Stag party

Yesterday, whilst waiting for my lady wife to finish work, I decided to take the Sigma 150-500 out on only its 2nd field trip, actually a trip to the park, and went into Tatton Park.

These are my efforts, I'm still trying to get to grips with the lens so any comments, criticism and advice would be most welcome. I'm currently using the K10D in Tav mode as I found that in Tv mode it always seemed to set the fstop to 6.3

1.[IMG]http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j311/Tinywales/Tatton06072011/stag_6_w.jpg[/IMG]

2.[IMG]http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j311/Tinywales/Tatton06072011/stag_4_w.jpg[/IMG]

3.[IMG]http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j311/Tinywales/Tatton06072011/stag_2_w.jpg[/IMG]

4.[IMG]http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j311/Tinywales/Tatton06072011/magpie_w.jpg[/IMG]

5.[IMG]http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j311/Tinywales/Tatton06072011/easyjet_w.jpg[/IMG]

As I said any criticism, comments and advice would be most welcome.

Thanks,

Howard

I havent tried any long telephoto shots myself (I imagine its very challenging and I have the upmost respect for people who get it right) but heres my four penneth anyway!

For me the focus is a bit off on #1 it somewhere in the antlers but I cant quite tell, better on the eyeball?

#2 is a little dark and unsure about the focus.

#3 for me is a real stunner! he looks like he's talking!- I might clone out the debris on the bridge of his nose.

#4 Looks nice and sharp

#5 I dont know what sort of deer this is

Are you pleased with the lens? They are going for very reasonable money at the moment- Pretty heavy to lug it around though I bet.

Hi.

I would be happy if I could produce shots half as good as that, used to be able to in my film days, but cannot seem to crack this dam digital thing.
Actually , its probably an age thing, gets us all in the end.

Take care, and have fun with that 500mm.

Chris R.

Hi John,

Thanks for your comments.

I agree that in 1. the focus is not quite right it does seem to be in the antlers somewhere. With 2. perhaps it could do with lightening, the stag was under a tree. No 3, I think what's on his nose is fly! As for 4. and 5. I thought I'd have a change. All hand held by the way.

Yes, I am pleased with it and I'll be happier when I'm more used to it. And yes, it is heavy to carry around, luckily yesterday it was not too far to walk.

Thanks Chris for your kind remarks, age does get all in the end - and sometimes I feel my nearly 70years especialyy after carrying this monster around!


Cheers,

Howard

BTW your local park knocks spots off mine!

I don't see many of no.5 although we have plenty of deer in nearby Richmond Park...

(I did see an Easyjet A319 at Paris CDG yesterday - what an awful hell-hole that place is, say what you like about Heathrow I've been to many airports in the world that are much, much worse and CDG is one)

The plane is an A320 by the way

Thanks Peter for that info. However I'm confused - I didn't realise there was a Richmond Park near Denbigh. Is it as big as the one in SW London???

Cheers,

Howard

Hi Howard

I've just got a Sigma 150-500 as well, so we're on the same learning curve. Your pics look good to me.

Can't offer advice or criticism, but a couple of things I'd like to share

If, like me, you've bought new from a UK dealer (got mine from SRS - great service just like everyone says), you have 30 days from purchase to register at Sigma Imaging for a free 3 year warranty.

I note all your pictures are hand held, I've invested in a cheap monopod, and I'm finding it extremely useful I was losing some shots to camera shake around 1/100 sec at 500mm, not any more. It worked even better when I remembered to screw it on to the lens, not the camera, doh!

I got the 7day shop own brand 1003 for £7.79 inc delivery (less than the price of a replacement front lens cap for this beast?), and find it robust enough for the weight of this camera/lens combo. It only weighs 360g so doesn't add much to what you have to lug around.

Also I had the opportunity to compare it with the Camlink monopod Argos sell for £19.99, they are identical.

Very pleased with it, it is heavy to lug around, but at current prices very good value

Good evening reverend or do you prefer to be called Peter

Thank you for the kind words and for that bit of info, for that price I might well go for a monopod, can't lose can I. Thank you also for reminding me I need to fill in the warranty card - I got mine from SRS as well. Most of my shots are at 1/500 @ 500mm but I could still do with support.

John941 how are you getting on with yours? Do you find that the monopod helps?

Cheers,

Howard

[/quote]I need to fill in the warranty card - I got mine from SRS as well. Most of my shots are at 1/500 @ 500mm but I could still do with support.

Cheers,

Howard

[/quote]Howard

I think the 3 year warranty is a separate thing to the warranty card, that you have to do online within 30 days at the Sigma Imaging web site, I could be wrong, but better safe than sorry. It's quick and easy to do, you just need the lens no.

Cheers

Peter

Shot 3 is the best one of the deer, as mentioned above.

It looks to me like you are getting the hang of that lens

I'll agree on monopods helping enormously. I didn't get one until I got the 80-400 - and then seriously appreciated it pretty much immediately. Nice when you can use them as a walking stick, too; mine has a 234RC2 head on it, so there's a plate on the tripod collar and another one on the body. Works nicely when switching lenses.

Bret