Dragonflies and Damselflies

[AlanF]

First time I've got an Emperor in flight away from water. He kept teasing me by flying ahead in the same direction as I was walking so I got a load of shots of his *ss. But he banked and I got one side on. I also got my first Red-eyed Damselfly in flight (R5+RF100-500).

 

[AlanF]

Today was the first day for me to take my EF100L macro out with adapter and the R6m2.
TBH the AF felt worse than with my DSLRs, pumping a lot. And the manual override didn't work as well, too.
I looked for any kind of FW update for the lens but didn't find anything.
Luckily some male and female darter were very kind to pose for me at (or close to) MFD and stayed there for as long as I needed.
@AlanF : It was Afternoon, the darters were quite busy, but I was slow enough to not startle them up
The first pic each is the uncroped full pic, downcaled to 1500x1000.
The second each is the 1:1 crop at 1000x1500

EXIFs: R6m2, EF100L macro, f/16, 1/1000, ISO1250 and 4000, both backlit
View attachment 210970View attachment 210971View attachment 210972View attachment 210973

Very nice shots - enough macro to see details and enough depth to put in context.

 

[koenkooi]

Today was the first day for me to take my EF100L macro out with adapter and the R6m2.
TBH the AF felt worse than with my DSLRs, pumping a lot. And the manual override didn't work as well, too.
I looked for any kind of FW update for the lens but didn't find anything.
[...]

Only lenses introduced from 2012 and beyond have user upgradable firmware, the EF100L is from 2009.

 

[AlanF]

libellen.tv

Interesting site. There is a very odd photo of an Anax imperator taken at 4oC with deep pits in its eyes and other colourations. Do they shrink or something?

 

[Click]

First time I've got an Emperor in flight away from water. He kept teasing me by flying ahead in the same direction as I was walking so I got a load of shots of his *ss. But he banked and I got one side on. I also got my first Red-eyed Damselfly in flight (R5+RF100-500).

The Red-eyed Damselfly looks like a helicopter. Very nice pictures, Alan. Lovely backgrounds.

 

[Maximilian]

There is a very odd photo of an Anax imperator taken at 4oC with deep pits in its eyes and other colourations. Do they shrink or something?

I suppose you mean that photo:

https://www.libellen.tv/image/libellen/mosaikjungfer/grosse-koenigslibelle_anax-imperator/grosse-koenigslibelle_1200756_lanik.jpg

I don't know if you looked at the photo carefully enough.
The photo looks odd because the (cold) anax is covered with thousands of dew droplets that condensated on the body and compound eyes.
(sometimes photogs fake this look with a sprayer)
Each of the droplets functions as a little lens magnifying the area below it.
That makes this photo look strange.
And maybe the WB is also a bit off, making the colours look odd, too.

 

[Maximilian]

more migrants
R6m2@500mm, f/7.1, 1/640, ISO1600

 

[Maximilian]

Darter flagstaff? Even rigged!

 

[koenkooi]

Darter flagstaff? Even rigged!

View attachment 211002

Nice example of the obilisk position!

 

[AlanF]

Mr and Mrs Ruddy Darter Dragonfly (R5+100-500mm)

 

[AlanF]

Willow Emerald Damselfly. Bumped a Red Darter of his perch. Extremely long, lovely iridescence.

 

[Click]

Maximilian and Alan,

Beautiful shots, guys!

 

[AlanF]

Migrant Hawker, R7+RF100-500.

 

[AlanF]

Today was the first day for me to take my EF100L macro out with adapter and the R6m2.
TBH the AF felt worse than with my DSLRs, pumping a lot. And the manual override didn't work as well, too.
I looked for any kind of FW update for the lens but didn't find anything.
Luckily some male and female darter were very kind to pose for me at (or close to) MFD and stayed there for as long as I needed.
@AlanF : It was Afternoon, the darters were quite busy, but I was slow enough to not startle them up
The first pic each is the uncroped full pic, downcaled to 1500x1000.
The second each is the 1:1 crop at 1000x1500

EXIFs: R6m2, EF100L macro, f/16, 1/1000, ISO1250 and 4000, both backlit
View attachment 210970View attachment 210971View attachment 210972View attachment 210973

Got my first real close-ups of a Ruddy Darter's eyes - with the 2xTC on the RF 100-500mm and R5. I was able to be over a metre away.

 

[AlanF]

Got close to a Migrant Hawker as well.

 

[AlanF]

What I like is with the same lens you can get them in flight. I prefer these shots of the Migrant Hawker to my last as the head is turned towards me. There was a programme on BBC this evening with a so-called expert on dragonfly who took a hovering Migrant Hawker and said he was happy with his shoots - it had it's tail pointed to the camera and you couldn't see its head, ugh.

 

[Click]

Beautiful shots, Alan.

 

[EricN]

What I like is with the same lens you can get them in flight. I prefer these shots of the Migrant Hawker to my last as the head is turned towards me. There was a programme on BBC this evening with a so-called expert on dragonfly who took a hovering Migrant Hawker and said he was happy with his shoots - it had it's tail pointed to the camera and you couldn't see its head, ugh.

View attachment 211111View attachment 211112View attachment 211113

That second one is great!

 

[ISv]

Got my first real close-ups of a Ruddy Darter's eyes - with the 2xTC on the RF 100-500mm and R5. I was able to be over a metre away.

View attachment 211107View attachment 211108

Are You changing (with the help of your gear!) the "macro" definition ?! Don't take me wrong: I'm with both hands for your interpretation!!! What a hell lens it is (and don't forget I'm a Nikon shooter, no fan boy, no trolling - every thing is as I really think it is...)

 

[ISv]

What I like is with the same lens you can get them in flight. I prefer these shots of the Migrant Hawker to my last as the head is turned towards me. There was a programme on BBC this evening with a so-called expert on dragonfly who took a hovering Migrant Hawker and said he was happy with his shoots - it had it's tail pointed to the camera and you couldn't see its head, ugh.

View attachment 211111View attachment 211112View attachment 211113

"What I like is with the same lens you can get them in flight".
"I prefer these shots of the Migrant Hawker to my last as the head is turned towards me".
From my point of view the second sentence is important but by far not as important like the first one!!! The first one is making huge difference. The second... Well we all know it is a luck, it's a dragon doing what it wants!
Doesn't matter - once you have the right lens you are able (or may be not ) to challenge the dragon - up to your skills!