GREAT BIRD WATCHING WEEKEND

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Despite quite a bit of wind it was a great weekend for bird watching and bird photography and some of the best happened right here at home. First I saw a female Yellow-rumped Warbler in the elm tree next to the balcony. As I stepped out in the open it became clear there was more than just one and later I saw at least five birds. They picked spiders and insects from leaves and from the cedar siding of our house. I wonder how long we may see Yellow-rumped Warblers this season. Normally they migrate further south but during the winter 2021/22 we had a few birds here at least until mid January.

I just stood on the deck with the Nikkor Z 600 f/6.3 on camera and tried to catch them as the warblers moved around very quickly. With this kind of photography the advantages of the new lens over my trusted SIGMA 150-600 made a big difference and one disadvantage of this lens played a role as well.

The very light weight, about half of the Sigma, makes for very good and easy handholding and moving around quickly. The focus speed and precision is just phenomenal and my keeper rate is way up above what I ever was able to obtain with the old lens for shooting little birds in a tree. The only disadvantage I’m aware of is the longer MFD (Minimum Focus Distance). The Z 600 starts at 4 meter, 1.2 m more than the Sigma. I had a couple moments when a bird landed really close and no way to step back. With other words, those shots were missed.

As mentioned, there was more going on this weekend and I really tried to learn how to handle the Nikkor Z 600 f/6.3, but this is for another blog post during this week.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S

SECOND APPEARANCE

Hard to believe this was almost a week ago. A few days earlier our crocus and snow bells showed their first blossoms until they got all covered again during a snow storm last Monday. So, here is a couple photos from the second appearance of spring flowers in our yard this year.

It’s not really macro photography but the old SIGMA 150/f2.8 macro lens is still in my bag and finds employment for shots like this. Most modern lenses focus much faster, but if the camera is locked on the subject, this lens delivers still tack sharp results. Another reason for me to use this lens sometimes is the Minimum Focusing Distance (MFD), which is 15 inches (0.38m). A ‘killer tool’ for any detail shots!

GET IT RIGHT IN CAMERA (PART 2)

Eastern Gray Squirrel, 1/800 s, f/9, ISO 400, @850 mm, DX mode (1,275 mm)

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Sigma APO Teleconverter 1.4x EX DG, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head

Although with a totally different aspect, I’m picking up from my last blog post today, “Get it right in camera”. All photos are from last weekend. Way too many times I do have to crop some of my wildlife images, mainly because of too much distance between the camera and the animal. There has been progress over the years but it remains a challenge and I’m not always up to it.

Black-capped Chickadee, 1/400 s, f/9, ISO 400, @850 mm

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Sigma APO Teleconverter 1.4x EX DG, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head

Well, there is a piece of gear in my bag that can help to get closer and fill the frame without cropping, but I admit, it hasn’t seen the light of the day much lately. I’m talking about the SIGMA 1.4 teleconverter that compliments the SIGMA 150-600, f5-6.3 and can extend its focal length from 600 mm to 850 mm. On a camera with a half size sensor or in DX mode on a full frame camera, like the Nikon D750, you can even get the angle of view of a 1,275 mm lens. Wow, this is a lot more than the naked lens can provide!

Red-bellied Woodpecker, 1/1250 s, f/9, ISO 400, @850 mm

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Sigma APO Teleconverter 1.4x EX DG, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head

Of course there is a downside. With a maximum aperture of f/6.3 at 600 mm the SIGMA isn’t the fastest lens anyway, but with the teleconverter attached it becomes a f/9! This needs a lot of light for a good function of the autofocus system. But if the focus locks on, this lens / teleconverter combination delivers a sharp picture. It’s not the perfect solution for “low light” wildlife photography. But if the sun comes out and you have the great contrast, colors, and light this time of the season has to offer, you might be suddenly closer to your subject and after a while you don’t even know where the “crop-button” of your photo editing software is located…😉

GEAR TALK: FIRMWARE UPDATE AND LENS OPTIMIZATION

White-breasted Nuthatch, Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S ———

I made an overdue update of the firmware for the SIGMA 150-600 Sports lens today. Thanks to the USB dock and optimization software from SIGMA I can customize the lens to my shooting preferences and create two presets for autofocus and optical stabilization (aka vibration reduction), or even correct the focal point if necessary (although I never had to correct the focal point yet). This sounds complicated but is very easy to do. After the presets are created on your computer screen and transmitted to the lens you can choose either customized setting by just flipping a switch on the lens barrel or you can leave it off. For example, I can switch from a more dynamic autofocus and optical lens stabilization that I use quite often during bird photography, where fast movements of the subject are most likely, to a smoother focus and stabilization behavior with slightly better accuracy.

