Yesterday on Antelope Island was a good day for birds but not for this photographer.
1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
After several years of Sage Thrashers being nearly nonexistent on the island, this year they’re popping up almost everywhere. Including in areas where I hadn’t seen them in the past, even on good years. And many of them are juveniles, indicating that thrashers had a productive breeding season.
I timed this shot pretty well, catching the thrasher in a takeoff posture I like.
However, this photo isn’t as sharp as it should be (especially the bird’s head which I’ve sharpened more than usual) and neither were almost all of the other 1200 shots I took that morning. Most of them were significantly softer than this one. At this relatively low resolution (900 pixels on the long side), this photo may look reasonably sharp but it’s soft enough that I’d never consider printing it even moderately large.
So yes, I’m discouraged. Last night I tinkered around with my lens and camera settings, including cleaning the glass. My setup uses an adapter between my tc and camera – that’s a lot of electrical contacts that need to be working properly so I’ve cleaned them all and I have an extra tc that I can swap back and forth while I’m doing more testing today and tomorrow.
The last thing I need is to have to send my camera and/or lens to Canon for repair but it may come to that. High tech camera gear is great, but when it goes on the fritz it’s a royal pain in the ass.
Ron
I hate focus issues. I’ve had front-focus, back-focus, and no-focus and sent lenses to Pictureline, Nikon, and 3rd party repair and it seems like they just send it back and say “it’s within specs” without fixing anything. The worst, by far, is Nikon. Last time it was a 10 year-old 500mm f/4 that would only focus part of the time and Nikon said it was too old and they didn’t have the parts to fix it so it became a $5,000 boat anchor (luckily I contacted a 3rd party authorized repair center that fixed it without a problem). But I can’t sympathize too much–your “soft” photos are sharper than any of mine!
Fantastic!!
So glad the thrashers and other critters on the island seem to have had a successful breeding season. đ
Crossing fingers, legs, eyes that your cleaning has solved your tech issues — or that it’s an easy fix.
This bird has a very determined look on its face! But he only has to “focus” on where he is going, and not how he looks to the rest of the world. No cameras or computers for him, thank you very much.
Hope your camera issues calm down – it seems like you’ve had more than your share of tech problems in the last couple of years.!
“it seems like youâve had more than your share of tech problems in the last couple of years.”
It seems that way to me too, Carolyn. But every photographer with gear problems probably feels that way.
Maybe try getting the sensor cleaned by Pictureline before sending it off. Once I got the gnat out my focus sharpened. It wasnât very expensive and they did it same day. If the problem doesnât clear after cleaning then send it to Canon. Canon only had mine a couple of weeks, they said it didnât act up for them. They cleaned it again and charged 3x as much as Pictureline.
Yes the large number of sage thrashers, and high number of birds in general on the island has been fantastic!
April, the experience with Canon you describe is part of the reason that sending it to them will be a last resort.
Last time I looked I was still a member of CPS (Canon Professional Services). Hope I didn’t let it lapse.
Mine is on auto pay.
Have to admit to being a tech rager – I go absolutely bonkers when my computer or phone misbehave. Finders and toes crossed your TLC solved the issue.
“Tech rager” applies to me also, Kathleen.
VERY frustrating! Great when they work a real PITA and, often, an expensive one, when they don’t…… đ
Beautiful shot of the Thrasher even if not “up to snuff”…..
Thanks, Judy. “Expensive” is only part of my anguish.
I have a low tech camera compared to yours Ron, but did some cleaning on it as well. About a year ago I had to send it back because it was no focusing. Cost me a couple hundred to fix it and it took about 3 weeks. As a professional maybe you get faster service?
We had a Crissal Thrasher in the yard yesterday for the first time in about four years. I was wondering what the origin of the name Thrasher is?
“I was wondering what the origin of the name Thrasher is?”
Everett, in answer to your question, I found this.
“It’s not hard to see why this bird is called a âthrasherâ because it forages through the leaf litter, tossing leaves aside with vigorous sweeping motions until it uncovers a tasty morsel.”
Thanks Ron – and of course the Spotted Towhees do that as well
Technology is great, till it is not. And seldom there are greater frustrations when it is not. Fingers crossed for you.
Do like the photo.
Do not wish to contribute to your frustration, but are those woody branches in the foreground in focus?
“are those woody branches in the foreground in focus?”
Michael, it’s hard to tell at this size and resolution. So I looked at the original image at 100% – the branches are about as sharp as the bird’s face, which isn’t very.
I hope all of that cleaning and checking last night solved the
problem……….
Me too, Kris. Me too…