Brad Hill: Blog: Photography. Nature. Gadgets. Software. Conservation. Whatever.
Short-winded blatherings on whatever is currently occupying the part of my brain that deals with photography. Updated sorta weekly.
3 March 2010: Up for Grabs (For Sale): 300mm f2.8 VR AND 200mm f2.0 VR Telephoto Lenses
04 March 2010 UPDATE: The 300mm f2.8 VR has been sold and is no longer available. Antonio (from Italy) is now one happy guy!
I've put both my 300mm f2.8 VR and my 200mm f2.0 VR lenses up for sale. Why? Simply because they suit my shooting style and preferred subject matter less than a new lens I just ordered (the 400mm f2.8 VR). For a more detailed explanation just scroll down (below) to the March 2 entry entitled "A Strategic Re-deployment of Lens Assets..."
For all the details (pricing, extras, etc.) just go to my Gear For Sale page! If past history is any indication, my used gear sells VERY fast, so if you're interested it would be best to contact me pronto!
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
2 March 2010: First 2011 Photo Tour Sells Out...
My "Grizzlies of the Khutzeymateen - Just the Photo Op, Please!" Photo Tour for 2011 sold out today. This is the first of my 2011 photo tours to sell out. But, on the positive side, there's still room remaining on my other 2011 Khutzeymateen grizzly photography trip (spring 2011), the "Orcas, Humpbacks and More: Aquatic Mammals of the Central Pacific Coast" trip (summer 2011), and my two "Spirit Bears and the Great Bear Rainforest" trips in the autumn of 2011!
For more information about these once-in-a-lifetime trips, just check out my Seminars & Workshops page!
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
2 March 2010: A Strategic Re-deployment of Lens Assets...
For anyone, keeping up with the "optimal" gear set-up for their particular style of shooting and their subject matter of choice/necessity is challenging. Even if one limits the discussion to just lenses, there are a myriad of ever-changing variables to consider, including the camera bodies one owns (full frame vs. cropped sensor and the impact on effective magnification), shifts in preferred subject matter one shoots, and, of course, advances in technology (e.g., new VR/IS lenses that now become "hand-holdable", new - and now usable - teleconverter releases, etc.).
I tend to think strategically (my science training kicking in, I suppose) and late last week I was discussing the merits of various Nikon super-telephotos with a good friend from Europe. The discussion got me to thinking about my own lens collection and whether or not it was "optimal" for me right now. So...I used the wonders of metadata filtering (in Adobe Bridge) to evaluate my image collection in an effort to find out what lenses I used most (and least) over the last 3 years. And then I looked at what lenses (and focal length ranges) produced the most income for me. Finally, I ended up looking at my total dollar investment in various focal ranges. The results were quite illuminating to me and resulted in a decision to go through a "strategic re-deployment of lens assets". Here's what I found and what I'm doing:
1. What I found: Even though I absolute love the quality (and images) that CAN come out of my Nikon 200mm f2 VR and my Nikon 300mm f2.8 VR, the reality is that I hardly ever use them. I used these lenses for under 5% of the images I have shot in the last 3 years (a period where I became more of a "pure" wildlife shooter as opposed to a "general nature photographer"). And photographs shot in the 200 to 300mm focal range accounted for only about 5 to 10% of the income I generated directly from image sales during this same time period. And the investment? If you look at the retail cost of my lenses that overlap the 200 to 300mm range they add up to about $21,000 (Canadian). Hmmmm...
What about longer lenses? Well, if you look just at images shot over the last 3 years, fully 90% of my images were shot with lenses in the 400 to 600mm focal length range (this DOES include shots with DX bodies that produced shots with an effective focal length of 400 to 600mm). And, the income from the images follows the same pattern - 90% of my image sales income has come from the 400 to 600mm focal length range. My total investment in lenses in this longer focal length range? Despite the huge cost of the super-telephotos, I have slightly under $15,000 (Canadian) invested in this focal length range. Hmmmm...
2. What I'm doing? Well, as the title of this entry suggests, I'm moving some lenses OUT, and adding one lens IN. More specifically, I've decided to sell both my coveted 200mm f2 VR AND my 300mm f2.8 VR and add another super-telephoto to my collection of lenses - the 400mm f2.8 VRII. My choice of the 400mm f2.8 VRII (rather than the 500mm f4 VRII) is based on a LOT of variables that I'll discuss in a future entry, but include my penchant for photographing bears in the low-light world of the Great Bear Rainforest (and the need to hand-hold lenses and shoot from a moving Zodiac in this area) and the recent release of the much-improved 2x TC-20EIII teleconverter (and how much better the autofocus works with this TC works on an f2.8 lens compared to an f4 lens).
So...expect to see both my 200mm f2 VR and my 300mm f2.8 VR showing up soon on my Gear For Sale page! And, expect to hear my thoughts on the performance of the 400 f2.8 VR (with and without teleconverters) shortly after March 12, the day I pick up both my D3s with its 400mm f2.8 VRII "kit" lens. And I thought "kit lenses" were supposed to be cheap!
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
23 February 2010: Help Sustain Momentum to End Trophy Bear Hunt in BC!
If a growing list of local, national, and international sponsors supporting a movement is any indication of the credibility and strength of a drive, then there's a dramatic increase the momentum behind the campaign to put an end to the trophy bear hunt in BC. Which sponsors am I referring to? Just have a look at this full-page ad (PDF: 1.7 MB) that appeared in today's Vancouver Sun and scan the sponsor list!
But, an even more important aspect of this battle to end the trophy bear hunt is local, national, and international public feedback directly to the politicians of BC. So, if YOU want to help end this senseless (and non-justified - biologically or economically) slaughter, please email or phone one of the two following key BC politicians and let them know how YOU feel about the hunt:
Premier Of British Columbia
Hon. Gorden Campbell
Email: premier@gov.bc.ca
Phone: 250-387-1715
Minister of Environment
Hon. Barry Penner
Email: barry.penner.bc.ca
Phone: 250-387-1187
Want more background information before voicing your concerns? Start educating yourself on the currrent campaign and the facts regarding the trophy bear hunt right here on Pacific Wild's website.
