Initial test of Canon EF 200mm f/2.0L IS USM

I've recently got my hands on a Canon EF 200mm f/2.0L IS USM lens and have been out this evening in low light to test it briefly on my Canon 5D II.
Initially I thought it was an excellent lens, but having used it for a couple of hours, I have to say it's not excellent. It's UNBELIEVABLY SUPERB!!! With the shallow depth of field and 5 stop image stabilisation, yes I said FIVE stop IS, it'll probably be used more than my 300mm f/2.8L IS USM.
 The balance on a 5D II with battery grip or a 1D series body is simply near perfect. The focus ring and the buttons all fall under the fingers as you're using it.
I'm yet to try it out using the 1.4x and 2x teleconverters respectively, it'll be interesting to see the speed of focus acquisition and image quality the teleconverter combination produces.

When I've used it more in better light and under different situations, I'll update the results on this blog with more images of varying subjects.

For now though, this one image will have to suffice.

Handheld in low light 1/160 sec, f/2.0 ISO 1600

Date confirmed for Red Deer Rut group meeting.

Thursday October 27 @ 06:45 a group of us will be meeting, hopefully getting some lovely images in the mist and early morning light of the Red Deer (with any luck we'll have all three!)
Anybody that has shown interest and hasn't replied to my DM tweet can still text me for the meeting location.
I'm recommending at least a 300mm or better still a 400mm lens for this outing, as the images will look more natural, also you're reminded that these are wild animals and have to be treated with the respect they deserve.
We'll be having our usual breakfast break more than likely around 09:30...ish (Myself and Richard Peters need our daily fix of food!)

Other wildlife, possibly a little owl, will be a bonus on the day.

Red Deer Rut update.

Yesterday, after a visit to the doctor's, despite still being unwell, I ventured to Bushy Park to see how the rut was progressing there.

There was a lot of bellowing and thrashing antlers through the ferns to decorate them from the testosterone fuelled stags.

By next month it should be hotting up.

Anybody that is still interested on coming along for a trip would do well to add me on Twitter, @JaiGrieve  as I regularly tweet my adventures and misadventures!

Red Deer Rut

As some of you may know, every Autumn is the time of the Red Deer rut. This is the time when the male deer are at their finest and are prepared to fight each other for the right to mate with the females.

I love to make the opportunity to get up and out early before sunrise usually to photograph these wild goings on. This Autumn will be no different, although I may organise a group meeting for one of my ventures out.

If anyone would like to come along with me for a truly wonderful UK wildlife experience, drop me an email.

The rut hasn't started yet, but I'll keep you posted here as I keep an eye on the deer.

F.I.M. Superbike World Championship

I've not long returned from a day out shooting the world superbike riders at Silverstone.
The kit I decided on dragging around with me was a 300mm 2.8, 1.4x converter, 2x converter, 70-200mm, 135mm 2.0 (didn't use), 17-40mm (also didn't use), 1DIII and a 5D II.

The following three images were all shot from the inside of Brooklands corner.

Leon Haslam

Ayrton Badovini

Leon Camier

Some of the results using the 5D weren't so useable as it showed up the fact I was shooting from behind a fence!

While shooting from this location, I got talking to a guy about this and that who has a stand at these events. I thought I'd give his site a plug as he is such a nice guy. Anyone that wants to buy any great signed images of riders in action can get them from Keith Martin who can be found here: www.keithmartinphotography.co.uk what you can't find on the site I'm sure he can get for you.

The winner of the race on Sunday was Carlos Checa. 

The View most of the other riders got.

Trackside view of Sundays winner Carlos Checa powering past.

Father's Day at Brooklands

Today I took my dad, or rather he drove, to Brooklands museum where they were holding "The Brooklands Double Twelve Motorsport Festival"

I think he enjoyed himself browsing around the historic cars and aircraft.
The cold burgers were awful, the tea was mediocre, but the rain held off long enough to have a good day!
The highlight of the event was the hillclimbing, as can be seen here, a DeTomaso Pantera GT5S flying past at quite a pace!

 

Also, the 24 cylinder Packard Bentley spitting fire was quite a sight.

Time now to put our feet up for a rest and a "real" cuppa!

Red Kite shoot.

