Monthly Archives: January 2015

7D Mark ii and 100-400 mark ii review Day 3: Six Pack on Ice

Posted on by
6

As promised here are “Six Pack on Ice”.  These were taken on Sunday 1/11/15.  Not over exposed, feel a little hot to me.  Might have had something to do with them standing on a large photo reflector in harsh mid day sun!

All shots in this post are from the Canon 7D mkii + Canon 100-400 mkii

Take time to Reflect!KJ7D0654-FrameShop KJ7D0747-FrameShop KJ7D0748-FrameShop KJ7D0755-FrameShop KJ7D0758-FrameShop KJ7D0774-FrameShop

I had to work today, so as soon as I finish a little web work, heading down to my studio to put the 7D2 through some high ISO comparison.

Enjoy what you read and the photos? Subscribe to be notified of future posts via email by either clicking the Follow button at the bottom or the Subscribe section on the right!  Feel free to leave a comment.

Thanks for stopping by, Life is good, and I am blessed!
Kent

7D Mark ii and 100-400 mark ii review Day 3: More Eagles

Posted on by
1

Today I headed back to Lock and Dam 14 on the Mississippi River.  Today was my local photo club’s Eagle Outing.  I knew I was there mostly to guide and pay it forward.  There was a total of 23 Photographers from our We Click Photo Club.  The club even rented a pair of 15-600’s for the people to share.  I believe a good time was had by most of them.

Snow was in the forecast, clouds and tougher lighting and warmer temps meant less eagle activity. However, I was pleasantly surprised that I took 681 photos and have 116 keepers.  That is a pretty good “keeper” rate.  Especially for only being the third day on the new combination in my hands.

All shots in this post are from the Canon 7D mkii + Canon 100-400 mkiiKJ7D0698-FrameShop KJ7D0717-FrameShop KJ7D0740-FrameShop KJ7D0787-FrameShop KJ7D0788-FrameShop

Study the eye in the eagle below, you can see her Nictitating eyelidKJ7D0868-FrameShop

Money Shot: Classic Fishing PoseKJ7D0904-FrameShop

What do you think so far?

Enjoy what you read and the photos? Subscribe to be notified of future posts via email by either clicking the Follow button at the bottom or the Subscribe section on the right!  Feel free to leave a comment.

Thanks for stopping by, Life is good, and I am blessed!
Kent

7D Mark ii and 100-400 mark ii review Day 2: Eagles

Posted on by
13

When I first got to my Eagles, the skies were blue.  I started off with the Canon 7D Mark ii and Canon 100-400 mark ii  hand held, and the Canon 1DX + 500 on my gimbal.

The Canon 7D Mark ii is a little slower to grab focus in on the bird in flight, but tracks WAY better than my old Canon 7D’s (I had 2).

I then switched bodies and lenses, so of course the light condition had changed by then.  Light fell apart around 1 when clouds rolled in.  Heavy cloud cover until 3:30,,, so the best part of the day was crap.

7D Mark ii + 100-400 mark ii KJ7D0142-FrameShop

Canon 1DX + 100-400 mark iiPBKJ9744-FrameShopTry to ignore the skies, both birds where shot handheld, full-frame and same edit script (Actions)

What is your first impression? More to come on this field testing! This is only Day 2.

Few more Canon 7D MKii + Canon 100-400mm IS MKii to chew on.KJ7D0108-FrameShop KJ7D0114-FrameShop KJ7D0166-FrameShop

Heavy Crop, but getting closer to catching the talon to talon shot!KJ7D0192-FrameShop KJ7D0225-FrameShop KJ7D0233-FrameShop KJ7D0298Crop-FrameShop KJ7D0370-FrameShop KJ7D0377-FrameShop

What do you think so far?

Enjoy what you read and the photos? Subscribe to be notified of future posts via email by either clicking the Follow button at the bottom or the Subscribe section on the right!  Feel free to leave a comment.

Thanks for stopping by, Life is good, and I am blessed!
Kent

 

7D Mark ii and 100-400 mark ii review Day 1: Pheasants

Posted on by
7

Let me start off by saying it is WAY too early to jump to any conclusions about my new combination of a Canon 7D Mark ii and a Canon 100-400mm IS mark ii.  I have 15 days to keep or return it.  This morning I headed out in 3 degrees, -20 wind chill looking for a one of my Snowy Owls.  I figured if I could catch on a pole or post I could do a side by side comparison.  No luck on the Snowy Owls, but I did find 14 Male Pheasants.

Pheasants aren’t native to Illinois or even America.  They were introduced from Asia into the United States as a game bird, they took hold and strived!

I was going to strip off all info and have you guess which camera took which photo, but I’ll do that later.

Pheasants with the new Canon 7D mark ii + 100-400mm IS mark iiKJ7D8746-FrameShop KJ7D8749-FrameShop KJ7D8755-FrameShop These are farm raised in pens and then released into a state park for hunters.  This poor guy doesn’t have any tail feathers!  I am guessing they were picked off from other birds in the pen, but maybe he froze his a$$ off 🙂KJ7D8775-FrameShop KJ7D8786-FrameShop KJ7D8792-FrameShop Couple from the trusty Canon 1DX and 500mm f4 IS Prime.PBKJ9573-FrameShop PBKJ9576-FrameShop

 

I am headed to the river to see how this combination handle my Eagles and birds in flight.  I was going to micro adjust the pair, but after today I am going to wait on that step.

What do you think so far?

Enjoy what you read and the photos? Subscribe to be notified of future posts via email by either clicking the Follow button at the bottom or the Subscribe section on the right!  Feel free to leave a comment.

Thanks for stopping by, Life is good, and I am blessed!
Kent

American Pelicans

Posted on by
2

You never really know what you might find when you stalk the banks of the mighty Mississippi.  During one of my recent eagle trips I was pleasantly please when a group of eight American White Pelicans showed up.

PBKJ8445-FrameShop PBKJ8484-FrameShop PBKJ8572-FrameShop

I was like “cool” I dont have any full frame in flight white pelican shots.  It wasn’t until I watched them devour every fish that was near the lock, and the eagles all left the area to roost in the trees.  (bummer)!

Lots of people take their dogs on walks around Smith Island, just North of the Lock & Dam 14.  I was getting the eye from this Bettendorf Bulldog!

PBKJ8644-FrameShop

 

with several days of sub zero tempatures, I am lookign forward to field testing new gear this weekend.  I picked up a 7D mark ii paired with the new 100-400 IS mark ii.  I will be doing a detailed review on this blog as soon as I get enough field time for an honest review.

Enjoy what you read and the photos? Subscribe to be notified of future posts via email by either clicking the Follow button at the bottom or the Subscribe section on the right!  Feel free to leave a comment.

Thanks for stopping by, Life is good, and I am blessed!
Kent