Thank you.
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
22 February 2010: Field Test: Nikon's New 2x Teleconverter - the TC-20EIII
Before the release of the D3 I used to envy Canon users for their cameras' better high ISO performance and better autofocus systems. Then came the D3 and camera body envy ended. BUT, I still had one wish: that Nikon could produce teleconverters as good (or better) than Canon's. Well, the good news has come - Nikon's first "Series III" teleconverter, the 2x TC-20EIII really performs. I've completed field testing the TC-20EIII and writing up my results - the full Field Test can be found here (in my brand new "Field Tests" section). But here's the executive summary and one "teaser" image (many more are in the field test):
The Executive Summary:
My copy of the "new" 2x teleconverter from Nikon (the TC-20EIII) represents a dramatic improvement over its "Series II" predecessor (the TC-20EII). This means that the output using the two TC's went from virtually unacceptable (with the TC-20EII) to completely acceptable (with the TC-20EIII) for virtually any use. With all lenses tested with the new TC images were visually slightly less sharp when shot wide open (at maximum aperture size) compared to when stopped down by a single f-stop. In most cases, and with most lenses tested, stopping the aperture down further resulted in only very, very minor increases in sharpness. Both image contrast and colour saturation shot with images using the TC-20EIII showed only marginal reductions compared to when NOT using the teleconverter (while the previous model of reduced image contrast and saturation quite dramatically). I experienced the best image quality, and highest overall "usability" of the lens/TC combinations when pairing the TC-20EIII with "f2.x" lenses (the 70-200mm f2.8 VRII, the 200mm f2 VR, and the 300mm f2.8 VR). However, I was able to produce very acceptable results when using the new TC with selected f4 lenses (the 200-400mm f4 VR and 600mm f4 VR). Autofocus speed (including initial focus acquisition and focus-tracking on moving subjects) was only slightly impaired on the f2.x lenses. Despite Nikon's claim that autofocus does NOT work with f4 lenses, I found that autofocus did work (albeit in a reduced capacity) on both f4 lenses tested (but was accurate and efficient only using the more central of the D700's 51-focus brackets, i.e., autofocus with extreme outer focus brackets was completely inefficient or failed outright).
In summary - and to be brutally honest - I found the best use of the "old" TC-20EII was as a paperweight. In stark contrast, the new TC-20EIII is a useful photographic tool that has earned a permanent space in my gear bag.
Seeing is believing - right? Check out this Bighorn Ewe portrait - shot with the TC-20EIII paired up with the 600mm f4 VR (WARNING - reasonably large image download - 1800 px x 1200 px - 0.7 MB).
My full Field Test, incuding about a dozen more images, can be found right here...
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
22 February 2010: New Field Test Section Added to Website
What do YOU do at 5 AM on a Monday morning? Normally I sleep, but today I got up early and added a whole new section to my website (it's gonna be a brutal week and I HAD to get ahead of the game). This section is starting small, but over time will become a very useful resource to Nikon-using nature photographers. And, I'm thinking it's going to be very popular.
Check it out - products included today include my field tests of the Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 VRII and the new TC-20EIII 2x teleconverter. It begins here. Enjoy.
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
17 February 2010: Decision Made...Nikon D3s Coming My Way
A few weeks back I sold my top workhorse camera - my D3. I did so reluctantly in order to free up some physical space in my backpack to carry (and to free up some budget space to pay for) a NEW Nikon DSLR. When selling it I wasn't sure what I was going to buy - my thinking was that it was most likely going to be the rumoured D900 (possibly to be announced in March) or, if the spec of the D900 wasn't right for me, I'd "settle" for a D3s. Well, today I decided the D3s was the right camera for me and I'm darned excited about starting to shoot with it. Why? Read on...
When the D3s was first announced I first thought it was another ho-hum "s" release. In other words, simply a D3 with a few minor tweaks and not worth the difference in price between what I could sell my D3 for and the cost of the new camera. But I soon started reading accounts of this new "wonder camera" that took "shooting in the dark to a whole new level" and that the camera had an all new image sensor (I hadn't expected this!). And, the superlatives just kept rolling in...including from folks I know and trust. The bottom line of most anecdotal reports was this: in real world use the D3s was one to one and a half stops better than the reigning low-light performance king (the D3). Hmmmm...my interest was piqued, and I began to think more about the D3s...
A bit of background is important here - why is low-light performance so important to THIS wildlife photographer? Well, I'm more-or-less a "true" field shooter - except when testing cameras or camera bits (like teleconverters), I shoot WILD wildlife out in the WILD, not in game farms or zoos. And, because I do a lot of shooting of free-ranging bears in the often-overcast, often-raining Great Bear Rainforest on BC's central coast, I often end up shooting long lenses in low light conditions. To make matters worse, I commonly have to use make-shift (and less-than-optimal) ways to support my camera and lenses - think pontoons on zodiacs, foam pads on rocks, or even completely hand-held shots with long lenses. To do this, I NEED a camera that (pardon the marketing pun) "Defies the Limitations" of most cameras.
Back to the D3s. When I look at my images critically, even with the D3 I am rarely limited in my shooting by image noise. More commonly, the dynamic range of the image sensor (think of it as the brightness range the sensor can record on a single frame) limits me as I crank the ISO up (dynamic range decreases as ISO climbs). Imagine photographing a moving white Spirit Bear in deep shadows in overcast light (like this shot) - dynamic range issues creep in long before noise issues - darned hard to keep BOTH highlight and shadow detail AND freeze the action with almost ANY camera available today.
