The first test shots taken with my newly repaired lens.
Yep, I got my lens back from the Canon repair facility in California late yesterday morning. Free overnight return shipping is one of the perks of Canon Professional Services, for which I’m grateful. They were still working on it Tuesday morning and before noon on Wednesday I had it in my grubby little hands. Can’t complain about that.
As you can imagine I was itching to take some test shots to see if the replacement of my 4th group IS lens assembly and other necessary work fixed my problem with soft photos. So almost immediately I took my lens down to a local pond to take some test shots of the Mallards that reliably hang out down there.
1/8000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
It was midafternoon so the light was a little harsh but the warming sun had inspired a group of about a half dozen Mallards to join in communal bathing. Their bathing activities had begun even before I got my pickup stopped so I didn’t have time to make any camera adjustments, I just aimed, fired away and hoped for the best.
The action was fast and furious as I tried to predict which Mallard would be the next one to bathe. I got lucky with this female.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
When birds are bathing it’s always a challenge to get light on their face and in their eye but I succeeded a few times. The water splashes and flying water drops really add to the excitement.
1/6400, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
At times there were three or four Mallards bathing simultaneously so I had to make a choice and run with it. This male was kind enough to give me a broadside view.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I thought this was a somewhat unusual and interesting perspective on a bathing duck.
Overall I’m encouraged by the results of my lens repair, at least so far. The photos I took of static Mallards during my test session were sharp and so were most of the shots I took when their bathing action was fast, furious and frenzied. But I know from experience that it’s folly to come to a final conclusion before I’ve done more extensive field testing. I need more testing with birds in flight and smaller birds in varying lighting conditions.
Hopefully over the next few days our weather will cooperate so I can get out into the field for more testing. Besides, it’s been about two weeks since I’ve spent any time with birds so I need to get out there again for my own mental health. For me birds are therapeutic.
I’m also looking forward to getting back to my daily blog posting schedule, or close to it, which is another form of therapy I’ve been missing. To be perfectly honest I’ve been a little off-kilter for the last couple of weeks.
Ron
Do the Canon people reset the counter when they repair your camera?
absolute mallard bliss….
quack!
love it…
Mallards are such gorgeous birds! Your shots — especially the last one — definitely showcase their beauty. The water shapes are the icing and cherry on the cupcake that is each shot. 🍰 (This was as close as I could get, emoji-wise.)
Thanks, Marty. Not to worry, I can’t interpret most of those little emojis anyway.
Delightful, joyful photos, Ron! These fun little ducks make me want to plunge in with them and splash around. So far, so sharp for the lens. I have been off kilter without you and your photos!
Thank you, Melanie. Being off kilter is no fun.
I love splashing bird shots so these are a real treat. Especially so for me this past summer/fall as our clueless city council decided to engage in disruptive major earthworks at the only accessible pond I can get to, in order to accommodate the joggers who feel discouraging Canada Geese so they don’t have to occasionally step in bird dung is justifiable. Grrggghhh! So, having been off-kilter myself since May, I can really appreciate this kind of angst.
Granny Pat, “clueless” and “city council” just seem to go together, don’t they.
I’m afraid our city council is going to widen one of the primary feeder streets into my area of town, for the sole purpose of accommodating more development which is the LAST thing we need.
Consider me happy dancing.
Your blog’s absence has thrown my days off kilter too.
And I always, but always delight in bathing birds…
I like it when you happy dance, EC. Sometimes that means I’ve had good luck.
Be thankful (very thankful) you cannot see it.
C’mon. Send photos!
Not going to be a happening thing. I don’t do photos. Any photos.
It appears the repair was successful although i will reserve judgment until you post more photos like these.😄
I think the old saying “familiarity breeds contempt” or at least a “meh” applies to Mallards. If they were uncommon or rare birders would drive miles to see one.
“If they were uncommon or rare birders would drive miles to see one.”
You got that right, Lyle. And that reminds me, I photographed a lifer for me this morning. If the photos are any good you may be seeing one or more of them tomorrow.
You have me on pins and needles, Ron! Can’t wait to see the bird you captured this morning!
Woot woot!!!
And woot back at ya, Kathleen.
I have always enjoyed shots of the Mallards during their bathing frenzies and also in the spring with their crazy and also frenzied mating practices. Glad you finally got the camera back and are satisfied so far.
Mating Mallards, now that’s another story isn’t it Everett. What a violent affair!
Glad to see these busy ducks and so clearly!
Thanks for your posts, they are a joy. I’m off to Texas then Florida, should see many different birds than here in Massachusetts!
Thanks, Mary. Enjoy your extended trip.
Trust you to make a “splashy” return! Love the bathing shots.
I would venture to guess that more than a few of us have been a little off-kilter right along with you. Your blog, whether it’s birds, family stories, or opinions, is one of the joys of my morning routine.
“trust you to make a “splashy” return.”
I loved that, Robyn!
And your very kind words of course.
Those shots are great, whimsical to me!
That is fabulous you got the lens back and can get back to the birds and photographing them!
I’m glad you like them, Duane. Some folks think Mallard photos aren’t worth their time because they’re so common and because they hybridize with other ducks. Nice to know you’re not one of them.
So happy to see “Feathered Photography” back on my feed list this morning !
Sure looks like your and Canon’s efforts have paid off—I really enjoyed this
morning’s post, especially the Mallard in broadside view; all of those flying crystalline droplets added a special fillip to the gorgeous iridescent color display.
Much appreciated, Kris. It may or may not take me a while longer to post daily again but I should at least be posting more often than I have for the last couple of weeks.
Wonderful shots of the bathers, Ron……. 🙂 Always amusing that ducks/geese need to “bathe”…. 😉 Glad the lens is back in your hands and, at least so far, it seems to be working as it should! Kings-X! Glad to have the blog back also!
And I’m glad to be back, Judy. Thanks.
Glad to see your lens is back. It seems to be working well!!! Nice, sharp. Bathing ducks make us seem very casual bathers.
Thanks, Nancy. So far I’m feeling pretty good about this repair. We’ll see how it all plays out over time.