Sandpipers! . Western sandpipers, I think because of their droopy bills. . I mentioned it in my stories, but I rented a 600mm f/4 lens last weekend from @glazerscamera and had a blast taking pictures of wildlife around the Olympic coast. . It was really interesting to see how far I could push it beyond what my Tamron 150-600 can do. Most these photos are with a 2x extender on and still fairly sharp. I also tried really cranking down the aperture to see if I could get a few of these little sandpipers in focus. The answer was not really. At 1200mm and around the minimum focusing distance even with a narrow aperture the depth of field is very shallow plus you start to lose a lot of sharpness from diffraction. Well, I think. I took optics a long time ago but I don't really know beyond various internet experts suggesting you can't make the aperture too narrow. I'm not sure if it how a really high end lens better addresses it. Still, I think trying to go to like f/20 with a 2x extender on is pretty unreasonable. . All of this is to say, that it's sort of nice to know what I could and couldn't do with a lens that's the best I'd even bother dreaming for. Maybe one day. . There are drawbacks, too, though. It's heavy and hard to handhold. I also didn't like the attention it drew. But I found it really slowed me down and there were shots I missed because I was messing with the tripod/gimbal that I'd have likely got with my Tamron. So I can see why a pro would probably walk around with something like a 150-600 on their camera and break out the 600 one they're settled in at a blind or something. . However, the photos of the otter on the rock were handheld with the 600. Instead of fussing with the tripod, I kneeled down and rested the lens on my knee. . Anyway, if anyone reading this is rich and loves my photos, I'd gladly accept the gift of this $10k+ lens 😂 . . . #sandpiper #sandpipers #westernsandpiper #westernsandpipers #semipalmatedsandpiper #leastsandpiper #shorebird #shorebirds #charadriiformes #scolopacidae #birdwatching #birdsofinstagram #birdfreaks #birdphotography #birdlovers #birdingphotography (at Juan De Fuca Strait) https://www.instagram.com/p/CSM8Io5lEq3/?utm_medium=tumblr