So...for me the important question with the D3s became this: At high ISO's (for me this translates to ISO 1600 to about ISO 4000) does the D3s have appreciably better dynamic range than the D3? So I started asking folks I knew. About half of them looked at me like I was from another planet (a distinct possibility) and the other half gave me encouraging "yep, better DR" comments. But no one was able to tell me how much better. Encouraging, but not enough for me to commit my money. At that point I knew I would have to wait for a few key reviews of the camera...
February 16 - dpreview.com's 34 page review of the D3 is out! Yes! But somehow they find a way to write 34 pages about the camera and NOT explicitly discuss the relationship between ISO and dynamic range of raw files. Amazing...
February 17 - dxomark.com publishes their concise review of the D3s image sensor in capturing raw image data. Perfect! And, they provide me with the perfect comparison - a single graph comparing the ISO vs. Dynamic Range for both the D3 and D3s! Yippee! The result - between ISO 1600 and 3200 the D3s has one additional stop of dynamic range (than the D3) and as you go to even higher ISO's the difference between the dynamic range of the cameras climbs even more (go here and scroll down the page to see the last graph on the page). Done deal...camera sold!
Postscript: The increase in high ISO performance of the D3s (in both image noise and dynamic range) is not the ONLY reason I decided to purchase this camera. There are a number of other new features that contributed to my decision, including the addition of a sensor cleaner (FX sensors ARE dust magnets), the return of a "Quiet" shutter mode (this can be huge when photographing wildlife at close range), and a larger/faster buffer that allows longer continuous bursts of shooting (for those critical action sequences). And, of course, the extreme durability of the "single digit D" bodies (compared to even the D700 and coming D900) made a difference to me. Would Iike to have a little more resolution? Of course. But not at the expense of the low-light performance (which, sadly, is reality). Now I just hope I don't HAVE to buy a D900 too! ;-)
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
Feedback from:
17 Feb 2010: Bob G says: "Hey Brad...I just read your blog on the D3s but you forgot one thing. Now we can shoot HIGH DEF VIDEO. Are you thrilled?"
18 Feb 2010: My response: Hey Bob...probably about as thrilled as you are! Which is why I didn't include it on my list of reasons of why I decided to buy the camera!
14 February 2010: More Early Impressions: Nikon's New 2x Teleconverter
I'm getting a LOT of email asking me for more details about what I'm discovering about the new Nikon TC-20EIII 2x teleconverter so...here's a quick update on what I've found to date...
I've largely finished my "walking around" testing (i.e., using the TC with various lenses that I'd be likely to carry around with me and use for grab shots). My field testing of new products is ALWAYS done so that I can figure out as quickly as possible exactly what the new gear will do for me (given my array of lenses, my shooting style, my chosen subject matter, etc.). At this point I've shot about 750 grab shots (meaning hand-held and with little control over subject matter) with the following lenses (and on my D700): 70-200mm f2.8 VRII (new version of this lens); 300mm f2.8 VR (the "old" version of this lens); 200 mm f2 VR.
Here's what I'm comfortable saying now: With these lenses (and on a FX body) the new TC-20EIII dramatically out-performs its predecessor. For context - I found the old 2x TC (the TC-20EII) almost unusable for ME (in most shooting situations) while the new 2x TC is VERY usable for me (meaning I know I could produce gallery quality prints with it when combined with the lenses listed above). Sharpness, colour and contrast with the above lenses is a quantum leap above what I found with the old TC.
Feel free to download this image of my portie pup as a representative sample of the type of output I'm getting from the TC - it was shot with my 300 f2.8 VR and combined with the TC-20EIII. The image is virtually full frame but cut in resolution for online viewing (down to 1800 pixels high x 1200 pixels wide). Extremely light image sharpening only...some chromatic aberration is visible when viewed at 100% or larger (along the border of Poncho's hair and the blue sky behind) but I made no effort to control this during raw conversion (checking one ticky box would have fixed this!).
Over the next days I will be more systematically field testing the TC with these and other lenses (including the 200-400 f4 VR and the 600mm VR). I hope to have my results available online here later this week...
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
10 February 2010: Nikon's New 2x Teleconverter - VERY First Impressions...
I took delivery of my spanking new 2x Teleconverter (the TC-20EIII) late this afternoon and had about an hour to begin playing with it. I didn't have time to do any systematic field-testing, so I decided to throw the TC in my pocket, grab my D700 (with the new 70-200 VR II mounted on it) and just do some casual shooting while walking my dogs in the woods. To sum up, I pretty much did everything WRONG (in terms of using good technique to squeeze quality images out of a TC) just see what would come of it (image wise). I had heavy overcast skies (think low light levels), hand-held every shot, shot wide open a lot, and used some quite high ISO settings. And, I put the TC on a ZOOM lens, which was something I avoided like the plague with ALL of the last generation TC's (the "II" series).
Long story short - I can already say this new TC-20EIII is dramatically better than its precursor. Despite my sloppy "grab-shot" technique I captured many surprisingly sharp images, even when shot wide open! I'm not comfortable saying much beyond this before doing some systematic field testing, but my first impressions of the TC-20EIII are very promising, to say the least.
Stay tuned for more info about the new TC-20EIII in coming days...
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
8 February 2010: A Wolf Story...
Or...Super Bowl vs. Chasing Wolves? NO contest...
For those who don't know, I live in a relatively remote rural location in southeast BC (you have to travel over 100 km to the west of our cabin before you can find a real road). Add this to the fact that I work from my home and you end up with someone with limited contact with real human beings (I'm not a complete hermit - I DO have a phone and chat regularly with a few very good friends). Anyway, because of my relative isolation I often make an effort to keep up with pop culture via satellite TV - you know, watching the Academy Awards, the Junos, et cetera. Yesterday I faced a bit of decision - I could watch the Super Bowl (so I'd be able to talk with any American male I might run into) or I could do almost anything else. Like, for instance, going to look for - and photograph - a proverbial needle in a haystack. Which, in my neck of the woods, is how you would classify spending the day chasing wolves. Just like looking for that needle in the haystack! So...big decision: watch the Super Bowl or go chase wolves?? No brainer for me - a bad day in the woods (and coming back with NO photos) is still a better day for me than spending time in front of a TV...
