their Medical Evacuation Insurance every year. And for the big trips where I am paying $15,000 to $20,000+ for each trip (the Southern Oceans this past January and the Falklands/South Georgia trip next fall) I got Trip Cancellation Insurance with Cancel for Any Reason coverage to protect my investments. It is very expensive but reduces my risks in the long run.

later and love, artie

ps: Folks can learn about TSI here.

GEAR EVALUATION: THE CANON 300MM F/2.8L IS II LENS

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This incoming Red-crowned Crane was photographed at the Akan Crane Center with the hand held Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens, the 1.4X III TC, and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop off the snow: 1/3200 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. Central Sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, more spectacular version. To learn what others thought of this image check out “Inbound 747.”

GEAR EVALUATION: THE CANON 300MM F/2.8L IS II LENS

This evaluation was first published as a blog post here. I opted to re-published it here in light of its importance with some modification; see my additional comments on the tripod collar.

As regular readers know, I have–thanks to the kindness of the folks at Canon Professional Services (CPS)–especially Paul Ng, been field testing the same Canon 300mm f/2.8L IS II for more than two months. I first used it on my amazing Cheeseman’s Southern Oceans trip, then on the SW FLA IPT, and finally on the Japan IPT. It will be returned by Fed-X the afternoon that I get back to the office on March 13th. 🙂

I have long given the 300 f/2.8 lenses short shrift. In the original The Art of Bird Photography I wrote something to the effect that the 300 f/2.8s were favored by many of the world’s best raptor photographers but that I saw little need for one. In the all new follow-up, The Art of Bird Photography II (916 pages on CD only), I totally ignored these lenses but did include a few Homer eagle images made with one that I had borrowed from CPS. The images above and below show the incredible potential of the 300 f/2.8L IS lens/1.4X III TC as a flight photography combination.

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This head shot of a point-blank fly-by Red-crowned Crane image was also created at the Akan Crane Center with the hand held Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens, the 1.4X III TC, and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops off the snow: 1/2500 sec. at f/4 in Manual mode. Central Sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, more spectacular version.

On my Antarctica trip the 300 IS II with the 2X III teleconverter served as my long lens (see the image immediately below) and I used it a lot with and without the 1.4X III TC both on landings and on Zodiac cruises. Carrying it on the long hikes was a pleasure when compared to the long lenses I am used to carrying…. I used the lens sparingly on the SW FLA IPT but my erstwhile assistant Tim Kaufman made a killer image of a Great Blue Heron in flight with a large southern whiting in its bill with it while toting the lens for me at Blind Pass Beach. You can see that spectacular image here.

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This Macaroni Penguin preening its mate was photographed at Hercules Bay, South Georgia, with the tripod-mounted Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens, the 2X III teleconverter, and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering -2/3 stop: 1/200 sec. at f/10 in Manual mode. This is one of my favorite images from the trip. The birds were so tame that I rarely if ever felt limited with my longest effective telephoto length of “only” 780mm (300mm X 2 X 1.3). An upper left-hand sensor was chosen manually: AI Servo Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial.

When I sent the image above to Christopher Robinson, editor of Outdoor Photographer, as part of a submission for an article on pros’ favorite Canon lenses, he commented via e-mail, “By the way…your Macaroni Penguin image, in particular, is incredible. I think it shows the sharpness of that lens better than anything I’ve seen. It’s an awesome lens and in your hands one can see why it’s so highly prized.” And that with the 2X III TC!

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That’s me hand holding the Canon 300mm f/2.8L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D Mark IV body alongside the fishing pier at the eastern end of Sanibel, FL. Photo copyright and courtesy of Peter Kes. Note that I am holding the lens well out on the lens barrel. Far too many folks support their intermediate telephoto lenses with their left hands much too close to the camera; that’s like trying to hold a log by the end….

What’s To Like?

What can I say. The lens is incredibly sharp. Sharp wide open. Sharp edge to edge. Sharp with the 1.4X And yes, sharp with the 2X. When I do everything right–which is often with this lens in my hands–the images seem to leap off the computer screen. At A.B pounds, the lens is just light enough (5.19 pounds, 13% lighter than its predecessor) to hand hold for extended periods of time even though I have had some problems with my shoulders for the past few years. When Peter Kes made the image of me above we were photographing Red-breasted Mergansers swimming and diving. For more than two hours. I held the lens elevated for extended periods of time. When I got back to the motel and took off my sweatshirt I could barely lift my arms; I was very much in pain. It was sort of like what I did by swimming too many laps when my pool was finished…. By the next morning I was fine. On the sea eagle boat trips in Rausu I made sure to rest the lens on the gunnels when I was not actively photographing; having a nice neutral rest position when hand holding relatively heavy gear is always best.

