2009 has been marked by a little change in my photo equipment. I have now got an EOS 40D digital camera, extender tubes and a radio frequency remote control for the most frequently used items.
I have also got a second L series lens, this is the EF 70-200 F4 L USM.
The EOS 40D mainly brought improvement on the auto focus performance compared to my EOS 300D. I have been a little disappointed by sensitivity in low light conditions. There are no big improvements compared to the EOS 300D except a higher dynamic range providing better possibilities to fix incorrect exposures.
The extender tubes have enabled me to have a closer look into the insect world. However I am still missing true macro lenses to shoot pictures with a wide open aperture (the extender tubes are amplifying the optical defects of middle range or low end lenses).
I am still having a lot of fun observing Nature and taking pictures. I still have to make progress (comparing what we are doing to what we can see in forums quickly make us more modest). Let's go on, life is beautiful.
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Canon EOS 40D, EF300mm f/4 L IS USM lens. F/5.6, 1/250 s, 200 ASA. Focus distance: about 7m. The male has attracted my attention towards the woodland edge to cover the escape of the female which has run its way in another direction. |
Siberian Chipmunk (Tamias sibiricus(Laxmann, 1769)) - Yvelines, France - March 17th 2009
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Canon EOS 40D, EF300mm f/4 L IS USM lens. F/4, 1/400 s, 200 ASA. Focus distance: about 4m. First observation of the year following the hibernation period. |
Glaucous Leaf Weevil (Phyllobius calcaratus(Fabricius, 1792)) - Yvelines, France - April 26th 2009
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Canon EOS 40D, EF 28-135 F3,5-5,6 IS USM lens at 122 mm, extender tubes. F/8, 1/200 s, 200 ASA, flash. Focus distance: about 15cm. There are many similar Weevil species. And Weevils of the same species may show important variations. This species identification, though it is very probable, is not 100% sure. |
White-legged Damselfly (Platycnemis pennipes(Pallas, 1771)) - Yvelines, France - May 8th 2009
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Canon EOS 40D, EF 28-135 F3,5-5,6 IS USM lens at 135 mm, extender tubes. F/11, 1/60 s, 400 ASA. Focus distance: about 15cm. This White-legged Damselfly has not been very shy during the photo session. Is this because of the fresh wheather? |
Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus(Rottemburg, 1775)) - Yvelines, France - July 26th 2009
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Canon EOS 40D, EF300mm f/4 L IS USM lens. F/4, 1/1250 s, 200 ASA. Focus distance: about 1.5m. This picture is a crop. Next time I need to shoot a picture with a more uniform background, and using macro lenses so that there is no need to crop. |
Brown Argus (Aricia agestis(Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)) - Yvelines, France - August 1st 2009
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Canon EOS 40D, EF300mm f/4 L IS USM lens. F/4, 1/60 s, 200 ASA. Focus distance: about 1.5m. This picture was shot in a clearing. |