On a rainy grey overcast morning of March the 31st, Richard Peters, Luke Massey and myself met up in Oxfordshire to shoot the Red Kites., the forecast looked optimistic and promised us some sunshine, but as we all know, the weather in the UK can be temperamental.
I'd been to this particular location of Richard's on a previous shoot with him. We arrived within ten minutes of one another, him nine minutes before me.
Luke on the other hand was extremely eager to get to the location and set up early, having previously been there, he'd arrived at the crack of dawn and was already soaked through when we got to him.

We set up near a Muntjac Deer carcass that was of great interest to the kites. (Austin Thomas had noticed on a previous visit.)
The unfortunate deer often come acropper on the winding country roads (They can't drive!)


Luke showed us some images of the Kites on the ground he'd taken prior to our arrival, which boosted our morale, also the weather was looking promising as it had stopped raining.

As we patiently lay on wet grass for roughly two hours with not a hint of a Red Kite showing any interest in the gorgeous buffet laid out for them, (Cakes and wine!) Richard and me decided it was time for a spot of lunch at the local pub, aren't we just the lightweights! Luke was left with a load of our kit including a couple of my Pocket Wizards in an attempt to get a camera trap set up.

After filling up on bangers and mash and a home made burger an hour later we returned to Luke who'd virtually buried one of his cameras in the distance to attempt to get a remote shot of a Kite.

 He advised us that he'd not had any further luck. We laid down in wait again.

 After some time, we all ventured out to the carcass and remote camera setup to re-assess the situation.

I set up my remote 5DII with a 17-40mm lens, which in retrospect was far too wide for the situation (note to self to remember a 70-200mm next time.)  We then returned to our prone positions.


It was 14:00 when I think the first of the Red Kites actually showed some interest in anything.

The sun was by now cracking through the clouds and we had dried out somewhat.

The rest as they say is history.

All in all I think the three of us had a great day, not only shooting the Kites, but... erm, worrying about the psychological profile of Luke asking about finding scratched naked dead bodies! Haha! (You had to be there for that one!)

Follow Luke on Twitter @LMasseyImages
Follow Richard on Twitter @RichardpPhoto
Follow Austin on Twitter @AustinTphoto
Follow myself on Twitter @JaiGrieve

Focus on Imaging 2011

A very rare day off for me tomorrow!!!

Every year I attend the Focus on Imaging show, this year will be no different. It's the biggest imaging show in Europe.  I'll be up dawns crack and out of the house by 08:00 to get there early. Although Canon have pulled out for some laymo reason, I'm sure they'll be loads of shiny goodies to be fondled there from other manufacturers.
 Checklist:

1. Shopping list.

2. Another shopping list.

3. A body and a couple of lenses.

4.Money.

5. I've got to remember not to forget my pass!

Now I'm getting to bed without any supper, 'cos I'm so UPCITED!

Canon 5D mark II video.

This is my first attempt at doing something creative with the video function on my 5DII.

After playing with this feature and having enjoyed the results, I may give a short film a go.

Although I don't think it'll replace my love of taking stills.

In this short intro movie clip I've tried to build a sense of suspense and an uneasy atmosphere. I'm not sure I've quite achieved it here, but it's only my first attempt at cinematography.

Any advice or tips from you cinematographers out there would be greatly received.

You'll just have to wait for the rest of the movie for now! Haha!

Testing the 5D II in London city after dark.

I have been umming and ahh-ing over whether to get a 5DII or a 1Ds III for some time now.
Having just sold my 1Ds II and needing a full frame Canon to replace it I opted for the 5D II in the end. Last night myself and a friend went out and met at Waterloo station, London to shoot some street in low light conditions. Andy opted to bring out his 1D IV with a 50mm f/1.8 attached, I on the other hand obviously using the 5D II, went for a longer focal length of 135mm f/2.0.

Here are my results, which Andy thinks have better noise control over the 1D IV.

All in all I'm very pleased with the results seen below, although I have noticed a white "hot pixel"

ISO 3200 100sec f/2.0

ISO 3200 100sec f/2.0

ISO 6400 100sec f/2.0

ISO 5000 160sec f/2.0

ISO 6400 125sec f/2.0

ISO 3200 100sec f/2.0

I do like the last image of a guy checking his watch as he has just walked by arguably the most famous clock in the world!



I even had a go at the video, which will need some practice as I'm not a videographer/cinematographer! I thought I may post it on here just in case anyone wanted to see the bokehliciousness of it, and decided not! Alas maybe some other time!