With a maximum aperture of f/2.8, the lens is very fast. There were times on each trip that I was able to keep photographing in low light without going to crazy-high ISOs. Another benefit of all that speed is being able to work with either teleconverter and still have all AF points active. The lens is very versatile as it offers three focal lengths: 300mm, 420mm (with the 1.4X III TC), and 600mm (with the 2X III TC). I have not worked hand held with the 2X much but with enough shutter speed I am sure that competent folks would be able to create sharp action and flight images. For static work, however, it makes sense to be on a sturdy tripod like the Gitzo 3530 LS topped by a Mongoose M3.6, the latter was absolutely made for the 300 2.8 lenses.

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This immature Whooper Swan head portrait was created at Lake Kussharo, Hokkaido, Japan with the hand held Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens, the 1.4X III TC, and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/5 in Av mode. Central Sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, more spectacular version. When using shorter focal lengths than I normally do it is important for me to get low. That often means not being lazy, kneeling, sitting on the ground, and getting down, dirty, and prone. For this image I simply bent over a bit as the Whooper Swans are big birds.

Idiosyncracies

All four of the Series II telephoto lenses have three Image Stabilization modes: IS 1, IS 2, and IS 3. Here’s what Canon has to say about each:

• IS Mode 1: Corrects vibrations in all directions. It is mainly effective for shooting still subjects.
• IS 2 Mode: Corrects vertical camera shake during following shots (i.e., panning) in a horizontal direction, and corrects horizontal camera shake during following (i.e., panning) in a vertical direction. That means that if you hold the camera on end IS2 will realize what you are doing and stabilize in the correct manner.
• IS 3 Mode: Corrects vibration only during exposure. During panning shots, corrects vibration in only one direction same as IS mode 2. They continue: Since camera shake is stabilized only during exposure, following a subject is easier such as when shooting a fast and irregularly moving player during sports photography.

With previous generation super-telephoto lenses I have advised that folks set IS Mode 2 and leave it whether hand holding or working on a tripod and whether photographing stationary or moving subjects.

On our first day photographing the Snow Monkeys I learned that the Series II super-telephoto lenses are completely different animals. When I set IS 2 Mode and pressed the shutter button while working on a tripod the image jumped all over the place. I thought that the lens might be defective right out of the box…. So I tried IS Mode 3 and all was well with the world. Since then I have left the camera on IS Mode 3 all the time both on a tripod and hand holding and been perfectly happy. If I were photographing a static subject hand held I would try to remember to switch to IS Mode 1. And then to switch back to IS Mode 3.

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This Snow Monkey image was created at Jigokudani Yaenkoen Nagano Prefecture, Japan with the tripod-mounted Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens, the 1.4X III TC, and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops: 1/200 sec. at f/5 in Manual mode. Central Sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. When I saw this monkey sitting in a tree I ran up the ramp to get in position taking Kevin Watson along with me. I quickly made about seven images once I got set up and only one had a good head angle. Then the monkey jumped onto the somewhat less natural railing…. It was at the monkey park that I first learned that when working off a tripod it is best to be in IS Mode 3 with the new Series III super-telephotos.

I have not yet had the opportunity to test the new 4-stop IS system at very slow shutter speeds but I will assume that it will perform as well as it does on the 800mm f/5.6 L IS. (Note: I strongly advise turning IS off when working on a tripod with exposure times of 1/2 second or longer.)

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This Black-browed Albatross head portrait was created at New Island, the Falklands with the tripod-mounted Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens, the 1.4X III TC, and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/250 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. Two upper-right Sensors/AI Servo Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, more spectacular version. I have found that when on a tripod IS Mode 3 is best at all times. Perhaps despite the official word…

The location of the AF/MF and the limit range switches is odd and takes some getting used to. On the 300 IS II these switches are located to the behind the tripod collar while on all other Canon lenses that I am familiar with they are located in front of the tripod collar. I still reach to the traditional spot when I want go from full focusing range to limited focusing range as is recommended for flight photography; initial AF acquisition is much faster when the lens does not have to search all the way back to the minimum focusing distance.

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This Whooper Swan in flight against the distant mountain was photographed at Lake Kussharo, Hokkaido, Japan in early morning light with the hand held Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. Central Sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Expand AF points left and right as noted in the Mark IV User’s Guide. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, more spectacular version. Here I have stopped down two full stops from wide open and set IS Mode 3 for hand held flight photography.

A final thought from me: for folks with 1.6X crop factor bodies like the EOS-7D and the EOS-50D the 300 2.8 II would not be a bad workhorse lens for bird photography. They would enjoy effective focal lengths of 672 mm with a 1.4X and 960 mm with the 2X TC….

My Only Wish

In an ideal world the tripod collar on the 300 IS II would be removable making the lens just a bit lighter and a bit easier to hand hold; at my age every ounce matters! On March 10, while photographing with the very skilled and creative Paul Mckenzie at the Akan Crane Center, I learned that the tripod collar on the older Canon 300mm f/2.8L IS lens is removable. For those hand holding the new lens the additional weight of the tripod collar pretty much negates the lighter weight of the newer Series II lens. This leaves me baffled by the design change….