In order to test my new presets I just stepped outside and looked for a bird. The White-breasted Nuthatches are permanent residents here all year long, they are just fun to watch, and seem to be the perfect subject for such a test. It looks like the nuthatch was sitting on this branch forever but this was just a couple seconds that the bird remained in this pose. Their movements are usually fast and erratic, and it is a challenge to get them in focus while handholding the camera with the relatively heavy SIGMA 150-600 Sports lens attached. I liked the focus behavior of the lens before, but after reviewing the first few images, made with new firmware and refined custom settings, I could already tell that the focus speed and accuracy, as well as image stabilization were even better. Don’t take me wrong, I still believe that proper hand holding and constant practice with such a heavy lens are the basics for a sharp image, but it is nice to have confidence about the technical side of the gear. If my photos are out of focus I can only blame the pilot…

NATURE CLICKS #371 - BLACK-NECKED STILT

Black-necked Stilt, San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine, California ----------

Hard to believe that it was already a week ago when I visited the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine, California. It was very exciting to see and watch many birds that we don’t see here in Iowa. One of them is the Black-necked Stilt, who feeds in salt and fresh water. I first saw them a few years ago in the Great Salt Lake, Utah, than last week again in the salty water of the Pacific Ocean at the Bolsa Chica laguna, and finally in the fresh water ponds at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary. Their legs are extremely long in proportion to their body, only exceeded by flamingos. This stilt feeds on tadpoles, mollusks, aquatic insects, snails, flying insects, seeds, and even small fish (source: iBird Pro App).

The photo was made with the Sigma 1.4 tele extender attached to the Sigma 150-600 lens and camera was set to DX crop mode. This is the equivalent to an angle of view of a 1275 mm lens. This shows the bird a lot closer but handling this focal length, even on a tripod with gimbal head, is not an easy task. This combination is unforgiving when you make the slightest mistake while focussing on a moving subject. The Black-necked Stilt has some good contrast in its feathers and therefor it is a great shore bird to practice with a long lens.

TAKE OFF SHOTS

Marie Louise Lake, Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada

As mentioned in an earlier post I have been brave a few times and took the camera and long lens with me in the kayak, despite some choppy winds at times. One of the best rewards were some shots of this adult Bald Eagle, taking off from its perch at Marie Louise Lake. The photo would not be very difficult to make on solid ground with the lens supported by a tripod. Handholding the heavy SIGMA 150-600 Sports lens in a kayak is quite a challenge and I’m very happy about this shot. The image is not cropped and was shot with 1/1600s, f/6.3, ISO 320, at 600 mm.

 

SIGMA 150-600MM SP, MORE THOUGHTS AFTER THREE MONTHS OF FIELD TESTING

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens

Coming back from two weekend trips with filled memory cards in the camera and trying to make up the mind what photos to show is probably a good problem to have. This happens always in spring, when wildlife is migrating back north or getting ready to raise their offspring here in eastern Iowa. This pair of Trumpeter Swans rested together with some Canada Geese at a small puddle near the village of Green Island, Iowa. It was still there when I left the wetlands, hours later in the afternoon, and in much better light than during the late morning.

I promised you in December 2015 to write a little more about my experience with the Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens, after I had some more field testing done. So, here are a few thoughts. The lens does a wonderful job delivering sharp images even with wide open aperture (f/6.3 at 600 mm). This was not necessarily the case with the old Sigma 50-500, which had to be set to f/8 at 500 mm for best results. I shot the Trumpeter Swans with f/6.3 and f/8 and like the sharpness equally. This is very important to know because it allows to shoot faster shutter speeds in many situations. The background is much better blurred at f/6.3, which helps to make the subject of the picture stand out from its surroundings. The corn field behind the swans is actually a pretty busy background, but smoothing it as much as possible improves the quality of the image, at least in my books… If the critter is moving and I need to pan with the lens, I usually shoot with f/8. The small increase in depth of field may help to get a sharp shot at all and the background is usually blurred anyway. Sure, a lens with f/4 or f/2.8 may deliver a better background but for most amateur photographers, like me, this is cost prohibitive…😉

YOUNG EAGLE'S CATCH

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens, tripod, gimbal head

On my way home from a good customer of mine in Davenport, Iowa I stopped at lock and dam #14 in LeClaire, Iowa, the same place I have reported from many times before about Bald Eagles. There were by far not so many photographers as last Saturday (see my blog post about the last visit by clicking HERE).

