BAA Notes 8-27-2012

• Canon 500mm f/4L IS Lens for Sale
• Posse News: Robert Amoruso
• Denise Ippolito Eastern State Penitentiary Workshop
• New York City Weekend Nature Photography Seminar December 8-9, 2012

Canon 500mm f/4L IS Lens for Sale

With the price tag on the new and still hard to get Canon 500mm f/4L IS II lens reading $10,499 the older versions have been in high demand and hard to locate.

IPT veteran Karen Hunt secured her brand new Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens in somewhat timely fashion (they too are still very hard to get!) using the BAA affiliate link (thank you very much Karen!) and is offering her older version of the 500mm for sale at a very attractive price as below.

For sale: used EF Canon 500 mm f/4L IS lens with all original stuff including lens hood, carrying case, rear dust cap, strap, box, and instructions. Am throwing in a LensCoat. Purchased new 11/2009. In very good to excellent condition. It was serviced and cleaned by Canon 10/2011. Shipping at your expense: $6500 firm. Will take return at your expense within 10 days if not satisfied. You can contact Karen by e-mail or by phone as follows: home–406 257-6148, work–406 752-8900.

My gut feeling is that this lens will sell instantly at $6500; many have sold recently on eBay for more than $7K.

Posse News: Robert Amoruso

Note: Robert leads trips to great spots that I used to visit regularly when I lived in Deltona, FL and traveled less than I do now. That includes Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. I know that Robert knows his stuff because I taught him .

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (MINWR) and Viera Wetlands – November 29 to December 2, 2012

This workshop will be led by Florida Master Naturalist Robert Amoruso. It will visit some of the most diverse wildlife and avian photography locations in East Central Florida including Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (MINWR), Canaveral National Seashore and Viera Wetlands. oth MINWR and Viera Wetlands will be rife with avian activity. Migratory ducks are normally present in great numbers. White Pelican opportunities are excellent. The year-round residents include Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, Great Blue Heron, White and Glossy Ibis and Roseate Spoonbill. Reddish Egret populations are doing quite well so expect to see many. If conditions allow the threatened endemic Florida Scrub Jay will be a primary quarry at a nearby scrub habitat sanctuary. The Scrub Jays are particularly cooperative at the sanctuary offering excellent photographic opportunities of this handsome bird. Besides the many avian subjects you will encounter, landscape photography will be on the menu including an early morning trip to the seashore for sunrise. This workshop’s concentration will be on field technique. Indoor sessions include presentations on Visual Dynamics in Avian photography, landscape photography, using Manual Exposure and Robert’s image editing and post-processing workflows. Learn more and check out the great slide show images here.

Photography Exhibition by Robert Amoruso at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (MINWR) Visitors Center – October 1 through November 30, 2012

The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (MINWR) will host an exhibition of Robert’s avian photography created throughout MINWR and the adjacent Canaveral National Seashore. Also featured are Robert’s landscape sunrise images created at the Seashore. In conjunction with the exhibit, Robert will be giving his presentation “How I Create.” This program delves into the technical as well as aesthetic aspects of creating visually dynamic images. The images in the presentation will be chosen from amongst those on display at the exhibit. The program will be presented during the MINWR Photo Club meeting on October 25th and again in November during the exhibit’s Meet the Artist program (date and time to be announced).

Additional details can be found on Robert’s website here.
For information about and directions to MINWR Visitors Center, visit here.

Private Photographic Instructional Workshops

As good as group workshops can be, sometimes private one-on-one instruction is the ticket. My private workshops cater to your individual needs. In advance of the workshop we will discuss your objectives and how they can best be met. Then I’ll custom-design your workshop to meet those goals. These workshops generally include the abundant and prime photography areas close to my home base as I know them well but I can travel to other locations in Florida if you have a specific locale in mind. Learn more here.

Newsletter and Contact Info

e-mail Robert with questions or to receive his educational and informative newsletter. You can reach him on his cell at 407-808-7417.

Used Photo Gear for Sale

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM Lens, Excellent condition operationally and cosmetically. No scratches on front element. Only a few small coating chips on the corners of the tightening ring and near tripod collar mount. Comes with original tripod collar, lens hood, case and box. Dust can be seen on the first internal lens element near for front – has no effect in image quality. This is a typical situation with this lens due to the push-pull design. Image quality excellent – this is one of the good ones. New currently in the $1550 range. Will sell for $1250.

Lowepro Photo Trekker AW II backpack (new $360, discontinued new $250). This pack is virtually new. I only used it a few times. Reduced – will sell for $75.

Panasonic DMCFZ35 12.1 Megapixel Digital Camera. Used but in excellent operating condition. I have camera, one battery, charger, original software discs, latest software from Panasonic downloaded onto CD including all manuals. I do not have paper copy of manual. Comes with Lowe Pro case. New sells for $495. Reduced – will sell for $50.

For additional information, pictures of items, or to arrange a purchase e-mail Robert or call him on his cell at 407-808-7417. A personal check, bank check, or money order is preferred. PayPal of credit card payments can be arranged.

Denise Ippolito Eastern State Penitentiary Workshop

Larn a bit about the Eastern State Penitentiary here. From the ESP website: Eastern State Penitentiary was once the most famous and expensive prison in the world, but stands today in ruin, a haunting world of crumbling cellblocks and empty guard towers. Known for its grand architecture and strict discipline, this was the world’s first true “penitentiary,” a prison designed to inspire penitence, or true regret, in the hearts of the convicts. Its vaulted, sky-lit cells once held many of America’s most notorious criminals, including bank robber “Slick Willie” Sutton and Al Capone.

Denise Ippolito has led several A Creative Adventure Workshops to the derelict prison and has another scheduled for September 8, 2012, less than two weeks from now. And the best news? She still has a few openings. You can learn more and see a selection of her evocative images here.

5D Mark III

I wish that I could stay for this year’s ESP workshop as I would love to use the 5D Mark III’s great in-camera HDR feature…. In the pre-publication version of my 5D Mark III User’s Guide I share everything that I know about this great camera including complete details on both the HDR and Multiple Exposure features. And you can still save $10 by clicking here. For those who learn best in person do know that Denise will have her 5D III along and will be glad to teach you how to use the HDR feature; she prefers Natural and I prefer Art Vivid.

NYC Seminar

Do consider joining Denise and me for a great weekend nature photography seminar in Staten Island, NY in mid-December. For complete details including registration and discount info, click here.

Shopper’s Guide

Support both the Bulletins and the Blog by making all your B & H purchases here. Below is a list of the gear used to create the images in today’s blog post. 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.

15mm fisheye lens. Takes time to learn you use this little one but when you do it is too much fun.
Canon 24-105mm L IS lens. I never head into the field without this versatile B-roll lens in my X-trahand vest.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital Camera. This full-frame body with killer video replaces the old 5D; great for landscapes and wide angle lenses.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body. Unfortunately discontinued.

And from the BAA On-line Store:

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 🙂
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
Be sure to check out our camera body User’s Guides here.
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.