Trip to the Zoo...

[ukaskew]

Headed down to Marwell today as the weather was so good. First non-motorsport outing for the 120-300 2.8, and I've just picked up a used Sigma 1.4tc so I had a pretty hefty 168-420mm f4 set-up (getting on for 4kg). It generated an awful lot of comments from people, which made for quite an entertaining day.

420mm is a little ambitious handheld for this sort of thing, I've decided. Fine for panning etc but very difficult holding that steady for the best part of 5hrs. Might take the monopod next time, or just drop back down to 300mm and see how that goes. For the reasons described above these are a little softer than I would have liked, but usable...

A few more here: http://chrisharrison.smugmug.com/gallery/7607760_ajaMt

 

[Revels]

I was glad when I saw you'd created this topic.

Top notch as always. 3rd one down is a cracker!!

 

[mradam87]

Those pictures are fantastic! I like the tiger ones best. Have just bought the Sigma 70 - 300mm lens and intend on taking it to Colchester Zoo when I go in a couple of weeks, hopefully get some decent shots.

 

[meady100]

Very enjoyable! I really must get my 100-400mm down to Whipsnade!

 

[Beef-Mc]

Brilliant pics!

 

[ukaskew]

I was glad when I saw you'd created this topic.

Top notch as always. 3rd one down is a cracker!!

Only went really to save me coming up with another idea for my 365

 

[Ian]

If that's what your 365 makes you do then I'd say it's serving its purpose! Great photos Chris.

 

[Revels]

Only went really to save me coming up with another idea for my 365

LOL! How many spots on that Cheetah?

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Wow !!! Cracking shots.

Love the tigers - but the meercats are great characters too !

 

[Soph]

Great pics

 

[Guppy]

LOL every time i see a meerkat i think of lolcat

Awesome pics though fella!

 

[JR]

:hail:

Amazing

 

[Leeshez]

Wow what nice piccys .

 

[Paul.]

simply incredible

 

[.Gem.]

Stunning work, beautiful photographs!

Meerkats rock, and I love the 4th pic down, so sweet!

 

[Vish]

You sir are talented! Amazing photos.

Those pics make me want to go out and buy a DSLR and lenses tomorrow and start snapping so I can get shots that good one day!

How long have you been snapping enthusiastically if you don't mind me asking?

 

[dunganick]

Nice shots as always Chris, particularly like the 3rd 6th and 10th photos for their backgrounds and the reflection on 10th.

 

[B7JLS]

comparethemeercat.com

 

[ukaskew]

How long have you been snapping enthusiastically if you don't mind me asking?

Really been into it since about Oct '06 when I got my first DSLR, I had a bridge camera for a year or two before that, but wasn't really doing it as a hobby as such.

Nice shots as always Chris, particularly like the 3rd 6th and 10th photos for their backgrounds and the reflection on 10th.

Backgrounds aren't quite as nice with this lens (Nikon 80-200 2.8 AF-S still my favourite for that) but that may be down to having a 1.4tc attached as well. Still really like them though, had to be careful with having such a wide aperture at that focal length, focus on the nose of an animal and the eyes could be out of focus...not something I've really needed to worry about before.

 

[Vish]

Really been into it since about Oct '06 when I got my first DSLR, I had a bridge camera for a year or two before that, but wasn't really doing it as a hobby as such.

Oh right, not that long then.

Could you produce similar shots to yours above with your bridge camera? I really want to get a DSLR but with wanting so many other things atm, I'll have to do with a bridge unless I go second hand which I'm still considering.

 

[Andy.]

Wow! Another set of awesome shots.

Love the fact that the background is so blurred that the photos don't appear to have been taken in a zoo. The detail/ sharpness is also pretty amazing. Did you do much PP?

 

[dunganick]

Oh right, not that long then.

Could you produce similar shots to yours above with your bridge camera? I really want to get a DSLR but with wanting so many other things atm, I'll have to do with a bridge unless I go second hand which I'm still considering.

