Covering the Distance

I'm going to talk about the lenses in my arsenal and their use.

To be ready for just about anything you need to have the necessary lenses to cover
just about any distance.

My primary lens is the 600mm. With my 1.4x that covers 840mm. With my 2x I can
reach 1200mm. My 600 is attached to my primary camera, the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV.
If the bird is 20+ feet out, I'm  using this lens. I use it for everything from extreme closeups
to birds in flight.

My second camera, the Canon EOS 1D Mark III will usually find one of these lenses
attached to it...

Working from the other end I have my 24-105mm. I'll use this lens when a wider shot
is called for. For example I might pull this one out for sunrises or sunsets.

More times than not, the 70-200 F2.8 will be my lens of choice on my secondary. This
setup will help me capture any subject that's to close for my 600. With my secondary
on my shoulder via the Rapid RS-7 strap, all I have to do is reach down to my hip,
slide it up to my eye and snap the shutter.

My other lens is the Canon 300mm F4. If I'm going to a place I've never been before,
I'll take this with my Mark IV. For extra reach or birds in flight, I can add my 1.4x.

I use to use the Canon 400mm F.6 for what the 300mm does now. But I made the
switch for a number of reasons. One is I gain IS. Second, by adding the 1.4x, I gain
an extra 20mm in distance. Having the 300 and 1.4x combo is like having two different
lenses.

I use to have a 100-400mm F5.6. The lens was great and sharp. But one day as I was
researching my images captured with this lens, I came to the conclusion I was mostly
shooting at 400mm. With my 70-200 and a 1.4x covering most of that distance, that
prompted me to make the change to the 400 F5.6 and eventually the 300.

By doing so, I pretty much have every distance covered from 24mm thru 1200mm.

Be sure to view my website, http://www.thebirdphotographer.com/ for some great
images that were shot with these lenses.