25 July 2018

Grey heron taking flight -Table Bay Nature Reserve

Grey heron taking flight in the Table Bay Nature Reserve just off Woodbridge Island

We went for a short hike through the Table Bay Nature Reserve opposite the Milnerton Golf Club. The light wasn't that great and although I captured a few grey herons perched and / or in flight I did nor expect much. The images posted here are the best from the day - and again I was quite pleased with the Canon EOS 7D Mark II's performance. All three images are large crops, but retained enough detail for publishing here and on my Vernon Chalmers Photography Facebook Page.

Images by Vernon Chalmers with Canon EOS 7D Mark II and Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens.

Continuous Shooting at 10fps: 3 consecutive frames

Camera Settings
  • Aperture: f/5.6
  • Auto-ISO 800
  • Shutter Speed: 1/4000s
  • AF: Large Zone (Case 1)
  • 10 fps / handheld
  • CF Card: Lexar Professional 800x / 120MB/s 32GB

(Click to Enlarge)
Grey Heron Taking Flight - Table Bay Nature Reserve, Woodbridge Island
Grey Heron Taking Flight - Table Bay Nature Reserve, Woodbridge Island

Grey Heron Taking Flight - Table Bay Nature Reserve, Woodbridge Island
Grey Heron Taking Flight - Table Bay Nature Reserve, Woodbridge Island

Grey Heron Taking Flight - Table Bay Nature Reserve, Woodbridge Island
Grey Heron Taking Flight - Table Bay Nature Reserve, Woodbridge Island

Low Flying Grey Heron
Low Flying Grey Heron

Birds in flight Photography

22 July 2018

Rock pigeon over the Diep River, Woodbridge Island

Rock pigeon over the Diep River, Woodbridge Island
Rock pigeon in full flight... and dipping for the water.

We've seen an interesting phenomena yesterday (at least for here) of a racing pigeon coming in at pace, dipping into the water, and taking off again. Probably for drinking water.

Location
Diep River / Woodbridge Island

Images by Vernon Chalmers with Canon EOS 7D Mark II and Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens. Accompanied by fellow photographer, Peter Knott, with the same Canon equipment.

Continuous Shooting at 10fps
Images 2 - 6 are five consecutive frames of the pigeon approaching the water. 

Canon Camera Settings
  • Aperture: f/5.6
  • Auto-ISO 500
  • Shutter Speed: 1/4000s
  • AF: Large Zone (Case 1)
  • 10 fps / handheld
  • CF Card: Lexar Professional 800x / 120MB/s 32GB
 (click to enlarge)
Image 2: Rock Pigeon in Flight over the Diep River, Woodbridge Island
Image 2: Rock Pigeon in Flight over the Diep River, Woodbridge Island

Image 3: Rock Pigeon in Flight over the Diep River, Woodbridge Island
Image 3: Rock Pigeon in Flight over the Diep River, Woodbridge Island

Image 4: Rock Pigeon in Flight over the Diep River, Woodbridge Island
Image 4: Rock Pigeon in Flight over the Diep River, Woodbridge Island

Image 5: Rock Pigeon in Flight over the Diep River, Woodbridge Island
Image 5: Rock Pigeon in Flight over the Diep River, Woodbridge Island

Image 6: Rock Pigeon in Flight over the Diep River, Woodbridge Island
Image 6: Rock Pigeon in Flight over the Diep River, Woodbridge Island


Image 7: Rock Pigeon in Flight over the Diep River, Woodbridge Island
Image 7: Rock Pigeon in Flight over the Diep River, Woodbridge Island

Birds in flight Photography
Birds in Flight Photography

20 July 2018

Latest Update: Restoration of the wooden bridge, Woodbridge Island

Construction Sign next to  Otto du Plessis Drive, Milnerton
Restoration of historic wooden bridge Milnerton
Latest Update: 20 July 20018


Finally! Work has started, albeit at a snail's pace considering I've only counted thee construction workers on the bride during most of Friday morning ( 20 July 2018)

On the right is a construction sign next to the Otto du Plessis Drive side of the old wooden bridge (towards Table View).

By: City of Cape Town's Transport and Urban Development Authority (TDA)

Professional Sercive Provider: Bergstan South Africa

Contractor: Ruwacon (PTY) LTD

More on the wooden bridge, Woodbridge Island Restoration Project

More images of the old wooden bridge, Woodbridge Island

All images with Canon EOS 70D / EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM lens and Canon EOS 7D Mark II / EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens

(Click to Enlarge)
Restoration / Construction Site on Woodbridge Island - Next to the Milnerton Canoe Club
Construction Site on Woodbridge Island - Next to the Milnerton Canoe Club (Canon EOS 70D)

Construction Site Warning on the Otto du Plessis Drive side of the wooden bridge
Construction Site Warning on the Otto du Plessis Drive side of the wooden bridge (Canon EOS 7D Mark II)

Worker busy dismantling a section of the old wooden bride, Woodbridge Island
Worker busy dismantling a section of the old wooden bride, Woodbridge Island (Canon EOS 7D Mark II)

Worker pushing wheelbarrow with pieces of tar / wood on the old wooden bridge
Worker pushing wheelbarrow with pieces of tar / wood on the old wooden bridge (Canon EOS 7D Mark II)

01 July 2018

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens: Professional / Consumer Reviews

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens: Professional / Consumer ReviewsThe Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens was announced on 10 November 2014 (Canon Press Release) as an upgrade of the older Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Lens.

