Grey Squirrel - Focus test

[BillN_33]

Testing my Nikon 600mm f4 AF-S D ll (non VR) ….. to it's extremes

D7100 + 600mm f4 @f4 and 1/320sec at ISO 800 = 840mm effective

+ 0.3

spot focus, spot exposure, shot into the morning damp back light, poor conditions, focused on eye …… about 50% of shots were OK …. the others the focus hit the small branch in front of its head

about 30 mtres, no less, from subject

looks OK to me - what do you think ……. conditions cannot have been much more unfavourable

AF works well

Full image, just reduced in size to 1000 x 1000 ……… no crop, (i.e. 100% crop)

 

[gramps]

Not sure what this proves Bill ... focus test on a moving subject?

 

[sk66]

Looks pretty good to me... the DOF doesn't seem to be too far either side.

 

[BillN_33]

Looks pretty good to me... the DOF doesn't seem to be too far either side.

Thanks gramps and Steven

I wanted to check back and front focusing in "real life" situations plus reasonable "usable" distances ……. I think that this is the max for a "record shot' for something the size of a squirrel.

No Blue Tits around, but that will be the next test.

I also want to compare it with the 300mm f2.8 + TC20Elll

I tried testing in the usual way and making micro adjustments ……. but 0 seems to be OK with this lens and body.

I was also worried about AF in poor light conditions ….. AF seems to be good at that distance, provided you get the single cell "spot on"

Shot was on a good tripod and Gimbal …… but even so I was still a little cautious about the results at 1/320th ….. as it is difficult to "lock down" a gimbal when the subject may move.

I have just covered the lens with a camo neoprene lens coat …….. not only does it protect and make the lens "warmer" to the hand ……. it also seems to help with "damping" any mirror slap vibes

Getting used to the 600mm now ……. it is not as easy as I thought it would be but my technique is slowly improving and the images seem to be getting more acceptable ….. waiting for some better light