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This image of a Carrion (Jungle) Crow giving what for to a young Whooper Swan was created with the hand held Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. Central Sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, more spectacular version. Having an auxiliary lens on an RS-7 Black Rapid strap can often pay dividends. I was photographing the crow calling with the 800 lens when it flew a short distance and started yelling at the young swan. So I grabbed the 300 II and made the image with my “wider angle lens.” Interactions always add interest to an image. Best advice when you see something cool? Focus and fire. The action does generally not last too long.

Wrong Again?

Though it happens rarely, I never mind admitting that I was wrong. Again. The 300 f/2.8L IS lens is a superb tool for bird photography; it is light enough for most folks to hand hold, it is fast, it is versatile, and it produces stunningly sharp images with incredible fine detail.

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This Steller’s Sea Eagle was photographed in the pre-dawn light at Rausu, Hokkaido, Japan with the hand held Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens, the 1.4X III TC, and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/4.5 in Tv mode with IS Safety Shift as detailed in the Mark IV User’s Guide. Central Sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, more spectacular version. I suggested to the group that they try my pre-dawn, 1/500 second/+1 in Tv Mode/Auto ISO trick. Here, it worked to perfection.

Canon’s Overview of the 300mm f/2.8L IS II Lens

A worthy successor to the popular Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 IS, the all-new Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 IS II USM super telephoto lens is lightweight, weighing approximately 13% less than its predecessor, yet offers faster operation, improved image stabilization and superior optics. Incorporating Fluorite elements for improved image quality and reduced chromatic aberration plus a number of advanced coatings to minimize ghosting, flaring, and with a newly developed Fluorine coating that keeps soiling, smears and fingerprints to a minimum, the EF 300mm f/2.8 IS II USM is ready to deliver spectacular images in an instant. With a third Image Stabilization mode (Mode 3) that activates IS only when the shutter button is fully pressed, and giving the equivalent effect of a shutter speed four stops faster, the EF 300mm f/2.8 IS II USM allows for easy panning and is ideally positioned for professional action photography. The EF 300mm f/2.8 IS II USM also features a new security slot for wire-type security locks.

You can find links to more info here.

NIK 15% Discount

You can save 15% on all NIK products (including and especially Color Efex Pro 4) by clicking here and entering BAA in the Promo Code box at check-out. Then hit Apply to see your savings. You can download a trial copy that will work for 15 days and allow you to create full sized images.

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NIK Creative Efex Collection

NIK recently announced the availability of a special limited production bundle of 3 of their most popular products, Color Efex Pro 4, Silver Efex Pro 2, and HDR Efex Pro. You can save more than $200 on the bundle which is available only through NIK affiliates. If you would like additional info, please e-mail with the words “Creative Efex Collection” in the Subject line. If you have been on the fence about purchasing the plug-ins mentioned above this is a great chance to save some significant bucks. I love both Color Efex Pro and Silver Efex and plan on learning to use Viveza soon.

Earn Free Contest Entries and Support both the Bulletins and the Blog by making all your B & H purchases here.

More and more folks are earning multiple contest entries with their B & H purchases. See here for details on that. Eleven great categories, 34 winning and honored images, and prize pools valued in excess of $20,000. Click here to visit the competition home page.

Shopper’s Guide

Below is a list of most of the gear that I took to Japan. Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide links to purchase their gear as a thank you for all the free information that we bring you on the Blog and in the Bulletins. Before you purchase anything be sure to check out the advice in our Shopper’s Guide.

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Autofocus Lens. This is Canon’s top of the line wide angle zoom lens.
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens. Man, I am loving this lens on my shoulder with the 2X III teleconverter. I also use it a lot–with the 1.4X III TC.
Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens. This lens proved to be ideal on a tripod for both birds and wildlife with both the 1.4X and 2X III TCs. All images were super-sharp and the lens was light enough for hand-holding both in the zodiacs and when doing flight photograph from the ship.
Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens. Right now this is my all time favorite super-telephoto lens.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body. My two Mark IVs are my workhorse digital camera bodies.

And from the BAA On-line Store:

RS-7 Black Rapid strap. It’s rare that you will find me behind my tripod without an auxiliary lens on a Black Rapid RS-7 strap where I can raise it to my left eye in an instant.
LensCoats. I have a LensCoat on each of my big lenses to protect them from nicks and thus increase their re-sales value. All my big lens LensCoat stuff is in Hardwood Snow pattern.
LegCoat Tripod Leg Covers. I have four tripods active and each has a Hardwood Snow LegCoat on it to help prevent further damage to my tender shoulders 🙂 And you will love them in mega-cold weather….
Gitzo GT3530LS Tripod. This one will last you a lifetime.
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head. Right now this is the best tripod head around for use with lenses that weigh less than 9 pounds. For heavier lenses, check out the Wimberley V2 head.
CR-80 Replacement Foot for Canon 800. When using the 800 on a Mongoose as I do, replacing the lens foot with this accessory lets the lens sit like a dog whether pointed up or down and prevents wind-blown spinning of your lens on breezy days by centering the lens directly over the tripod.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
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.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV User’s Guide. Learn to use your Mark IV the way that I use mine. Also available for the 7D and the Mark III here.
BreezeBrowser. I do not see how any digital photographer can exist without this program.