My covered patio is some forty feet from the feeder, so some serious reach is called for if photos are to be made.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.pindelski.org\/Blog2\/500mm_Nikkor_GX7.jpg\")
\nPanasonic GX7 with adapted 500mm f\/8 Reflex Nikkor.<\/i><\/center><\/p>\n
The Reflex Nikkor<\/a> is capable of delivering excellent results but there’s no way you are going to keep it steady or focussed on an MFT body – where it’s effective focal length is 1,000mm – without sturdy support. To that end I use an old but massive Linhof tripod<\/a>. Sorry, lightweight, poncy carbon fiber does not cut it. You need weight to stop vibration. To further help matters, I use the vibrationless electronic shutter option in the GX7 which has the added advantage of being silent. The Panny GX7 is attached to the no less massive Sirui ball head<\/a> using an Arca-style QR plate bolted to the Nikkor. The weight and bulk of the support hardware greatly exceeds that of the very compact and lightweight lens + camera combination.<\/p>\n The Reflex Nikkor is a manual focus lens, a focus movement which is a delight to use, light and stiction free. For critical focus I depress the ribbed (programmable) aperture wheel on the back of the GX7 which greatly enlarges the central area; click again and that enlarged central area fills the viewfinder. With depth of field – even at this optic’s modest f\/8 aperture – just a few inches<\/i> at forty feet, this focus aid is invaluable.<\/p>\n Here’s the result:<\/p>\n You can just make out the typical mirror lens doughnut rings in the out-of-focus area, caused by specular reflections of the bright evening sun from the gravel in the garden.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Fat and happy. There’s a bushy tree in my front yard which is home to maybe two dozen Gambel’s Quail. Startle them and they explode out of their cover, flying noisily. Quail are poor fliers – as many a dinner plate confirms – and much prefer walking to flying. One hour before sunset they make … Continue reading Gambel’s Quail<\/span> ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.pindelski.org\/Blog2\/Gambels_quail_2.jpg\")
\nThe male quail has the red head.<\/i><\/center><\/p>\n