So, come 7 on Sunday AM I hopped into my truck with my camera gear and headed off. To be honest, while I knew the area I was driving through had a few small wolf packs in it, I didn't really expect to find anything. And, sure enough, that's how my day started off. By about 9 AM I did pass through an area where I saw some suspicious tracks following along the farside of a river, but given the river was open (not frozen over) I couldn't get close enough to confirm they were wolf tracks. Nonetheless, over the next 10 km or so I watched the snowbanks on either side of the road for any indication that wolves had crossed the road. Nada.
It took me about a half hour to reach the distant end of my travels and turn around. When I got back to the same area where I saw the suspicious tracks I noticed a furrow pushed through the snowbank on the side of the road. I stopped and, sure enough, found wolf tracks crossing the road. Perfect! Wolves had passed by here sometime in the last hour! Cool.
I quickly threw my 600mm f4 lens and Nikon D700 in a backpack, lashed on a light tripod, grabbed my trekking poles, and started following the trail. Over the next 45 minutes I struggled up a nearly vertical ridge, crawled over deadfall, cut across the base of an avalanche slope (great!) and eventually felt like a complete idiot when the tracks went BACK to the road I was parked on - and only about 200 meters past where my car was parked. I felt like that dopey kid in the "Family Circus" cartoon.
I was sorely tempted to return to my truck and call it a day. Surely the wolves were long gone. But, against my better judgment, I pushed on. The tracks soon crossed an ice bridge on the river (in a spot I knew was quite shallow) so I followed them across. Then, the tracks started following the far edge of the river around a bend. Just as I turned the corner I looked up and less than 100 feet away two wolves were standing looking at me! I couldn't believe my eyes! One wolf was nearly "typical" in colour (light coloured with a grey saddle) although it carried some interesting chestnut highlights. The other was jet black with brilliantly yellow eyes. The light coloured wolf was slightly further from me than the black one and turned on its heals and disappeared into the woods.
But the black wolf acted very differently. It looked at me, took a few tentative steps across my path (still about 100 feet away), and then promptly laid down in the snow! I whipped my pack off and extracted my camera as fast as I could. I quickly decided to forgo the tripod and knelt down and began to shoot while hand-holding the massive 600mm "cannon". I figured after "cracking off" a few shots I'd have time to set up my tripod to "do things right". But only seconds later the wolf stood up again. I guessed it was about to run off. Wrong! Instead, it turned towards me and then started trotting directly at me! I couldn't believe my eyes. I couldn't figure out anything else to do, so I just kept shooting. In seconds it was approaching the close focus point of my lens (about 16') and still coming! What I didn't realize at the time (and didn't know until I checked my images later) was that the wolf was licking its lips the whole time it was approaching me. If I had noticed that I might have been slightly more concerned about what was going on!
Anyway, when the wolf was about 10 feet away (and still coming at me) it casually hopped off "our" trail and passed right by me, at a distance of under 10 feet! In a second or two it was past me and hopped right back on the trail and continued on its merry way. How to feel insignificant! It was as though the wolf considered me simply a minor inconvenience to go around, kind of like a log. And then the wolf was gone. In all, the encounter was maybe 45 seconds long...but WHAT a 45 seconds!
Did I get any usable shots? Oh, maybe one or two...one has already made it to my Gallery of Latest Additions - check it out here.
Take home lesson? Well, to be honest I think I did most everything right in preparing for the situation and capturing the images (interested readers should click on the "In the Field" tab on the image entitled "Black Wolf, White Snow"). I guess in hindsight I would have been better off with my 70-200mm f2.8 VR lens, but who whudda thunk that? Not me...
Well, summing up...it was only 45 seconds or so with the wolves. Compared to 3 or more full hours with the TV and Super Bowl. So I guess I was the big loser on this day. So why do I still have an ear-to-ear grin on my face?? You figure it out!
;-)
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
1 February 2010: No New Nikon DSLR Until March?
There seems to be a growing feeling among many Nikon watchers (e.g., Thom Hogan of bythom.com) that we likely WON'T see an announcement about a new Nikon DSLR before or during the PMA tradeshow (which begins on February 21). There ARE a number of Nikon press conferences scheduled for February 3rd, but those in the know (which doesn't include me) feel we'll be hearing about new CoolPix models and some new lenses (reportedly a new 16-35mm f4 VR and a 24mm f1.4).
What about the DSLR(s)? The new rumor is that we'll now hear about them in mid- to late March. On the positive side, it seems that there's a growing consensus that we'll see a D900 then, which is likely to be a "D700-like" body with a sensor similar or identical to that being used in the D3x (24.5 MP). And, it will likely have full 1080 HD video capabilities (which almost all photographers that I regularly interact with don't give a damn about!).
For those who will be sitting on the edge of their seats waiting for the February 3rd announcement - traditionally dpreview.com releases the information in North America first, and it's normally on their website only seconds after midnight eastern standard time on the day before (so, in this case, late Tuesday night). I'm still hoping we'll hear about a new DSLR then, but in real terms waiting until a March announcement will matter little to me (as long as it's shipping shortly thereafter).
We'll know real soon...
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
24 January 2010: SIGN THE PETITION; SAVE THE GRIZZLIES!
Saving ANY endangered species is a challenging and at times daunting task. Saving endangered carnivores is even tougher - they wander over great distances and ignore wildlife "wildlife management unit" boundaries and even international borders, and they're often perceived to be in direct competition with humans for food or living space and are abused accordingly.
