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RAUK - Archived Forum - Adder Photography

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Adder Photography:

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Vicar
Senior Member
Joined: 02 Sep 2004
No. of posts: 1181


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Posted: 04 Jul 2005

This one's really for Al.

Nice choice on buying the Canon mate :P As for macro, I took this using 135mm lens with a +2 close up lens bolted on the front. This means of course, I was close to strike-range taking this pic, but she was pretty laid back and not at all aggressive. Took this at Ash, your neck of the woods really .

Interestingly, and I'm not sure why yet...The canon has trouble auto-focusing on adders. MF works a beaut, but must be something to do with adder contrast which foxes the AF, all other reptiles it seems fine.


Steve Langham - Chairman    
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG).
Jeroen
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Nov 2004
No. of posts: 121


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Posted: 04 Jul 2005

Autofocus trouble? Weird, don't have that with my 300D... - hope it's OK that I am adding some recent adder pictures of mine (from Belgium) ...

and this is a Vipera seoanei (same Canon EOS 300D still) from SW-France ...


Jeroen Speybroeck
http://www.hylawerkgroep.be/jeroen/
*SNAKE*
Senior Member
Joined: 16 May 2004
No. of posts: 220


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Posted: 04 Jul 2005

guess what im getting for chistmas ?

paul


PAUL SMITH     
Vicar
Senior Member
Joined: 02 Sep 2004
No. of posts: 1181


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Posted: 04 Jul 2005
That second pic is a cracker !  I don't know the species (seoanei), are they similar size to berus ? They seem a more robust build ? Vicar38537.7535069444
Steve Langham - Chairman    
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG).
Alan Hyde
Senior Member
Joined: 17 Apr 2003
No. of posts: 1416


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Posted: 04 Jul 2005
Luuuurverly pics Steve ,Jeroen.

Here's a couple of macro pics from my E20




O-> O+>
GemmaJF
Admin Group
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
No. of posts: 2090


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Posted: 04 Jul 2005

Thanks guys for cheering me up on a particularly crap day, I could sit and look at these pics all night

Now the big question, do I buy a Cannon EOS 350D or a 8700 Coolpix?

GemmaJF38537.7356481481
Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant
Vicar
Senior Member
Joined: 02 Sep 2004
No. of posts: 1181


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Posted: 04 Jul 2005

I really like the top one Al !

Gemma,

I'd say whatever you buy in that price range will deliver the results. What made my mind up was walking into a shop and trying them, actually holding them and seeing how they 'felt'.

Personally I found the Nikon autofocus quite clunky, (Canon USM is lubberly!) and the viewfinder not as clear as the Canon. I think the 350 is a bit lighter than my EOS 20D. The only fault I have with the 20D is it is a little on the heavy side. After a day's tramping about with it round my neck, I feel it. And for some of those 'yoga-position' shots using one hand, you feel the weight too.

I think the coolpix is also an 8Mp camera ?, so no difference there. I do hear the D70 is a bargin at the moment, since they brought out the D70S too.


Steve Langham - Chairman    
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG).
GemmaJF
Admin Group
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
No. of posts: 2090


View other posts by GemmaJF
Posted: 04 Jul 2005
Thanks for that Steve, sounds like a good idea to go try them out. IÆve been comparing specs but field friendliness will be the most important consideration at the end of the day for me.
Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant
B Lewis
Krag Committee
Joined: 24 Aug 2004
No. of posts: 146


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Posted: 04 Jul 2005

Hey Guys,

Such fantastic photography.. Superb all round. I can't wait to try out my macro on some adders, I tried on slow-worms (see 'close-up' link).

Gemma, I have the 300D, no problems with that at 6.3Mp but I suppose if your going to spend the money go for as many Mp's as possible, the digital zoom/crop is a great asset.

Keep up the great work people, the pictures on this site just keep getting better.

Kind regards

Brett.


Lewis Ecology
Brett Lewis Photography
Kent Reptile & Amphibian Group
DICE - University of Kent
Jeroen
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Nov 2004
No. of posts: 121


View other posts by Jeroen
Posted: 05 Jul 2005

[QUOTE=Vicar] I don't know the species (seoanei), are they similar size to berus ? They seem a more robust build ? [/QUOTE]

Yes, they are similar. Up until somewhere in the 80's (I think) they used to be treated as a subspecies (Vipera berus seoanei). They live in the north of Spain and both the extreme north of Portugal as well as the extreme southwest of France, thus their range is completely separated from the range of the Adder (see SEH atlas map). The scales on top of the head are often more fragmented and they exhibit a seemingly larger(?) morphological variability, including quite a high number of black individuals. If you'd like to see where my observation came from, you may want to check my Pyrenees 2004 trip report. There are some more pictures of (partly the same animals) here.


