Great shots Jackie, really love the Macro of the Chestnut bud xxxx

Still working with and pushing the Bigma to its extremes, this shot was f8 @ 1/640 with the ISO set to 200 and the lens pushed all the way out to 500mm. Must say I did not expect it to perform this well, to my amateur eyes this looks sharp, not pin sharp may be but a good performance when you realise the glass was at its furthest point and the camera was my old istDS

Did have an editing problem, removed one or two distracting twigs but was not sure about the one that is in front of the bird and runs along the line of the wing, as it is it looks as if it disappears into the bird but I am not sure I could remove it without spoiling the feathering, what you think folks, I know not many of you view this thread so I may ask elsewhere.



Think I may give the Bigma a rest for a while and take the wide angle out and about for a while, well not that wide on a DSLR as it is a 24mm – think I will go and see just what it can do before I decide if I want/need something wider and lighter.

If you have thanks for looking and reading, have a good week and keep the camera working.

So jealous, I bought a feeder over 2 weeks ago and now a single bird has come to it!

Eileen we have 4 feeders up normal bird seed, Niger seed, fat balls and peanuts - we now get a good selection of birds in the yard but not all are kind enough to rest on the hedge for me to shoot. The Niger seems imperative for Gold Finch and you need a special feeder but once they find them there is no stopping them till the food runs out.


Well the other place said I was skilled enough to get rid of the twig and so I have and I think they were right it is better.

Love the edit, well done Jackie it's fab!! xxx

Thank you Suzi, once I was given the confidence to try I had a go and I am pleased with the result - to think I all but sold this lens a few weeks ago, now they all remember what I said and are wanting to buy it but, at the moment it ain't for sale.

Going to try to come to terms with my widest lens now so a bit of reading up and a bit of a prod to the imagination and we will see what happens, if I get anywhere I think I will be in the market for something down the wide end, or up the wide end, choose as appropriate.

Sorry Diane I called you Eileen both here and when I posted a Goldfinch, a very senior moment and I cant edit it.

you were right to do the edit - it makes all the difference and finishes a great picture.

good job.

Thanks Jack, I think so too now but was worried I would not be able to deal with the feathers.

Now I will have to try and do something with one of my other lens until I find some more work for this one, and expect to require a good deal of help and as this is a lens 24mm I have not used much before except for shots in crowded rooms. First find things that take my eye.

Have to own up to having taken no shots this week, been sorting through old slides and scanning them onto the PC, they do not come out very well but they are only for our memories file.

The ones I have been working on were taken during the 70s and for historical interest I though you may like to see a few, def not for CC. They were taken on 110, remember 110 and 35mm and all transparances.

Steam engine driving past my home on a Sunday morning.


The Michelin advertising bus.


Mini skirt


Sonia, daughter of a friend of mine – now in her thirties


And a Fallow taken through my front room window, the marks are the lead even more difficult to take shots through than double glazing.