The light was kinda mediocre but I want more practice with the new SIGMA 150-600 Sports lens. During the short time I was at the Mississippi River I just tried to explore the capabilities of this lens , even under not the best light conditions.

I show you what I think was the most interesting picture that made it onto my memory card today. This immature Bald Eagle caught the fish out of the water and headed straight to a tree . Younger eagles are not always successful in their fishing efforts but this one knew it hit the jackpot. The claws holding the fish became my subject, but the photo would have ended up in the trash can, if the eye of the bird would not have been visible or even just been blurry.

NUTHATCH AND SIGMA 150-600 S LENS TALK

White-breasted Nuthatch, Little Maquoketa River Valley, Iowa

This is a picture I wanted to make since a long time. The White-breasted Nuthatch gave me a little bit of time today at our maple in front of the house to shoot a series of pictures. The fill flash is subtle, just enough to emphasize the colors, and except for the second catch light in the bird’s eye, it is not obvious that flash was even used. The nuthatches are permanent residents in our woods here on the bluffs above the Little Maquoketa River Valley.

I used the Nikon D750 with the SIGMA 150-600, f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens for this photo (picture made @ 600 mm, 1/160s, f/6.3, ISO 250). As more I work with the new lens, as more I fall in love with it. My old SIGMA 50-500 delivered sharp images but it was at its best at an aperture of f/8. I’m very impressed how the new 150-600 S performs already at f/6.3, and I already mentioned in my first article about this lens how much better the bokeh of the new lens is. It’s getting gradually warmer here in the next few days and I hope I have some more opportunities to practice with the SIGMA 150-600 S.

SIGMA 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM SPORTS LENS, FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens, tripod, gimbal head, SB 800 speed light

The Weihnachtsmann was very nice this year and placed a new lens under the Christmas tree. The Sigma 150-600 mm / f5-6.3 DG HSM OS Sports lens will replace my “workhorse”, the Sigma 50-500 mm / f4-6.3 APO DG HSM. It has served me very well during the last six years and it was a perfect match for the Nikon D200, and later the Nikon D300s cameras. Its optics are very good and if focus can be obtained, it always delivered sharp images.

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens, tripod, gimbal head, SB 800 speed light

So what were the reasons to buy the new lens? The additional 100 mm focal length are a big one. On the D300s the 500 mm maximum focal length delivered the angle of view of a 750 mm lens. After changing to a full frame FX sensor, with the Nikon D750 camera, well, 500 mm are just 500 mm. This can make a big difference in wildlife photography. In a critical situation, when it might be impossible to get closer to the subject, changing the camera settings to “quick crop mode” will provide the equivalent of a 900 mm lens. This can make the difference between coming home with “the shot” or nothing.

You have not seen many of my photos here in the blog when I wasn’t able to obtain focus because of shutter speed was too slow, but there were more than you may think. Optical stabilization (OS) will hopefully help me to have more keepers on the memory card after a shooting session. This was another big reason for getting the new Sigma lens.

The old lens isn’t splash and dust proof and as you know, it isn’t always easy to keep water and dirt away in the field. The new one has a weatherproof construction. Big deal for me.

The snow storm that just came through here didn’t leave me much time to do a lot of testing with the new lens yet, but I show you a couple photos and here are my first impressions.

  1. The Sigma 150-600 Sports lens is very well built and has a really nice design. Nothing looks and feels cheap and the lens gives you a professional feeling with its ergonomic features (more about this probably in a later blog post).
  2. It is able to deliver sharp, very sharp images!
  3. I love the bokeh. OMG, much better than with the old lens.
  4. The darn thing is heavy, and I mean heavy. The old 50-500 was called the “Bigma” because of its weight but the 150-600 Sports lens brings 900 grams (2 lb.) more to the scale. I read a lot of reviews about this lens before I asked Santa Claus to bring it this Christmas. Some of the reviewers talked about sharpness by just handholding the lens. Sure, this is possible, and I will for sure handhold the lens, but posting a verdict about sharpness doesn’t seem to be the right way of making an evaluation. Bottom line, this lens needs good support (tripod) whenever possible!
  5. Price. I thought it was a little overpriced in the past. I had this lens on my wish list since it came out over a year ago, but when Sigma lowered the price by $200 and B&H threw in the USB dock for adjusting the lens via computer ($60), I felt the time was right to pull the trigger... 😊. 

I’m sure I will give those of you, who like to read more about this lens, some more thoughts as soon I can do some real field testing beyond my first backyard experience.

As always, equipment plays an important role but it is the person behind the camera that makes the photo. I still believe that…

P.S.: I have added more thoughts about this lens on April 4, 2016. Feel free to click HERE for this new post.