From http://natureandwildlifephotography.blogspot.com/
There was a time that I always used the limiter. Now pretty much never.
This guy wouldn't let me approach close at all. If I tried to walk towards him he'd fly away at 50 feet! After that happening twice, the next time I saw him at more than 50 feet, I laid down and waited for him to come to me and he did. The above is at about 40 feet. He got to inside of 10.
One of the reasons I now do not use the focus limiter at all on my telephoto lenses is that shots of far away stuff is easy, and I want close stuff. When the close stuff presents itself I do not want to be fumbling over a limiter switch. It makes the lens hunt more, or spend more time hunting through the range of focus - but it is one of the things I've changed in my approach to focus in the last year. I'd much rather miss the far away stuff than the close stuff.
With birds close often happens in just a few wing beats. For the above I was prone and trying to balance the lens, not show myself to the heron, and keep shooting as he kept getting closer and closer...
There's nothing much more frustrating then hoping and trying for close encounters and then having the camera or lens get in the way of taking those close photos...
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Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Don't use the focus limiter feature of long lenses
Original content posted at http://natureandwildlifephotography.blogspot.com/
Nikographer.com / Jon
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3 comments:
Beautiful shot, Jon! and great post -- I agree totally about being ready to get the close shots. its such a bummer when you get an opportunity and its gone before you had a chance. I had a frustrating experience last weekend when I spent the better part of an hour gaining the trust of a handful of least sandpipers. of course it happened that when I finally picked the right pile of wrack to lay down and wait by and they came right up to me, I realized that I forgot to put my extra memory cards in my usual coat pocket, and instead left them in my backpack. I only got off a few shots before the "film" ran out...
Terrific job on the blog Jon! Great info, I'll try to remember this;) Ben Tebbens.
Terrific info Jon and wonderful shot. I'll try and remember this, Ben. BTW, great blog!!
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