600mm III f/4 Update

Recently, I've been talking here about my experiences with the new Canon 600mm f/4 III lens. In an earlier post, I was complaining about not being able to take handheld shots that were sharp and in focus. Some folks responded with reassurance that they regularly get excellent results shooting handheld with their monster lenses. I assumed that I just needed more practice, but deep inside, I was disappointed with some of the initial results I was getting with the lens. Even the good shots took more work to make excellent than I experienced with the Canon EF 100-400mm II.

I think I also mentioned in an earlier post that the lens I was using was a loaner from Canon while I waited for stock. Well, the new one arrived a few days ago and I immediately tested it out on some yard birds. I took only handheld shots, and most were at slowish shutter speeds between 1/320s and 1/500s in late afternoon light (i.e. it was getting dark). The results were fantastic! Higher shutter speeds and they would have been perfect.

How do You Spell Relief?
It's hard to express the deep feeling of relief I experienced! Even beer tasted better that evening! Dan C., if you're reading this, I have since replenished my supply of single-malt, which is the usual birding celebratory drink!

These early tests tell me that the loaner lens is "off". Maybe the IS isn't working properly or maybe it's been bounced around, going through a number of hands as a loaner. Regardless, it was not a good representation of this lens.

Testing on Ducks
In the few days since the new lens arrived, I've photographed mainly ducks. Hamilton is an excellent place for ducks in winter, and currently there are loads of them at LaSalle Marina in Burlington. In addition to the usual army of MALLARDS (boring!), a handful of BUFFLEHEADS,  a few GADWALL, and some big honkers (CANADA GOOSE, MUTE SWAN, and TRUMPETER SWAN,) there are a few LONG-TAILED DUCKs, some REDHEADS, a large group of WHITE-WINGED SCOTERs (100+), a somewhat smaller group of RING-NECKED DUCKs, good numbers of CANVASBACKs and occasionally one or two NORTHERN PINTAILs. There's also a PIED-BILLED GREBE and one or two HORNED GREBE hanging around, but I haven't seen them for a couple of weeks.

Ring-necked Ducks are one of my favourites, so I was excited to see two large groups of them on the west side of the LaSalle on Friday, January 31. One group of 25+ was close enough for decent record shots. The other group of around 50 was quite far west down the shoreline. I only knew they were RNDUs because some birders visiting from Bracebridge had a scope.

So, I set up the 600mm + 1.4x on the tripod and snapped away at the floating groups of Ring-necked Ducks. These shots would have been impossible with the 100-400mm, even with the 1.4x attached. The photos might not be super close portraits, but they show the groups of ducks with excellent clarity.

Ring-necked Ducks with a Redhead and a Couple of Canvasbacks

Small Armada of RNDUs Approaches

The RNDUs sometime came a little closer

I'm very happy the image quality I was able to get taking quite distant shots of these RNDUs in rather weak lighting. The photos above range from between ISO 800 - 1000 at f/5.6, f/8 and f/11. There were also several Canvasbacks around, who were much closer.

Since that first day in the field, I've returned multiple times hoping the Ring-necked Ducks would be closer. Of course, they haven't been. I didn't even see them there at all today. But there's been plenty of other ducks to photograph, even if the light has been poor (typical of a Hamilton winter). I think the results speak for themselves.

White-winged Scoters

White-winged Scoter in Snow

Bufflehead

Red-breasted Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Andrew's a happy camper now! The new lens is fabulous, and it's a real game changer.

Handheld
All of the photos above were shot on a tripod, but the occasional handheld shots I've been taking have all been excellent! Here are a couple of handheld shots of an American Wigeon currently in the Desjardins Canal in Dundas.

American Wigeon, ISO 2000, f/5.6, 1/800s

American Wigeon, ISO 2500, f/5.6, 1/1600s

Bring on the Scotch!
Super happy! Super excited! Can't wait to get out again and again with Cyclops, my name for the new lens! Might be time to open the new bottle of single malt!!

Long-tailed Duck