Testing the Better Beamer on some KFishers

Louis Champan · Mar 25, 2007

When it stops raining around here for just a few minuties everyone heads off to their favorite spot. So this morning Sunday, although it's wasn't quite sunny at least it wasn't raining, so I decided to do some testing with the BB on all of my shots today.
I shot with my D2X, 500mm & TC1.4 and the BB. Went to one of the favorites spots for seeing some Kingfishers and sure enough they were there and surprisingly not too spooky. Met up with Jim Theil, Bill Dewey and his wife Nancy later in the afternoon for some shooting at another location but not much going on there. So anyway, here are a few of what I came away with today. Not exactly sure I had the BB dialled in, but I think most of the shots probably came out better than if I had not used it.

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Louie

dmwphoto · Mar 25, 2007

Your results are fantastic! The BB did its job and brought out the details in the feathers and shadows. Good work Louie!

mike mac · Mar 25, 2007

WOW excellent tack sharp and you cant even tell they are flashed I think the beamer and flash has a great place for wildlife photography if not to help stop the action but to eliminate some shadows

Lou Buscher · Mar 25, 2007

Louie you did a great job on them. I have used the BB on a pileated at about 100 feet and it worked good on cloudy days. I found they recomend you set the focal length at 50mm when useing the BB no matter what lens you use. I was shooting a pileated this morning with it and I used the P mode on my Canon 1DM2N and the 500/4IS + a 1.4 and it worked great. I would say what ever you did for these photos keep doing it as they are beautiful.
Lou

hangin tree · Mar 25, 2007

WOW, That really brings out the detail in some rather difficult areas

TOLady · Mar 25, 2007

WOWWW, those are fantastic. That Beamer works well! Those are incredible shots of the Devil Bird :biggrin:. A wonderful series, Louis, thanks so much for sharing!

Baxter · Mar 25, 2007

That first kingfisher is off the charts. Wow!

hardwork · Mar 25, 2007

OK whats a BB

Gale · Mar 25, 2007

Wow thoes are marvelous images...

Devil Bird....hummmmmmm grrrrrrrrr

davidwcramer · Mar 25, 2007

Nice shots Louie. And good use of the beamer. I'm still learing with it. How'd you get the KF to stay still so long????

davidwcramer · Mar 25, 2007

hardwork said:
OK whats a BB

Better Beamer flash extender.

cajun angel · Mar 25, 2007

Are you giving lessons? I have a BB just arrived! Beautiful photos BTW

Louis Champan · Mar 25, 2007

cajun angel said:
Are you giving lessons? I have a BB just arrived! Beautiful photos BTW

Thanks Dianne, I wish I were some sort of expert but unfortunately not, but thanks away. I think Mike Mac is the guy that knows the BB. I was just dertermined that I was going to shoot with it today and try to get better at it. I think there are some general rules but it's just practice in all sorts of situations.

Louie

andreasb · Mar 25, 2007

EXCELLENT! THEY LOOK GREAT YOU CAN'T TELL THEY ARE FLASHED AT ALL!!!

(caps lock is now off

)

InitialD · Mar 25, 2007

Louis Champan said:
Thanks Dianne, I wish I were some sort of expert but unfortunately not, but thanks away. I think Mike Mac is the guy that knows the BB. I was just dertermined that I was going to shoot with it today and try to get better at it. I think there are some general rules but it's just practice in all sorts of situations.

Louie

Excellent captures Louis. Can you tell us in detail what the flash settings used on the SB800? Rear sync etc?

BTW, I noticed that you're shooting with the HSC mode which would be like shooting from a 931mm lens !

flygirl1 · Mar 26, 2007

Louie what can I say but, well, :910: VERY jealous with your devil bird, the KF. Well done!

Nancy

hardwork · Mar 26, 2007

davidwcramer said:
Better Beamer flash extender.

Thanks David thats just what I need here in gray WA State

Flew · Mar 26, 2007

Well, all I can say is WOW!! These are sweet Louie. :smile:

sclamb · Mar 26, 2007

Great KF shots with the BB. The fact that they don't look flashed shows how good they are. Did you have the BB dialled down 1.5-1.7EV? If you could share your settings (camera/flash) it would be appreciated. Thanks.

phillip 200 · Mar 26, 2007

Cool very nice.

Phillip.