Colchester Zoo

thoughton
Posted 27/08/2009 - 16:36 Link
Some photos from a recent day trip to Colchester Zoo. I've been on staycation the last two weeks, so quite a few daytrip photos still to be sorted! Apologies in advance

It's been a few years since my last zoo trip, but I was really quite impressed with Colchester Zoo. They had quite a few 'walkthrough enclosures', where you can enter the animal enclosure through an airlock-style double door. Obviously this didn't include the tiger enclosure...

I realise many of you might be zoo-ed out after titchgamer's zoo thread, but any C&C would be appreciated.

All shots with a SMC Takumar 135/2.5 (except the sea lions one)

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This next one was through thick glass (duh ) which was pretty grubby and grimy from all the kids noses. I've done my best to clone most of it out, but apologies for the general blurriness. I quite like the 'flying' effect though
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This next one was taken with a Teleplus MC7 Macro 2x TC, I was pleasantly surprised by the results. Not too sure how many there are there - the heads don't seem to match the tails. I just wish the two lemur bums weren't visible in the top right
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This next one I'm including just to show what happens when you aren't paying attention. REALLY wish I hadn't cut the head off!! Was sitting down having lunch at a lakeside cafe there and this chap swam past. Fumbled my way through a few shots but by the time I had got a good focus and framing he had swum behind a bush. I love the apparent sharpness.
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Full set on Flickr here.

Thanks for looking!
Tim
AF - Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 70-200/2.8, Tamron 70-300/4-5.6
MF - Vivitar CF 28/2.8, Tamron AD2 90/2.5, MTO 1000/11
Stuff - Metz 58 AF1, Cactus v4, Nikon SB24, Raynox 150, Sigma 1.4x TC, Sigma 2x TC, Kenko 2x macro TC, Redsnapper 283 tripod, iMac 27”, Macbook Pro 17”, iPad, iPhone 3G
Flickr • Fluidr • PPG • Street • Portfolio site
Feel free to edit any of my posted photos! If I post a photo for critique, I want brutal honesty. If you don't like it, please say so and tell me why!
Edited by thoughton: 27/08/2009 - 16:58
Mannesty
Posted 30/08/2009 - 22:51 Link
Nice series, well done. Maybe a polariser might have improved the 'seal in the water' shot and the 'through the glass' shot.
Peter E Smith - flickr Photostream
jackitec
Posted 30/08/2009 - 23:02 Link
All really good shots I love them,
paulyrichard
Posted 30/08/2009 - 23:24 Link
I like the elephant photograph Tim, they're nicely balanced in the frame.
"All the technique in the world doesn’t compensate for the inability to notice." - Elliott Erwitt

http://paulyrichard.wordpress.com/
goggalee
Posted 31/08/2009 - 01:47 Link
Excellent set of images, like them all! Mainly the first one.
Pentax K10D, *istDS
Pentax 18-55mm,50-200mm,Macro 100mm
Takumar-A 28-80mm, Sigma 170-500mm, Soligor Teleconverter x2

Finally!! Sigma 10-20mm

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.

https://pentaxphotogallery.com/maliskaoosthuizen
thoughton
Posted 31/08/2009 - 02:16 Link
Thanks for the nice comments everyone , and to Peter for suggesting a polariser. I really need to get one (or a few, as I think I need one for the Sigma 10-20 as well), but it's seems to usually be a case of 'get some polarisers or get a new lens', and in a moment of weakness I end up getting the lens!
Tim
AF - Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 70-200/2.8, Tamron 70-300/4-5.6
MF - Vivitar CF 28/2.8, Tamron AD2 90/2.5, MTO 1000/11
Stuff - Metz 58 AF1, Cactus v4, Nikon SB24, Raynox 150, Sigma 1.4x TC, Sigma 2x TC, Kenko 2x macro TC, Redsnapper 283 tripod, iMac 27”, Macbook Pro 17”, iPad, iPhone 3G
Flickr • Fluidr • PPG • Street • Portfolio site
Feel free to edit any of my posted photos! If I post a photo for critique, I want brutal honesty. If you don't like it, please say so and tell me why!
Lance B
Posted 31/08/2009 - 02:21 Link
Wow. Fantastic shots, Tim. All excellent compositions and nice use of DOF on the first shot.
Cameras:K-7/K20D/*ist D/K10D
Lenses:DA14 f2.8, A16 f2.8, FA20 f2.8, FA31 f1.8, DA35 f2.8 macro, FA43 f1.9, FA50 f1.4, A50 f1.4, A50 f1.2, FA50 f2.8 macro, DA*55 f1.4, FA77 f1.8, DFA100 f2.8 macro, A100 f2.8, DA*300 f4, FA*300 f4.5, DA10-17 FE, DA12-24 f4, DA*16-50 f2.8, DA17-70 f4, FA*28-70 f2.8, DA*50-135 f2.8, DA*60-250 f4, FA*80-200 f2.8.
Flashes:AF540FGZ, AF360FGZ
Karl
Posted 31/08/2009 - 04:12 Link
Agreed, good series Tim.
Have you thought about presenting your shots at the maximum size of 800 pixels? This way, for me anyway, there is more to look at.
https://pentaxphotogallery.com" target="_blank">https://pentaxphotogallery.com/images/black_link_small.jpg" alt="See my photos featured in the PENTAX Photogallery" />
thoughton
Posted 02/09/2009 - 09:56 Link
Thanks Lance and Karl

Karl I have dabbled with 800px images, it's simply that I am a lazy Flickr user and doing so would mean having two versions of each image in Flickr.

Flickr offers automatic resized versions that are 500 wide or 1024 wide, but unfortunately not 800. I did experiment with using 'width=800px' in my posts here but the forum software wasn't having any of it
Tim
AF - Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 70-200/2.8, Tamron 70-300/4-5.6
MF - Vivitar CF 28/2.8, Tamron AD2 90/2.5, MTO 1000/11
Stuff - Metz 58 AF1, Cactus v4, Nikon SB24, Raynox 150, Sigma 1.4x TC, Sigma 2x TC, Kenko 2x macro TC, Redsnapper 283 tripod, iMac 27”, Macbook Pro 17”, iPad, iPhone 3G
Flickr • Fluidr • PPG • Street • Portfolio site
Feel free to edit any of my posted photos! If I post a photo for critique, I want brutal honesty. If you don't like it, please say so and tell me why!
Edited by thoughton: 02/09/2009 - 09:57

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