I just played with ISO a lot today and what a lesson, and I was able to use
that and shutter speed (S priority) to get the best pics of the full moon I
have taken to date, with that crappy (I shouldn't call it that if it is my
best pics to date!) $41 500 mm lens and a Vivitar 2X Macro Focusing
teleconverter MC O/OM. 2.75 inches long. Bout $45 after shipping.
What little I have learned and found out on my own about the teleconverters
is a good 2X will be closer to 1.5 inches than the cheap 1" ones, because
they have more elements. 7 Elements is supposedly a good one, the cheap ones
have 4.
I also have a Vivitar Automatic Teleconverter 3X - 21. I can't find any
details on it or what the numbers mean, but the degradation is seriously
more than the 2 X. No one bid against me on this, I got it (after shipping)
for $25 I think.
I took a mess of photos today at a tree top 800 feet away, using the Hanimex
70-210 I got (another one no one bid against me on, with shipping it was
$45)
I started with auto ISO and a 1/50 shutter speed and kept upping it until
the pics were getting dark, then I moved the ISO to 400 and started again,
but now I was able to start at about a 1/125 shutter speed , then tried a
800- ISO and started about a 250 shutter speed.
Then I added the 2X Teleconverter and did it all again, I had to start and
end at slower shutter speeds.
Then I did it with the 3X and by now the 1/50 was OK where as it had been a
1/125 speed in comparison.
Then for shits and giggles, I added the 2 X plus the 3 X to the 210 lens and
I had a blue background look to it, it was all about fuzzy, but if the Red
Shoulder Hawk had been there, I would have been able to easily tell him
apart from the Red Tail Hawk, but nothing to share unless they had been
previously unknown in the area.
I learned enough to noticeably improve the shots of the full moon I took
tonight over the ones I have taken in Feb and Jan, noticeable improvement
with a $41 dollar lens and a better $45 teleconverter.
Now I know enough to use those skills to get decent pics of the American
Kestrels who, by the time I can tell what they are and pull out a camera,
they've already decided I'm too close and leave.
The real tough one is going to be the Harris Hawk aka Marsh Hawk, I flush
this guy with the truck but never have seen him before he takes off. This
may take a 300+ lens that is made for the E-Series. Way to fast for me to
use a manual.
Maybe the Golden Eagle will come back too. That has been real rare, only 1-2
times a year do I see that one and it is huge compared to the other birds.
After checking out Jan Steinman's Zuiko shoot out and looking at what his
Oly 2X-A did, it actually improved one of the lenses results.
I now I'm going to get what we pay for, good glass and good craftsmanship
will give me more opportunities to get good shots, but practice, even with
the basement bargains I've started with has given me a lot to learn with.
Scott
==============================================
List usage info: http://www.zuikoholic.com
List nannies: olympusadmin@xxxxxxxxxx
==============================================
|