Jeroen Speybroeck
http://www.hylawerkgroep.be/jeroen/
Alan Hyde
Senior Member
Joined: 17 Apr 2003
No. of posts: 1416


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Posted: 05 Jul 2005
Thanks Brett, Steve , Gemma!

Gemma , I agree with most of what Steve said , But please do try out the Olympus E1 or E300 too, superb cameras.
Steve, The Olympus cameras make the 20D feel really light . The first thing i thought when picking up the 20d was , "wooah , light as a feather" LOL!

I personally prefer a heavy camera, dunno why.

Anyway , like Steve said ..most in that price range will deliver . Let us know what you choose
O-> O+>
rhysrkid
Senior Member
Joined: 14 Nov 2003
No. of posts: 98


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Posted: 05 Jul 2005
If people are looking for a light dig SLR they may want to try the pentax ist d/ds cameras, which are apprently the lightest on the market with good reviews...
Rhys
Vicar
Senior Member
Joined: 02 Sep 2004
No. of posts: 1181


View other posts by Vicar
Posted: 05 Jul 2005

I did try the D-ist, after a friend bought one, and I really thought that's what I'd end up with. Yup its very light, but the viewfinder wasn't up to my expectations from Pentax, I personally found it dull and not as crisp as the Canon. The poor sync speed of the Pentax lets it down, otherwise....very nice camera.

Again, a very subjective assessment, but it didn't sit well in my hands either. The body was slightly too small to be comfortable.


Steve Langham - Chairman    
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG).
GemmaJF
Admin Group
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
No. of posts: 2090


View other posts by GemmaJF
Posted: 06 Jul 2005
[QUOTE=Jeroen]

[QUOTE=Vicar] I don't know the species (seoanei), are they similar size to berus ? They seem a more robust build ? [/QUOTE]

Yes, they are similar. Up until somewhere in the 80's (I think) they used to be treated as a subspecies (Vipera berus seoanei). They live in the north of Spain and both the extreme north of Portugal as well as the extreme southwest of France, thus their range is completely separated from the range of the Adder (see SEH atlas map). The scales on top of the head are often more fragmented and they exhibit a seemingly larger(?) morphological variability, including quite a high number of black individuals. If you'd like to see where my observation came from, you may want to check my Pyrenees 2004 trip report. There are some more pictures of (partly the same animals) here.

[/QUOTE]

If I ever had a reason to visit Northern Spain I've just seen it

Thanks for the camera advice guys, I can't wait to get a new camera, put up with my rubbish Kodak DC280 for years, really annoying when peeps ask how do find adders and I see them all the time and can't get a decent photograph  (nothing like business expenses is there)

PS someone post another piccy, this page has tooooooo much text!


Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant
Vicar
Senior Member
Joined: 02 Sep 2004
No. of posts: 1181


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Posted: 06 Jul 2005

At your command !...this is actually the same Adder as posted above. I should have used a faster shutter .


Steve Langham - Chairman    
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG).
Jeroen
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Nov 2004
No. of posts: 121


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Posted: 06 Jul 2005

As you wish ...


Jeroen Speybroeck
http://www.hylawerkgroep.be/jeroen/
GemmaJF
Admin Group
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
No. of posts: 2090


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Posted: 06 Jul 2005

Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant
*SNAKE*
Senior Member
Joined: 16 May 2004
No. of posts: 220


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Posted: 06 Jul 2005
Picture055.jpg
PAUL SMITH     
B Lewis
Krag Committee
Joined: 24 Aug 2004
No. of posts: 146


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Posted: 06 Jul 2005

Here's a couple more for you... Some old, some recent... But I really must get out and take a few more close-ups..

Brett


Lewis Ecology
Brett Lewis Photography
Kent Reptile & Amphibian Group
DICE - University of Kent
GemmaJF
Admin Group
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
No. of posts: 2090


View other posts by GemmaJF
Posted: 06 Jul 2005
Must be the tenth time I've been back to look at these pics, great stuff
Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant

- Adder Photography

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