Photography Info - What do you think of this lens?

[Dave]

Thanks each and all for the advice. VERY much appreciated.

I purchased the following:

Canon 7D
300mm Prime EF F4 L IS
1.4x Teleconvertor III
and a bunch of accessories.

I also bought a Tamron F2.8 17-50mm

I had a few moments to try it out at a friend's feeder with Anna's Hummingbirds.
I shot at the following:

Auto Focus
300 mm
1/5000 sec
F5
no teleconvertor
ISO 500

How were these settings. Suggestions for improvement? I really wanted to try "freezing" the wings on the birds.

[martin]

Great shots Dave, good choice on the lens, hope you enjoy it.

[tmanson]

Hi Dave: A belated reply on your recent purchase. Congratulations. I think you will enjoy that equipment.
I have learned a fair amount about photography by just reading this forum, and I know I will always be more interested in birds than photography.
However, in London Drugs today, I read an article in a photo magazine that will have some relevance to you, as it has to me, especially since we are using, more, or less, the same equipment.
The jist of the article was be prepared to switch over to manual focus. The example the author was using was taking pictures of a small bird on a branch with other branches in the background, in relatively low light with equipment like ours- sound familiar?
He said, under such circumstances, the auto focus has trouble figuring it out, and you can waste some time before realizing you might be better off switching to manual. I have been doing this lately, and, although it takes a bit of time, it is still shorter than waiting for the camera to focus properly on the bird. Have fun, Thor

Thor Manson
Gallagher Lake, Oliver, B.C.