A Half decent Bridge would cost you 90% what a cheap Nikon or Canon with kit lens would cost.

But thats only the start of the cost.

 

[Vish]

A Half decent Bridge would cost you 90% what a cheap Nikon or Canon with kit lens would cost.

But thats only the start of the cost.

That's the thing, the bride I'm looking at will be around £280 for all inc. spare battery, 16GB card, case and UV filter.

But wondering if it will be able to achieve similar quality shots as ukascew has achieved in these pics.

 

[Revels]

You'll need a sharp fast lens which isnt cheap, especially one with a bit of zoom.

You can get 50mm f1.8 which would get you similar results with the DoF which is about £80 but you'll have to be much closer but then what Chris has is about a £1k I think..

Also, I wouldnt get a 16GB card. Thats one hell of a lot of pics to lose if it corrupted. Unlikely but possible. Just get a few smaller ones. 2/4GB.

 

[Vish]

You'll need a sharp fast lens which isnt cheap, especially one with a bit of zoom.

You can get 50mm f1.8 which would get you similar results with the DoF which is about £80 but you'll have to be much closer but then what Chris has is about a £1k I think..

Also, I wouldnt get a 16GB card. Thats one hell of a lot of pics to lose if it corrupted. Unlikely but possible. Just get a few smaller ones. 2/4GB.

I'll stick to the bridge for now then. Would need a tele lens too for Silverstone this year and other races I end up going to. Cheers for the card advice, hadn't thought of that.

Sorry to the OP for the unintentional 'jackage.

 

[ukaskew]

Wow! Another set of awesome shots.

Love the fact that the background is so blurred that the photos don't appear to have been taken in a zoo. The detail/ sharpness is also pretty amazing. Did you do much PP?

Sharpness isn't actually too great at full res for a lot of these, I've applied a very minor unsharp mask to some (10%) but otherwise it's just down to a bit of levels tweaking. Every shot is through a wire fence that was a good 6ft away, so that tends to wash the colours out (had some cracking shots that I just couldn't retrieve) quite severely.

But wondering if it will be able to achieve similar quality shots as ukascew has achieved in these pics.

Cheapest way of getting near that sort of quality is probably an entry level DSLR and something like a Sigma 70-300. Should be possible for under £300, especially if you're willing to go second hand. Second-hand D50 and a Sigma 70-300mm and you're well away, possible to get that combo for less than £200. Bridge camera will offer lots of flexibility but won't be as sharp/detailed.

After that it just gets silly, my lens I used for these shots has an RRP of £2,999 but I managed to find one used for £950...and the funds for that came from trading up from other used lens I had found and then made a bit of profit on.

 

[Vish]

Thanks mate, still looking into second hand so will see what comes about.

 

[Brasseye]

Great fur and colours on the tiger shots

 

[Ian]

Sharpness isn't actually too great at full res for a lot of these, I've applied a very minor unsharp mask to some (10%) but otherwise it's just down to a bit of levels tweaking. Every shot is through a wire fence that was a good 6ft away, so that tends to wash the colours out (had some cracking shots that I just couldn't retrieve) quite severely.

I did think this when I first saw them, but put it down to web hosting, the fact that you're shooting through the fence probably explains it though. Are you ever up North with your photography Chris?

 

[Tyssen]

Awesome pics hun - love the last one of the Meerkat

 

[cat171]

Meerkats are cool as fook tbh:approve:

Hi

 

[Rhino172]

love Marwell tbh...awesome shots there chris...looks like the tigers were nice and active fo some good pics...when i went they were just laying about not doing much lol

I find no matter what camera you have you can always take an awesome pic of a meerkat, don't know why, they just always come out real well...

 

[Paul_G]

Some lovely shots - bet your arm were aching after a day of lugging all the gear around!

 

[Fletcher]

Great pics Chris.