Sharper Shots

Not being an expert photographer I still manage to get a lot of shots that simply do not cut the mustard ie they are not as sharp as I want them to be.
Now I know photographing wild birds is somewhat of a black art so you need all the help you can get.
In my search for perfection I came across a video on youtube called "The Ultimate Aperture Priority Hack !!!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTTGI6ZEsZM 

The guy from Beyond Photography goes on to explain how to set your camera so that when in AV mode your shutter speed wont go below what you set it at, thinking this will be a big help I followed his instructions to set up a Canon camera to do this, it didn't work I couldn't figure out why, I tried it on 7dmk2 and 5dmk4 same result.

I then spoke to a pal of mine who said that the setting he was adjusting was only used for when you are using auto iso and that you need to set the minimum shutter speed in the custom settings tab in the menu.
So I tried that and hey ho spot on this setting works a treat, now if the camera cannot achieve the minimum shutter speed it just will not shoot at all which will mean an increase to the number of keepers with a bit of luck.

Two lessons learnt, not all on youtube is spot on and don't be afraid to ask even if it makes you look a bit of a numpty.

Snow Bunting Hunt

There are usually Snow Bunting present along the seashore between Birchington and Reculver, I had seen people posting pictures and decided I would go along one morning and see if I could see these pretty little visitors from the arctic.

I set out early so that I would be arriving before sunrise and on the long walk to the location of the last reported sighting approx 2.5 miles.

I had almost given up when out of the corner of my eye I spotted movement, trust me for such a colourful bird the blend in so well with their surroundings they are hard to spot if they do not move.
I froze and sat down and slowly inched closer it was a solitary female.

I couldn't quite get her to go out into the early sun completely.

Canon 5dmk4 700mm @ F7.1 1/400th ISO500

This was the best I could do partly in shadow, I spent a few minutes with her before she flew off down the beach, mission accomplished, five mile round trip for one picture.

Gimbal Head Update Number 2 !

I purchased the Nest NT530h mk2 back in 2017 (see previous blog entry). I was out early on the coldest day of the year and whilst the horizontal movement which I have already repacked was fine the vertical movement all but seized up due to the cold.

So I thought it was time to repack the vertical movement, this was only possible by drilling a small hole in the cover plate with the Nest logo on.

Then it was a hex head bolt and the locking knob then un screws off of the main shaft.

At the back there is a bearing race and washers this was all taken off and dunked in white spirit.

To remove the main shaft you just need to pull it and out it pops, I was surprised that this was not sitting on a bearing race, it simply relies on the machining being of a tight tolerance and a red friction washer.

Once again it was all cleaned off with white spirit, both the shaft and inside of the pivot, then dried and a good splodge of  high melting point lithium grease was applied to all surfaces and the bearing race.

Main shaft was put back in and rotated to ensure the grease was nice and evenly spread around, then the washer and bearing race followed by the knob.

Finally the hex bolt was refitted with a bit of semi permanent Loctite.

It now runs smooth as silk and should do so in all weathers, yes you do stand the chance of having you kit do a sudden nose dive if you are not careful but at least I will now be able to follow erratically moving targets a lot smoother than before.

New Lens Day Woo Hoo !!

The day has finally come my new Canon 500mm mk2 lens is due to be delivered today, I am meeting up with the previous owner to do the deal !

Upon inspection it is in near mint condition, complete with flight case and all the bits and bobs that go with it.
Like a buffoon I forgot to bring an Arca Swiss plate with me so all the shots I took with it are hand held, and I must say I am very impressed with the results.
We met up at Bossenden Woods coldest day of the year so far but hey ho!

These were all shot using Canon 5dmk4 and the Canon 500mm f4 L IS MK2

Coal Tit 1/250th @ f7.1 ISO 640

 Robin 1/125th @ f7.1 ISO 400

 Nuthatch 1/400th @ f7.1 ISO 640

 Nuthatch 1/320th @ f7.1 ISO 400

Blue Tit 1/320th @ f7.1 ISO 400

Nuthatch 1/320th @ f7.1 ISO 400

Nuthatch 1/500th @ f7.1 ISO 400

All the above shots had varying amounts of exposure compensation applied so as to retain the detail in the white bits on the birds.

I am over the moon with this purchase its an outstanding lens one that I thought was out of reach for me, I look forward to getting it on a tripod to see what it can do.