British Columbia, Canada is one of the Grizzly Bear's last remaining strongholds in North America. Yet there's strong reason to believe that even here grizzlies are in strong decline and may soon go the way of the Dodo bird if something isn't done, and done fast. Exacerbating the problem is the simple fact that NO ONE really has a good idea of how many bears are left in the province (or how fast they're declining). Ian McAllister of Pacific Wild (an excellent non-profit conservation organization) provides a succinct summary of the history of how the population estimates have been made and the factors confounding the results - interested readers should check out his summary here.
The factors that are ultimately driving down the grizzly population are numerous and complexly interwoven, but can be boiled down to three primary causes:
1. Habitat Loss: Grizzlies need a lot of space and, unlike their cousins the black bear, normally don't coexist well with humans. Stopping habitat loss and human encroachment is an immensely difficult task - it relates to human population growth, human economic growth, and flies in the face of many of the social values western society has come to accept without asking sufficient questions. Unfortunately, suggesting a single definable action that can be taken at the individual level to directly stop the human encroachment on the habitat of the grizzly is virtually impossible and a little beyond the scope of this mini review...so read on for some "actionable" items...
2. Reduction of Food Supply of the Grizzlies: Take away the food for any species and, if no alternate can be found, they die. Simple. You can't find a better example of this than on the coast of British Columbia where the majority of British Columbia's grizzlies reside: one of their most critical seasonal food supplies is salmon - and humans (sub-species canadensis) are finding a way to ensure that lack of political will and short-sightedness guarantees that the salmon are driven to extinction. Fortunately many hard-working folks are doing their utmost to help save the salmon stocks AND evaluate the impact of declining salmon populations on carnivore populations. The Raincoast Conservation Foundation is doing their best to document the salmon-carnivore interaction through their "Salmon Carnivore Project" - helping to support Raincoast AND this project WILL help the bears - check it out on Raincoast's website...
3. Direct Human-caused Mortality: Humans kill grizzlies - both unintentionally (via collisions with trains, cars, etc.) and intentionally through trophy hunting. While we can partially mitigate some of the accidental deaths, it is totally within our power to COMPLETELY STOP THE TROPHY HUNTING! How many bears are killed by trophy hunting in any given year? Well, in 2007, 430 grizzlies were killed in BC, with 363 of them taken by hunters (in many cases by affluent Americans and Europeans). To make matters worse, many estimate that for every bear taken, close to one other is wounded and later succumbs to its wounds and is never recovered. And this is 363 out of a population of 3,000 or 5,000 or 10,000 or 12,000 or...oh, yeah, NO ONE knows! The economic spin-off of those dead bears? Oh, about half of what each bear would be worth left alive (in terms of ecotourism and guided bear-viewing). Skeptical of the facts? Check them out here on the website of Pacific Wild...
THE CRITICAL POINT: Human caused mortality of grizzly bears via trophy hunting is a significant source of grizzly mortality and STOPPING THE HUNT is the simplest form of direct action we can take to help save the bears!
WHAT CAN YOU DO? Please sign the Petition to Stop the Trophy Hunt!
I sincerely thank you. And please help to fight the good fight by spreading the word about the petition...
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
18 January 2010: For Sale: Nikon D3 DSLR
21 January 2010 UPDATE: My D3 has been sold and is no longer available. What's that saying? Ya snooze, ya looze??
Sad as it is for me, the time has come to part with my beloved Nikon D3 body. Here are the details...
• Condition: Excellent - used but very well looked after!
• Use: 16,400 shutter actuations (rated/tested to 300,000 cycles).
• Includes: Everything in the original box, EXCEPT the box (sorry, I didn't keep it). Strap upgraded to LowePro neoprene quick-release style.
• Included Extras: Free expedited shipping to continental North American destinations.
• Price: $3100.00 CDN (Currency converter); price includes insured expedited shipment to destinations in North America.
• Preferred Payment Method: PayPal.
• Why Am I Selling It? Will be purchasing a new pro body (likely a D3s) in coming days and already own a D700...so I can't justify (even to myself) keeping 3 similar bodies.
• Availability: Immediately.
Enquiries or to Proceed with Purchase: Contact me at photography@naturalart.ca.
18 January 2010: Blind Date with a Cougar!
Okay - let's get things straight right off the bat: the cougar I'm referring to here is the 4-legged variety (and furry, with a long tail and very sharp teeth) - this is not an entry about an episode at a single's bar...
For those who don't already know, I live in a very rural area known as the East Kootenays in southeast British Columbia. How rural? While the nearest paved road is only about 2 km away to the east, you have to travel cross-country (and over several mountain ranges) for over a 100 km to the west before you'll find another paved road. The area we live in is sometimes referred to as the "Serengeti of North America", though I think that's stretching things a bit - I rarely see zebras, wildebeest, or even cheetahs around my cabin! ;-)
Anyway, late last Friday afternoon I was returning home from a nice hike with my dogs (in gawd-awful weather - think gale force winds and horizontal freezing rain) when my two Porties started going hyper. I let them follow their noses and within a few minutes they had found a freshly killed elk on our property (about 150 meters from our cabin). The elk was largely intact and had grass loosely spread over it - a typical cougar kill. And, it was surrounded by cougar tracks! The kill was located in a grassy gully and clearly visible from above on a ridge. There were ample places to sit under/in Douglas Fir trees on the ridge with a clear view at the kill. In other words, it was a near perfect position to sit back with a spotting scope and watch proceedings.
I returned a couple of times (sans dogs) during the daylight hours on Saturday to see if the cat was at the kill, but saw no sign of it. I had guessed this would be the case, as many cougars prefer to feed on a kill only after dark. Fortunately, my half-century birthday gift was a pair of night vision binoculars, so I quickly booked an after-dark "blind" date with the cougar!
