Dissatisfied with the shots in my other Robin post taken with the Canon P&S, I took my Olympus E-520 with the *140-600mm (35mm FF equiv.) to the dam this morning.
It was heavily overcast, the light was shocking as you can see by my settings, but that in camera IS proved itself again with its 5EV jitterproof margin.
I caught this little poser standing 'just so' on a pine tree twig. The pinkish background (bokeh) is due fallen pine needles on the forest floor.
I am quite ecstatic to have been so lucky.
Mate bloody superb shot,looks like you snuck up on him and gave him a quick buff and polish first.
Very very nice shot.
Please tell me more about this 140mm-600mm lense.
The digital focal length of this lens is actually 70-300mm and to convert a 4/3rds lens to the familiar *35mm film format standard, you just multiply the focal length by a factor of x2, which for this lens makes it *140-600mm.
It weighs just 610gms and cost me just $800.00! (compare that to other makes of lenses of comparable quality and focal length and see what you come up with.)
Secondly, Olympus E-series cameras employ a new 4/3rds imager that has been in the developmental phase for the past several years by Olympus in collaboration with Kodak and Sony Panasonic.
Unlike conventional cameras such as Canon and Nikon, Olympus built their image stabilizer into their E-system bodies, thus making their lenses much lighter and cheaper without sacrificing image quality. Why would you want to pay for a new image stabilizer with each new lens you buy?
My E-520 came with two lenses as a kit, 14-42mm and the 40-150mm (Unlike some other companies, Olympus also include a high quality lens hood with all their lenses). This deal cost me around AU$800.00.
The additional 70-300mm (*140-600mm) lens cost $800.00, bringing my total investment so far to $1600.00.
Think about it! ?
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0805/08051301olympusE520.asp
Regards, "Tark" - Olympus 4/3rds colour
A ripper, Tark. They are a gorgeous creature, aren't they ? I wish I could get as close to one of these.
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A colleague has purchased the same twin lens kit that you describe, above, and is equally pleased. They are great value-for-money. The Olympus optics is up there with the best. Pentax also have the in-body IS and I almost bought one but for the limited range of lenses available.
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I think my Lumix FZ-50 has the same sensor type as your Olympus. My only complaint is that it suffers from noise above ISO200 but it is a great "walking around" camera. It has been replaced by a Canon 40D and a soon-to-be-delivered 100 - 400 zoom.
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Cheers,
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George
Cheers,
George
Melbourne, VIC
Great photo! A keeper for sure. Getting them to stand still for more than a microsecond helps. A blurred background helps focus attention on the subject. Well done.
Bluebird
I should also mention that Olympus E-series cameras have a 'Live View' monitor as well as the optical viewfinder. I prefer to use the optical viewfinder but the option is there.
Regards, "Tark" - Olympus 4/3rds colour
Too late for me to think about it Tark,as I just got my new camera mate,how do you reckon I would go if I bought a x2 teleconverter that should give me 150-600mm shouldn't it?
GeorgeP
Hi George, I wasn't that close, approx 27yds as you see from the full frame version. As for noise, that has been one of the crit’s leveled at Olympus that has been resolved with the high end E-3 ($2,700.00 body only) which I use exclusively for weddings. But at iso400 (as this sample is), there is little noise if any.
And yes, Lumix has also adopted the 4/3rds system I believe.
All cameras have there pros and cons, but from where I stand Olympus had too many pros to be passed over. 5EV in-body image stabilization was just one, the results of which are evident in the sample, handheld at 1/30sec - which I could scarcely believe until I looked at the EXIF data.
bluebird
Thanks mate, I have to count myself very lucky indeed for this one. :)
Regards, "Tark" - Olympus 4/3rds colour
Tassie, I don't remember what you're shooting with. Presumably a Canon. And I don't know what lens you are considering the x2 converter for. If it is a 75-300mm then you are right, you'll get a 600mm reach with it. But your question would be best answered by a Canon shooter.
Regards, "Tark" - Olympus 4/3rds colour
Sorry mate I am shooting with a Canon 1000D.
Lovely sharp shot of a tiny bird. The soft background enhances the image
Nice camera, Tassie.
Thanks Birdgirl.
Regards, "Tark" - Olympus 4/3rds colour
Tassie, the problem this that would be the lack of light in many situations. 5.6 would become f11 I think from memory.
You'd need to be in good light for that and remember the autofocus needs a certain f stop to operate successfully.
The Canon extendrs are excellent optically but there is no escaping the neeed for a better prime or zoom lens in the end.
Join the "wait and hope" brigade Tassie and we'll just have to make the best of what we can!!
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Oh well Birdie, I will have to start belly crawling through grass to get closer,at least I can afford that :)
My wife is still adjusting to my new hobby and the new camera.
I don't think the time is right to buy a new lense.
Great shot of the Scarlet Robin Tark one of my favorite birds.
Thanks Raoul.I'm heading to the dam again this morning to see if I can get some more robin shots.
And forgive the ungodly hour as between 4:00pm and midnight the network is jammed by the Playstation brigade ... send 'em all to boarding school or sign 'em up for military service is what I say! LOL
Regards, "Tark" - Olympus 4/3rds colour
Hey Tark i'm an ex Tasmanian left Hobart when i was 25, been back a couple of times, last time was 10 years ago not much has changed but i was amazed at all the mountains surrounding Hobart,you never seem to notice them when you grow up there.I now live in Perth and its all flat country just a few small hills and that's it.
What dam are you talking about? i remember that the shooting and fishing was fabulous there,mate it was a great place to grow up in.
Cheers Raoul
g'day Raoul, yes, as it happens I too grew up in Tasmania. After Hutchins I did my graphic arts dip. in Hobart and left to seek fame and fortune in Adelaide and Melbourne. I returned to Tas without either in 1993.
The dam I was referring to is the Risdon Dam where at certain times of year is abundant with birdlife but sadly at present most seem to have migrated to QLD and WA!
Regards, "Tark" - Olympus 4/3rds colour
Ooops, pic too big and cannot edit.
If you run Firefox web browser, try right click > View Image for the big picture.
Regards, "Tark" - Olympus 4/3rds colour
I think this must be the female Robin that I caught this morning at the dam.
Regards, "Tark" - Olympus 4/3rds colour
Nice shot mate.
Love that dam to.
Aren't they exquisite little birds?
When I started in this forum I had no experience in Oz of little birds except the blue wren in Perth & the wagtails. Now I have come to realise that the bush is full of them only they are the ones we don't see and sometimes don't even hear!!!
Lovely shots
Birdie
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Thanks Tassie, do you ever get over here to deliver stuff?
Thanks birdie. Yeah, I think the smallest birds are the greatest photographic challenge. Harder to find, and harder to see, and they don't sit still for long.
Regards, "Tark" - Olympus 4/3rds colour
No mate I don't get down that far.
I was asked last Xmas if I was interested in a job carting cattle around the lovely Isle but to be honest mate driving in the early am during the winter months was a pretty big turn off.
I froze my backside off in Toowoomba last thursday night so I would be no good down there. :)
That's a shame Tassie ... had you come, you'd have probably met up with a lot of your mates that have moved down here. It's funny to see them arrive all rugged up like they were heading for Antarctica, then week by week they peel the layers until they end up looking like the rest of us. They only way you can pick 'em is by their number plates, "Quensland The Place to Be"!!!
Regards, "Tark" - Olympus 4/3rds colour