Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2022/05/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]On May 3, 2022, at 1:52 AM, Jayanand Govindaraj via LUG <lug at leica-users.org> wrote: > > I had gone to the National Parks, and prime tiger reserves, of Bandhavgarh > and Kanha last month as my first outstation trip post covid. The weather > was extremely hot, with the mercury touching 42/43C, and the full day > safaris that we undertook, on open top vehicles, were tiring. However > thanks to constant hydration with water, chaas and lemon juice, I seemed > to have sailed through with no after effects. I was quite surprised at my > own resilience. I have not posted for a long time, but this seemed a > fitting occasion to resume! > > I was testing a lot of new equipment on this trip - the Nikon Z9, the > Nikkor Z100-400mm f4.5-5.6S and the Nikkor Z24-70 f2.8S. As it was they > performed flawlessly, and the AF eye tracking mode on the Z9 was nothing > short of magical. As an example, a male tiger walking behind grass, part of > a burst of 6 shots: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Kanha/Kanha-20220426-067.jpg.html > > The Z24-70 f2.8S is, without a doubt, the best normal zoom I have ever > owned, so let us start with two photographs taken with that lens, mounted > on a Nikon Z7: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Kanha/Kanha-20220427-067-Editb.jpg.html > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Kanha/Kanha-20220426-045-Edit.jpg.html > > Because of the intense heat, all animals were looking for cool places to > rest in: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Kanha/Bandhavgarh-20220422-351-Edit.jpg.html > > Of course, waterholes were popular places in late afternoon: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Kanha/Kanha-20220425-1765-Edit.jpg.html > > The Z9 has exceptional high ISO performance if the frame is exposed > correctly. As you will notice, none of my photographs in this set taken > with the Z9 are at low ISOs. However, here are two examples at ISO12800 - > the first one from late in the evening after sunset, and the second being > early in the morning as the sun was coming up: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Kanha/Kanha-20220425-1565-Edit.jpg.html > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Kanha/Kanha-20220426-359-Edit.jpg.html > > Two shots of a male that came out of a thicket: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Kanha/Kanha-20220426-1545-Edit.jpg.html > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Kanha/Kanha-20220426-1533-Edit.jpg.html > > This same dominant male, a huge fellow, was following the scent of a > tigress, when he came upon our vehicle! These shots were at under 200mm: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Kanha/Kanha-20220426-1463-Edit.jpg.html > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Kanha/Kanha-20220426-1731-Edit.jpg.html > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Kanha/Kanha-20220426-557-Edit.jpg.html > > A vigorous shake of the head when on patrol: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Kanha/Kanha-20220426-470-Edit.jpg.html > > To round things off, some raptors. The first two are of two different > Crested Serpent Eagles with its prey: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Kanha/Kanha-20220427-1056-Edit.jpg.html > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Kanha/Bandhavgarh-20220422-289-Edit.jpg.html > > The last one is a portrait of a Changeable Hawk Eagle: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Kanha/Bandhavgarh-20220423-940-Edit.jpg.html > > Please see LARGE, I have posted in a reasonably big size. > > Comments and criticism, as ever, are welcome! > > Cheers > Jayanand =========================================================================== Terrific shots. I've never seen a Changeable Hawk Eagle before, and I like the coloration. -- Alan Alan Magayne-Roshak, Senior Photographer University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Photo Services (Retired) UPAA Photographer of the Year 1978 UPAA Master of the Profession 2014 amagayneroshak at gmail.com <http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Alan+Magayne-Roshak/> "All the technique in the world doesn't compensate for an inability to notice. " - Elliott Erwitt