At about 9 PM I left our cabin to a clear, star-filled but moonless sky and started trudging through the inky black forest towards the kill (equipped with bear spray, of course). I used a Petzl Myo headlamp to find my way through the forest (love those headlamps!) and managed to make it up the icy trail and to the ridge without breaking my neck. As I approached the crest of the ridge a pair of coyotes started yelping from just ahead - to me it sounded like they were at, or very near, the kill. I cursed under my breath, assuming that if they were there the cougar wouldn't be. I turned off my headlamp before topping the ridge and walked the last 20 meters or so in the dark, all the while listening to the coyotes kicking up an amazing ruckus. Once in position I raised my night vision binocs to the position where I thought the kill was and turned them on, just in time to see the back-ends of two coyotes sprinting away. Nuts. But in seconds I located the kill and was shocked to find the cougar there and happily chowing down on the large protein lump (formerly known as "The EIk"). It was absolutely fascinating...every minute or two the cat would look up and me and its eyes absolutely glowed in the dark (with, of course, the lighting boost supplied by the infra-red beam of my binocs). Although I'm guessing at this, it looks like the coyotes had been very close to the cougar and were doing their level best to chase it off the kill. But the cougar looked completely unfazed to me and the coyotes were the losers this go 'round.
I hung around about 15 minutes watching the cat and then decided to leave it be. I walked back to the cabin absolutely elated to have witnessed such a real world drama. And, feeling very fortunate to live in a place where such a spectacle was a really just a "backyard scene"!
I returned a couple more times on Sunday (during daylight hours) and even spent a couple of hours mid-afternoon sitting back with a spotting scope and watching to see what might come and go at the kill. It was an almost zen-like experience - you know, the typical "day in the life of a dead elk" sort of thing! Turns out that basically nothing visited the kill over the afternoon, but it was a fun way to kill a couple of hours on a mid-winter Sunday...
By this morning the ravens had found the kill. In a day or two the ravens, winter songbirds, and possibly an eagle or two - and a number of coyotes - will reduce the carcass to little more than a pile of bones. And, the cougar will move on, in search of another meal. But I'll be left with an ever-lasting memory...but this time with no photos to mark the event. Which is OK by me...this time.
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14 January 2010: The Persistent Rumour: New Nikon DSLR Coming Soon...
While I never hesitate to report on rumours of coming Nikon product releases, I rarely go so far as to make actual predictions. But, this time I will - and here it is: By February 14 (and possibly a few days earlier) we will see a new high-end Nikon DSLR body. Why February 14? Simply because this is one week before the annual Photographic Marketing Association (or PMA) tradeshow begins, and historically anyone about to show a new product at the show goes public with it about a week to 10 days before the show starts. And, because a new high-end DSLR from Nikon is a little overdue. But that's where my prediction ends...beyond that everything is pure guess-work. And here's the state of the union on the guesses:
1. Product Name: While I'm tempted to simply say "who cares?", the naming thing has been the source of a lot of speculation on the web. And, with Nikon, the name usually says a lot about the camera's specs. The current "leading" candidate seems to be the D900, though I'm still hearing and reading some call the new body a D700s (which, if past Nikon history on naming conventions means anything, should be just a tweak of the D700), others refer to it as a D700x (which should be a high res version - presumably 24.5 MP - of the D700).
2. Product Specifications: But what if it's actually called the D900 - what would that camera likely be (in terms of product specs)? Well, your guess is as good as mine, but I'm hearing that it could be:
• Option 1: A higher resolution (15 to 18 MP) DX body - like a real pro version of the D300 or...
• Option 2: A higher resolution (15 to 18 MP) smaller FX body - think a "super D700" or...
• Option 3: An even higher resolution (24.5 MP) FX body - which is pretty much everyone has been calling a D700x.
Of these 3 options I think Option 1 (the 15 to 18 MP DX body) is highly unlikely. If it were well-built and had even decent low-light/high ISO performance I might want one myself though! Not only is the naming wrong (it would be more likely to be called a D400 or D500), but this camera would kill the sales of the newly introduced D300s. And, I don't think Nikon is looking in this direction right now (or possibly ever).
What about Option 2 (the 15 to 18 MP FX body)? I don't think so...if you look at the big picture introducing a full-frame body in this resolution range is pretty old hat - after all, that's pretty much what Canon did several years ago. Sure it would be nice to have that kind of resolution AND the high ISO performance of say a D700 (which would make it a little different than the "old" Canons), it seems illogical to me that Nikon would introduce a new image sensor right now...
Which leaves us with Option 3 (the 24.5 MP FX body). To me, this makes the most sense. Nikon has always shown a predisposition to use the same sensor in multiple bodies, and to date the D3x sensor is being used in that camera alone. Odds are that Nikon still hasn't paid off the R&D costs of the D3x sensor yet and would love to do so. And, I know a LOT of shooters (including myself) chomping at the bit to get a 20+ MP body at a price lower than that of the D3x. The counter-argument I've heard to this simply that Nikon may not be able to source enough of the D3x-style sensor to meet the sales demand that a lower priced D900/D700x would create. Could be a valid argument...
And...to avoid answering a lot of email asking the same question about what I'm going to do (or purchase), here's my answer in advance: Wait and see! I need some critical bits of information before I make a move. First, while I'm hearing anecdotal descriptions that the D3s is a stop or more better than the D3, no one has been saying if they're referring to noise or dynamic range. Since the D3 (and soon after the D700) was introduced many nature photographers have discovered that dynamic range decreases with increasing ISO are more limiting when shooting in the field than are digital noise increases. If the D3s shows an improvement or a stop or better in the inverse relationship of ISO vs. dynamic range, then that's where my new camera budget money may go. But, if the D3s isn't much better than the D3 (in that dynamic range/ISO relationship) than I may consider purchasing either Option 1 or Option 3 above. But I think I would likely pass if the D900 ends up be Option 2. What if the D3s IS better that much better than the D3 AND Nikon introduces Option 1 or Option 3? Well...I could be buying two cameras in 2010 (D3s and D900)! So depending on how things play out, I could end up buying 2 cameras in 2010, one camera in 2010, or buying nothing! And, being realistic, having to spend the year shooting with a D3 AND a D700 isn't too much of a hardship!