New Long Lens

OK so after lots and lots of looking and soul searching I came up with a shortlist, and it was a very shortlist.
Two possibilities:

Sigma 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Sport or Canon EF 500mm F4 L IS ii USM

Both very similar in weight and appearance, both come highly recommended, I have read tons of reviews about both lenses and they are so closely matched to each other there is hardly anything to choose between them.

Even on image quality its a close run thing with the Canon just edging out the Sigma according to the reviews.

Where there is a significant difference of course is in the all important cost, Canon currently selling for £8199 with a best ever price of £6139 and the Sigma currently on the market for £4690 and a best ever price of £4068.

I could not find a secondhand Sigma on the market, secondhand Canon's are currently around the £5500 mark obviously depending on condition.

I had therefore decided to plump for the Sigma as it comes with a 3year manufacturers warranty and being brand new I was thinking it would out last me as I am not getting any younger.

With the choice made I sat back and was watching prices daily, waiting for the Sigma to drop as at the time it was £4999 which is a little steep for me.

During this time I happened to mention to a fellow togger what I was doing when he informed me he would be getting a Canon 600 mk3 in the not too distant future and his 500 mk2 would be up for grabs as he would no longer need it.

I said that even secondhand it would probably be out of reach for me he then told me he would want £4000 for it !!

I said you are stitching yourself up you could easily get £5000, but he is happy with £4000.
So whats not to like I snatched his hand off and have agreed to purchase his Canon EF 500mm F4 L IS mk2 as soon as he gets his 600mm mkiii.

This is the best scenario for me being all Canon again as I only use Canon DPP for editing and all the Lens parameter's will be available.

Just have to wait for his new lens to arrive ! can't wait !

Restharrow Scrape

Restharrow Scrape is a good place for birding you never know what your going to find on the scrape itself, but also the surrounding area has some great habitat for a wide variety of species.

Early misty morning looking out across Restharrow Dunes

7dmk2 @1/2000th iso100 F5.6 100mm

Whilst talking to a couple of visiting birders I saw one glance up, I followed his gaze and got this lovely shot of a hunting Kestrel

5dmk4 @ 1/2000th iso1600 F6.3 400mm

 I also dialled in +1.33ev to account for the bright background.

A short walk up the Ancient Highway towards the Chequers Inn I got these shots of Stonechats

5dmk4 @ 1/3200th iso400 F5.6 400mm

5dmk4 @ 1/1250th iso400 F7.1 400mm

Turned out to be a bit of a Stonechat fest, I did see Goldfinches, Robins, Linnets Great Tits, Blue Tits but they were to distant for good pictures all in all an enjoyable few hours.

 

The Murder Of Mary Bax

So I am out early walking between the Restharrow Scrape and the Chequers Inn I left the road as a bird was perched in a bush and I thought I would get a little closer only to stumble upon this headstone completely by chance and thought I would document what I have discovered about this sad event.

The inscription reads:

On this spot August 25th 1782

Mary Bax Spinster Aged 23 years

Was Murdered by Martin Lash, Foreigner

Who was Executed for the same.

I did a quick bit of investigation and the story goes like this (all though there are a couple of versions I believe this to be the true version),

The Ancient Highway was once the main route from Deal to Sandwich,  there were a number of buildings along the road, The Chequers Inn being one of them.

Mary Bax was a young woman of 23, on the morning of 25th August 1782 Mary was walking along what we know as the ancient highway from Deal to Sandwich carrying a bundle. She had just passed the Chequers Inn when she passed a man sitting by the side of the road. 

He stopped Mary and asked the way to Sheerness, which is a long way from Sandwich, then he asked her for money. 

Mary refused, the man who was a foreigner then attacked Mary, ultimately killing her and dumped her body in a ditch. 

He then made off in the direction of Sandwich carrying the bundle Mary had been carrying. 

The man did not know that he had been seen by the 13 year old son of a Looker, ( a Looker was a Sheperd) the boy was scared that he would share the same fate as Mary so he hid until the man was out of sight, then he set off in the direction of Deal and raised the alarm. 

It was found that the man Martin Lash (Laas) was a deserter from a ship anchored in the Downs, he was Norwegian and aged 27. 

He was finally found asleep with Marys bundle next to him, in a churchyard in Folkestone which is nearly 20 miles away from Sandwich. 

He was taken to Maidstone Gaol, tried and executed for the crime.

The stone still stands in remembrance of Mary Bax. 

I am glad that I chanced upon the stone.

I don’t think Mary was buried at this spot, as I found this entry:

"Mary Bax was buried at St Peter's Church Sandwich, her gravestone was cleared away in the last century to tidy the graveyard but is still recorded in the parish records."