"birding" fun - Page 47

**Kevin WS** · #**461** 05-26-2013, 12:17 AM

Firstly Don, Whulsley, Ashrunner and anyone else I have missed - i apologise for not having responded. Just realised that the Forum Post Notification no longer works for me - as is the case I have also found out for many others.

See here. The administrators are mum for some reason...

Account banned.

**Kevin WS** · #**462** 05-26-2013, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashrunner

Kevin...weird looking bird that Hornbill. Is it a scavenger?

Ashrunner - nope. Although it looks like it should be!

He is a large fellow - 40 to 50 inches long, up to 10 pounds in weight. As a result he spends most of his time on the ground foraging for insects, frogs, lizards and so forth.

They establish nurseries for the chicks manned by by other birds, and they bring back food for the latter. This they hold in their beaks so it is often easy to see what their current food source is!

With less then 50 pairs left in the wild (they do not breed in captivity) they are a rare sighting.

**rickstef** · #**463** 05-26-2013, 04:41 PM

Actually we have not been quiet on it, in every thread this has been brought up, we have told everyone that we are aware of it, and have reported it to Jason, but he has been AWOL from the site, and we are just as ham strung as you on this

Rick

**Kevin WS** · #**464** 05-26-2013, 10:23 PM

I run a Forum and there are 3 people with full administration rights, which means they can back up in full, administer the actual software etc.

Perhaps suggest this approach to Jason? We have done it in case a key individual is unavailable etc. If Jason totally disappears off the radar it would be a pity to lose all this and the community - which will happen if the site now expires!

**Kevin WS** · #**465** 05-27-2013, 10:37 PM

Don,

How's the new camera?

**Don Boose** · #**466** 05-28-2013, 09:54 AM

Hi Kevin - I love the new camera and (in between grading papers and copyediting in the sunroom) have been shooting lots of backyard birds, rabbits, and other creatures by way of practice. For now, I am just using the automatic feature to get get a feel for it, and haven't had the time to really learn much about the (to me) infintie capabilities. I'm up against a deadline just now, but next week I will share some of my images with you. Don

**Ashrunner** · #**467** 05-28-2013, 12:39 PM

Colonel...glad you like the camera. You mentioned you are using it in automatic mode. Do you have it set on the green "P" (Program Mode)?

I have just recently begun using that setting and I am amazed as to how good the exposure is. Other than Manual, the Program mode will be the one I use the most from now on.

If you haven't tried it, I would suggest you do so. You won't be disappointed.

**Don Boose** · #**468** 05-28-2013, 01:25 PM

Ash - I think so. The setting says "Auto," and it is green. The "Getting Started" manual calls it "Smart Auto" and describes it as "fully automatic selection of the optimal settings for specific scenes." I have not yet loaded the full manual into my computer, but I think the Auto setting will give me what I need for the foreseeable future as I get used to the camera. I sure do appreciate your recommendation and your continuing advice. Don

**Kevin WS** · #**469** 05-29-2013, 12:21 AM

Don - Program Mode is a different setting. Have not seen the actual camera, but it may be set on dial on the top - "P". Near your Auto mode.

Ashrunner - Program does often give better results. One tip though here is initally Program modes are set up to be automatic, but their purpose is to allow you to set up your settings manually. So if you change settings they stay. After fiddling for a bit things can get tricky.

What I do with this mode is make sure that I reset it often - and all the other modes. The camera menu will have an option to reset custom settings and I normally do this before a longish outing or trip. Otherwise I end up with interesting results!

**Ashrunner** · #**470** 05-29-2013, 11:51 AM

Don...sounds like you're well on your way to getting accustomed to the camera.

Kevin...I did some testing of the Canon Program mode, and yes, it is automatic. I did find that color and consistency in exposure is much better across the board than it is in either Aperture or Shutter priority modes. I also did some testing under the various metering modes and found the Evaluative and Average modes worked best. The Spot metering mode was good also, but in order to maintain similar exposure, the "spot" had to be consistent also...which is something I have found in the past.

I'll still use manual settings for most of my photo trips, but on days when the lighting changes quickly I'll use unmodified Program mode.

Here are a couple of shots from the weekend...a first timer for my yard (Red Crossbill) and one my favorite bird (Western Tanager).