So...by February 14 you'll have a new Nikon DSLR of unknown specs. You heard it hear first (or second, or third...).
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14 January 2010: New Wolf, Fox, and Coyote Images...
Right on schedule - I've updated my permanent "Wolves & Kin" gallery with the addition of 8 new images of wolves, foxes, and coyotes. The new images are located in various places in the gallery, but begin right at the "front door" with this image of a fully wild wolf laying in wildflowers. My favourite additions include this gentle-looking wolf standing on a forest trail and My favourite additions include this very well-camouflaged Arctic Fox. LIke always, there's a story (or helpful hint) behind every image, so don't forget to click on the tabs ("In the Field", "Behind the Camera", etc.) immediately below each image to learn more a little more about each of them.
Enjoy!
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11 January 2010: Website Update Continues - New Images in Scenics Gallery...
If you think I ONLY shoot wildlife images, then this news may surprise you a little. I've been continuing to update the image galleries and I've just added 6 new images to my permanent Scenics Gallery. The newest images are a mix of shots from the East Kootenays of southeast BC and from the Great Bear Rainforest of our northern coast. They're sprinkled throughout the scenics gallery, but begin here with one of my favourite "backyard" shots (this image shot under 500 metres - as the crow flies - from my house). As always, I include all the gory details behind every image - so don't forget to click on the tabs (e.g., "In the Field") below the images for all the details. Enjoy!
Next up - several new images for the "Wolves & Kin" gallery...check back soon!
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07 January 2010: Welcome Firmware Updates for the Nikon D3 and D700
Just yesterday Nikon announced firmware updates for 4 of their digital SLRs - the D300s, D700, D3, and D3x. Most online photo news sites (such as dpreview.com and robgalbraith.com) list support for 64 GB CompactFlash cards as the "headline" change. BUT, dig a little deeper and there's a change to something in both the D700 and D3 that certain types of shooters will jump for joy over (including me). The change I'm referring to? You can now fine tune the Auto ISO function on both the D700 and D3 much more precisely: in the past you could set the maximum ISO portion of this function in only full stops, but now you can adjust it in increments as small as 1/3 of a stop.
Huh? Who could care less? Serious field shooters, that's who. Since the release of the D3 Nikon shooters have enjoyed amazing high ISO performance and even very discriminating photographers have found that under certain circumstances (think low contrast scenes) they can produce gallery-quality images at ISO's up to ISO 2500 and even higher. Many of these same shooters also discovered that the Auto ISO function of both the D3 and D700 was so well-executed that it gave them unprecedented freedom to shoot under incredibly demanding conditions - think very low light (such as in an dimly lit gymnasium or, perhaps, in the overcast sky of the Great Bear Rainforest) and while hand-holding a longish lens (think of a sports photographer hand-holding a 300 f2.8 VR in that same dim gym or me dangling a 600 f4 VR lens off a Zodiac after sunset in that same Great Bear Rainforest). The ONLY thing that irritated me about the Auto ISO function was that for some unknown reason you could only adjust the maximum permissible ISO you'd permit the camera to creep up to in full stop increments. So if you needed a little more sensitivity than ISO 800 would offer you had no option other than bumping up the maximum ISO to 1600. BUT, often times I would have preferred capping it at ISO 1000 or ISO 1250 (largely due to diminishing dynamic range issues). NOW, Nikon has addressed this issue with this very much appreciated firmware update. Thank you, Nikon!
A few final words on Auto ISO as implemented by Nikon. First, if you're a field shooter who often works in low-light situations AND you shoot with a Nikon D3, D3s, or D700 AND you haven't tried out the Auto ISO function on these cameras - do it! I'm totally against MOST "auto" functions on today's SLR's, but the Auto ISO function on these cameras is so good that it enables you to get the most out of the amazing high ISO performance of these cameras. Second - and I know this point will result in some angry email in my inbin - if you're camera has only marginal high ISO performance (like, in my opinion, the D300 or D300s), then the Auto ISO function is both MUCH less useful and much less valuable. Shooters using the D300/D300s aren't sacrificing much by ignoring the Auto ISO function.
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07 January 2010: And ANOTHER Dozen New Bear Images...
Nope, I haven't been sitting around doing nothing since the New Year - I've been busy updating several sections of this website. I've just added another 12 new images to my permanent Bear Gallery. Add these new images to the additions in late December and you'll find there's now 24 new images in the Bear Gallery. The newest images are primarily of polar bears and grizzlies and are sprinkled throughout the gallery, but begin here with one of my favourite grizzly images shot in 2009! Of course, there's a story (or little lesson I learned) behind every image - so don't forget to click on the "In the Field" tab below the image for all the gory details. Enjoy!
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21 December 2009: The ULTIMATE Gift for the Nature Photographer Who Has Everything?
Still looking for that perfect gift for the nature photographer in your life? Or...looking for a treat for yourself because that D3x didn't show up under the tree? Well, gadgets are great - but they come and go pretty fast. But...a once-in-a-lifetime trip on one of my fantastic Photo Tours will produce memories (and images) that will last forever. And, just coincidentally, I just posted detailed information about, and started accepting bookings for, my 2011 photo tours. Here's where to go for more information:
• A full listing of ALL my 2011 Photo Tours are down this aisle ;-)
• If you're interested in my "Grizzlies of the Khutzeymateen Instructional Photo Tour" Download THIS BROCHURE (PDF: 476 KB)
• Looking for a shorter (and more economical) trip with less instruction? Then my "Grizzlies of the Khutzeymateen - Just the Photo Op, Please!" tour may be perfect for you. Download THIS BROCHURE (PDF: 434 KB) for more information.
