Ah well I blame Mamnesty for that
and I'll try MF

Thanks
Steve

Not sure what you mean, the Moorhen is included in the crop.

The 100% crop term is something I have picked up here, or other forums, but of course refers to 100% zoom in photoshop, which I assume shows the image quality how it really is if you were to print at this size and hence gives an idea of quality even if you dont print so large.

So perhaps 100% zoom is a better term as at 100% it can be any size crop 1%, 10% etc.

Incidentally, the light was not bad, it was a clear day at about 1500though obviously the sun is low at this time of year. I just checked the Exif though and it was 1/50 sec at f9.0 for the moorhen and 100th at f9 for the BIF.
So, my mistake perhaps I need to shoot Sv or M instaed of Av

Lots to learn and thanks again.

Chirpy
Some good points there thanks.
Muti-point focus and AF-C, I suppose that makes sense now that you say it. I was on Spot Focus and AF-S so focus could be anywhere on BIF as tracking is difficult.
I will try BIF again with the 1.4 TC when I get it and may even try a x2 to see what its like, though I imagine I will be losing a bit by that point.

Iceblinker
Yes I was panning



Cheers
Steve

Mamnesty
as much as that? 500th at F16 would need some light, it was late afternoon as I went for warm light, but I take your point and shall experiment. I agree re- the amount of cropping but cropped to 100% to demonstrate the problem.

Womble, nice shot I did see the original thread and it did make me laugh, that was before my first feeble attempt at bird photography yesterday.

Thanks

Steve

Okay Mike I shall try a smaller aperture next time. Thanks

Steve

Okay here we go

First shot at 300mm f4 to test followed by 100% crop

[IMG]http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f396/Hannabella/300test.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f396/Hannabella/300testcrop.jpg[/IMG]

second shot is of a fairly stationary bird and 100% crop, 300mm and f4 which seems fairly soft on the bird, I know theres an out of focus plant in the foreground, but the rest of the bird is still quite soft.

[IMG]http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f396/Hannabella/Bird.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f396/Hannabella/Birdcrop.jpg[/IMG]

Finally the Heron in flight and 100% crop 300mmm f4. Same thing really

[IMG]http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f396/Hannabella/Flying.jpg[/IMG]


[IMG]http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f396/Hannabella/Flyingcrop.jpg[/IMG]

Well, the bird in flight could have been camera shake, but I was shooting at 500/sec so I wouldn't have thought so.
My thoughts were that because it was fairly distant that spot metering wasnt quite locking on the bird (stationary this one) and because I was using f4 for shallow depth of field, that the focal point must have been in front or behind the bird. I will try and post an image here in a few minutes.

Vic

Yes it does come up with the word link, if you click on that you will go to your page.
If you wish to change the word like This is where I would like you to visit

or even the whole url
http://www.ybw.com/ybw/home.htm

replace the word link (not in square brackets) that has appeared on your comment before adding.

Does that help?

Steve

As Ice says
First go to your Picasa site and copy the url from the top of the page.
Then come back here to your post and click the link button just below where you are typing. You will see a box open up which has a space to type and http:/ is already in there. Seeing as you have probably already copied the http:/ bit from your url, delete this and then paste in your copied url. And voila

Hope that works try it here
Steve

yeah I guess so Don , actually Im okay about manual focus and use it most of the time for landscape shots. Trouble is when the subject is distant, i.e. the bird is quite small, then isn't it still quite difficult to tell if you are focused correctly through the viewfinder?especially if using a short DOF.
Dunno I am a beginner at this so all advice appreciated.