Canon EOS Body Compatibility
The Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens is compatible with both Canon EOS APS-C (crop) sensor bodies and Canon EOS full frame bodies.


Online Reviews - Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens Field Testing Cape Town

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens Dustin Abbot - Video Review>>

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens Consumer Reviews


Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens Specifications / Sample Images

More Canon EOS / PowerShot Camera Professional / Consumer Reviews View >>

Golden Pheasant : Canon EOS 7D Mark II / Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens
Golden Pheasant : Canon EOS 7D Mark II / Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens

Purchase Lightroom 6 / Last Perpetual Update for Lightroom

Purchase Lightroom 6 (for desktop) / Last Perpetual Update of Lightroom
Purchase Lightroom 6 (Single App license) / Last Perpetual Update of Lightroom (6.14)

Please note that this post applies to photographers using Lightroom 6 / CC as a desktop version and not the Cloud version of the new Lightroom Classic / Lightroom CC.

You can buy Lightroom 6 as a Single App licensed product (without a Creative Cloud plan), and download and install it on your desktop. Lightroom is also included in the Creative Cloud Photography and Creative Cloud All Apps plans.

Download and install Lightroom 6
Download and install Lightroom 6

Direct Lightroom 6 Full License (Mac / Windows) Purchase Link
Direct Lightroom 6 Full License (Mac / Windows) Purchase Link

Upgrading from Photoshop Lightroom 6.14 to Lightroom Classic CC
Upgrading from Photoshop Lightroom 6.14 to Lightroom Classic CC

Adobe Lightroom Post-Processing Private Training Cape Town
Adobe Lightroom Post-Processing Private Training Cape Town

Photoshop Lightroom 6.14: Official Adobe Journal Posting

Lightroom 6.14 now available – last perpetual update of Lightroom


The goal of this release is to provide perpetual customers additional camera raw support, lens profile support and address bugs that were introduced in previous releases of Lightroom. You should only update to Lightroom 6.14 if you are currently holding a license to our perpetual product.

Please note, there will be no additional updates after 6.14 for the perpetual, standalone version of Lightroom. You can check out this blog post for more information when this was announced earlier.

As always, new cameras are supported for legacy versions of Lightroom, Photoshop, Bridge, After Effects, and Photoshop Elements through the free Adobe DNG Converter.

For native camera raw support and ongoing updates with new features try out Lightroom Classic or Lightroom CC. These features include color and luminance range masking and the new auto. This along with other future imaging and performance enhancements are automatically included with a membership.

Find the latest available downloads of Lightroom 6 here. If you have a Creative Cloud plan of any type, you do not need to purchase Lightroom 6.

You can also find the new cameras and lens profiles that are now supported with 6.14.

Source: Adobe

Low Light Photography: African Darter in Flight

African Darter in Flight : Table Bay Nature Reserve, Woodbridge Island / Cape Town Frame
Canon EOS Autofocus / Birds in Flight Photography Training
Four consecutive frames of an African darter in flight using the Canon EOS 7D Mark II's 10 fps Continuous Shooting mode.

Images were captured in very poor light conditions and all frames are at ISO 1000.

Cape Town Location
Diep River / Table Bay Nature Reserve
Woodbridge Island, Cape Town

Equipment Used (Birds In Flight / Action Photography)
  • Canon EOS 7D Mark II DSLR camera body
  • Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens
  • Lexar Professional 800x / 120MB/s 32GB CF Card

Manual Mode Settings
  • Shutter speed: 1/3200s
  • Aperture: f/5.6
  • Focal length 400mm
  • Auto-ISO (ISO 1000)
  • Continuous shooting mode (10 fps) / AI Servo
  • AI Servo / AF Mode Option (Wide Zone AF / Case 1)
  • Lens AF On / No IS / Handheld


(Click to Enlarge)
African Darter in Flight : Table Bay Nature Reserve, Woodbridge Island / Cape Town Frame 1/4
African Darter in Flight : Table Bay Nature Reserve, Woodbridge Island / Cape Town Frame 1/4

African Darter in Flight : Table Bay Nature Reserve, Woodbridge Island / Cape Town Frame 2/4
African Darter in Flight : Table Bay Nature Reserve, Woodbridge Island / Cape Town Frame 2/4

African Darter in Flight : Table Bay Nature Reserve, Woodbridge Island / Cape Town Frame 3/4
African Darter in Flight : Table Bay Nature Reserve, Woodbridge Island / Cape Town Frame 3/4

African Darter in Flight : Table Bay Nature Reserve, Woodbridge Island / Cape Town Frame 4/4
African Darter in Flight : Table Bay Nature Reserve, Woodbridge Island / Cape Town Frame 4/4

Canon EOS 7D Mark II - Birds in Flight Photo Gallery

Birds in Flight Photography Cape Town