• If covering more terrain or having a wider variety of wildlife to photograph is for you, then my "Spirit Bears and the Great Bear Rainforest Instructional Photo Tour" may fill the bill better! Download THIS BROCHURE (PDF: 535 KB) for all the details.
For more info, or to reserve your spot on one (or more) of these photo tours, email me at: seminars@naturalart.ca.
19 December 2009: A Dozen New Bear Images...
I've just added 12 new images to my permanent Bear Gallery, with about a dozen more to come in the next week or so. The new images include Spirit Bears, Black Bears, and (of course) grizzlies and are sprinkled throughout the gallery, but begin right here at the front door to the gallery. The new images include some of my all-time favourites, such as this very, very black Black Bear and this adult grizzly enjoying his evening Night Cap! As always, there's a story behind every image - so don't forget to click on the "In the Field" tab below the image for all the gory details. Check 'em out!
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca.
13 December 2009: 2011 Photo Tours - Grizzlies, Spirit Bears, Black Bears, Orcas and More!
I posted ALL the details of my 2011 Photo Tours late last night on my Seminars and Workshops page. And, as expected, the very limited number of spots are already starting to disappear. So, if you have an interest in attending any of these spectacular photo tours, I'd advise "shaking a leg"! Here's the specific spots to go for the details:
• For a listing of ALL 2011 Photo Tours START HERE.
• For the 2011 "Grizzlies of the Khutzeymateen Instructional Photo Tour" GO HERE.
• For the new (offered in 2011 for the first time) "Grizzlies of the Khutzeymateen - Just the Photo Op, Please!" tour TAKE THIS EXIT.
• For the other new 2011 Photo Tour - "Orcas, Humpbacks and More: Aquatic Mammals of the Central Pacific Coast" - FOLLOW THIS LINK.
• And for the fabulous "Spirit Bears and the Great Bear Rainforest" Photo Tours - TAKE THIS DOOR.
The remaining available spots on these tours will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more info, or to reserve your spot on one (or more) of these photo tours, email me at: seminars@naturalart.ca.
08 December 2009: 2011 Photo Tour Information is Imminent...
I've been receiving an increasing number of emails asking me about my Photo Tour offerings for 2011. Here's the big picture: for 2011 I'll be offering an increased number of Instructional Photo Tours (and one pseudo-instructional photo tour) into the Great Bear Rainforest. So there will be TWO "Grizzlies of the Khutzeymateen" photo tours (one full instructional tour and one "pseudo-instructional" tour) and TWO "Spirit Bears and the Great Bear Rainforest" instructional photo tours. Plus for 2011 I'll be adding an 8-day "Orcas, Humpbacks and More: Aquatic Mammals of the Central Pacific Coast" photo tour focused on the inhabitants of the nutrient and biologically rich waters off the northern tip of Vancouver Island.
Full details will be available no later than Saturday, December 12 (and possibly earlier). My Khutzeymateen and Spirit Bear trips have a history of selling out VERY quickly (often in a matter of days), so if you're interested in attending one of these "once in a lifetime" (I know, sounds corny - but it's TRUE!) trips, stay tuned. Full details will be found on my Seminars and Workshops page (with links from this page, of course).
For more info email: seminars@naturalart.ca.
06 December 2009: Up for Grabs: AFS-Nikkor 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6 IF ED VR G Zoom Lens
07 December UPDATE: Sorry - this lens has already sold (I told you it would go away fast!).
With my recent acquisition of the new 70-200mm VRII lens my virtually new 70-300mm VR zoom is now up for sale. I purchased the 70-300mm VR to "hold me over" until the 70-200mm VRII was available so I no longer need this lens.
All the gory details (price, included extras, payment method, etc.) are on my Gear for Sale page...
If you're interested you better act fast - I price my used (or should I say "fully pleasure-tested"?) gear to go away fast! And just in time for Christmas!
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca.
04 December 2009: First Impressions: Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II
I have spent the bulk of my "free" time this week shooting with (and evaluating images shot with) the new 70-200mm VRII lens. After about 1500 shots and way too much time in front of the computer I can say this: If there was ever a single "must-have" lens for the Nikon-using nature photographer, this lens is it! Really. My "Executive Summary" on the lens is immediately below. A more detailed account of my findings (including selected images from my testing) can be found here in my Camera Gear Section.
The Executive Summary: This lens is a very, very solid performer that I will be using a LOT! It is VERY sharp at all normally-used apertures (which means f2.8 thru f11 for me) though not quite as sharp when shot wide open. The bokeh (quality of the out-of-focus zones) is superb and at f2.8 rivals that of the venerable (and amazing) Nikon AFS 200mm f2 VR. The autofocus is blazingly fast. The VR works as advertised (which means very, very well!). Teleconverter performance (with the 1.4x TC-14EII) exceeded my expectations dramatically. BUT, the lens is NOT completely perfect - edge-to-edge sharpness is not stellar at 200 mm at larger apertures, though this limitation can be overcome by stopping down to only "reasonably small" apertures. Plus, some users will find the reduction in focal length when focusing the lens on very close subjects troublesome. But, in my opinion there are enough subtle improvements (and some not-so-subtle improvements) in this lens that combine to make the "whole package" markedly better than its precursor. For me, and I suspect many FX body owners, this lens is as close to a "must-have" lens as any on the market. DX body owners who don't already own the previous iteration of this lens will love it (and I highly recommend it for them). For DX body owners who already own the previous version - you know, that "old" (but nearly legendary) lens works so well on DX bodies already that I couldn't really recommend swapping your current lens for this one (unless, of course, you have money to burn).
UPDATE (5 December): I have updated my "mini-review" of this lens (and the executive summary above) to include a brief discussion about the "Mysterious Shrinking Focal Length" (when focusing at close subjects) issue...
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