Equipment
Nikkor
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1200 F11 IF-ED
(left click on image to go to next image in series)
The 1200 is mounted on a Bogen 3421 (Gimbal type) lens support. The operation of this device is greatly improved with the addition of a Cullman panning plate.
With no sizable surf in Orange or San Diego counties in mid March, I set out to photograph birds at Bolsa Chica. I did not purchase this lens for bird photography and I quickly confirmed my belief.
With 1200 mm focal length, if you can find the bird, you've accomplished a lot. Next, try to focus on the bird before it flies away. It doesn't help if you have the wrong finder in the camera. I used an early eighties FE and the critical focus spot in the center of the screen was totally blacked out due to the F11 aperture of the lens.
Next I decided to put an extension tube on the lens to shoot subjects closer than 45 feet. Wow, its like seeing with a different set of eyes. Ugh, when I got the film back and every image had vignetting in the corners. Was it the extension tube or a hood placement? Stay tuned until I figure out how to use this lens.