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Canon Image Challenge | all galleries >> Challenges From The Past >> 2016 Challenges >> CLC 154 Eagles' Song Titles >> Eligible > Already Gone
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26-JUN-2016 Mikel Featherston

Already Gone

Escondido. CA

One of the local red tail hawks showing normal hawkish disdain for my desire to capture images of him.

Apart from the weight, the main drawback of the big Sigma lens is that the AF is terribly slow, leading to an entire sequence of images like this. Normally, it is a throw away shot...

Canon EOS 6D ,Sigma 80-400mm F4.5-5.6 APO EX DG OS
1/1000s f/5.6 at 400.0mm iso100 hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time26-Jun-2016 15:09:40
MakeCanon
ModelCanon EOS 6D
Flash UsedNo
Focal Length400 mm
Exposure Time1/1000 sec
Aperturef/5.6
ISO Equivalent100
Exposure Bias
White Balance
Metering Mode
JPEG Quality
Exposure Program
Focus Distance

other sizes: small medium large original auto
comment
Canon Image Challenge28-Jun-2016 21:16
Mikel - I think you got it.
I had similar issues with my 60D. I have not used the 80D enough yet for BIF to see how it behaves in a case like this. However, I have one case where I locked onto to the bird in a clear sky, then tracked and shot him as he passed behind some trees, then out again. It maintained focus throughout.

Jim
Mikel Featherston28-Jun-2016 19:11
I have a suspicion about what happened. Earlier in the flight, the wire was directly between my camera and the hawk. It may have locked and maintained through subsequent shots.
Canon Image Challenge28-Jun-2016 18:27
For BIF, I also use AI Servo mode. If you were using that, and panning left to right, I don't understand why the pole and wire are in such good focus.
On the shot in pending, the center point appears to be below the bird. I don't know how the 6D achieves focus, but it could have expanded it's search area and found the wire first.

Jim
Mikel Featherston28-Jun-2016 14:45
I placed the original version in Pending.
Canon Image Challenge28-Jun-2016 12:01
Was this cropped? And where was the point of focus?
Not obvious to me that the lens was that slow or that it picked up the wire or pole to focus on. I am learning to appreciate the differences in focus on birds in flight (or anything in motion) with my 80D vs the older 60D.

BTW, this fits the title perfectly.

Jim
Canon Image Challenge28-Jun-2016 11:34
For some unexplainable reason this really appeals to me. Paul
Mikel Featherston27-Jun-2016 18:59
I appreciate the comment, but I fear this image serves as a metaphor for my entire time as a photographer: focused on the wrong things.
Canon Image Challenge27-Jun-2016 01:48
This is Damned good Mikel....the stark clearness of the pole and the gone-ness of the Hawk...work well together.

Best Wishes, Traveller