It is a while since I have been out with longer lenses. My photography has been limited this year because of some earlier health issues. This week I was thankful to see Woodpeckers, Jays, Squirrels and small birds at the Morton Lochs Scottish Wildlife Trust Nature reserve. I support the Trust through a monthly subscription.

It is not often I bring out the 600mmm f/4.0 EF IS USM L II becuase it takes a bit of handling. There is insufficient room in the hide for a tripod and as there are no gimbal plates, you are stuck trying to balance it on a bean bag. But quite pleased with the result.

This image was taken with the MUCH more manageable 300 f/2.8 L Ultrasonic (Mark I) which was manufactured between 1987 and 1999. So it is at the very least 27 years old. Jen Rockwell describes it as insanely sharp with spectacular optics. I paid c £ 1500 for ir, and it is the sharpest lens I own. Here it is coupled with a 2x telecoverter giving 600mm at f/5.6. Whilst not as spectacular as the 600mm f/4 – at least this can be hand held for short periods with a chance of getting a sharp images, as is shown here.

I certianly find this combination sharp.

Since storm Arwen destroyed many of the trees in the Nature Reserve in 2022, I have never seen a squirrel at the hide. However, you see them in the Forest. The RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM is a sharp lens, but really slow, meaning ISO has to be bumped up. I was up at ISO 3200 for this shot. OK DxO will take the noise out and Topaz will sharpen, but ultimately this will never perform as well as the primes. Nevertheless it is a very sharp lens, and is light and easy to handhold.

There is no doubt the image of the male woodpecker (left) and the female with a nut (right) taken with the 100-500 are sharp. But they were taken at 1600 and 800 ISO respectively.

I was surprised how aggreeively the much smaller woodpeacker aggressively chased away the jay! It was certianly not willing to let the jay steal the nuts someone had left. I left elated and joyful to have the experience of being in the outdooes again, with the added bonus of getting some images, after so many weeks confinded to 15 mins walking distance from my home. Looking forward to the next visit in golden hour light. A step at a time, though.