Friday September 24, 2004
Down at the Feeder

Chipmunk Chickadee Nuthatch

Shot using a Nikon 70-300mm f/4-5.6G lens that I bought for the D70. It's a Nikon lens but not top of the line, with a plastic/composite lens connector instead of the standard metal. Being as I'm still learning it seemed like a perfect experimental lens, especially when I found a gray market version for a hundred bucks.

I was a little worried, the amazon reviews mention stiff manual focusing. Actually when the D70 is on auto-focus you can't turn the lens focus ring at all, or at least I didn't try to force it. Flip the camera to manual focus and the lens focus is smooth as silk. The lens that came with the camera can be manually focused while in auto-focus mode, which means little since the camera refocuses when the shot is taken.

Zoom? Boy howdy does this thing zoom. Yesterday's butterfly was taken from four feet away and the Chipmunk, Chickadee, and Nuthatch where four to five feet away as well. A tripod is almost mandatory. In the case of the chipmunk I rested the camera on a bunch of juggling bean bags on top of the barbecue.

The chipmunk now lives behind our waterfall and is fearless. I worry about it, there appears to be a hole in its chest.