Vivitar 220SL

[John Parry]

Quite impressed with this bulky, heavy beast!

First with a Hanimex 70 - 200mm zoom. UK members will have seen the BBC2 kite flying sequence. This shot reminded me a little of that....



The second with a 50/1.8 Pentacon. OK, there's a little fuzziness on there, but this was hand-held in deep gloom with no flash. (said I in mitigation) !! These are common swallow chicks BTW.



The fuzzy blobs are packets of spider eggs. And yes, that is an electrical outlet socket. Ain't nature a hoot!

Regards - John

[nikonbob]

John

Both the camera and lenses seem to working well. Love the second photo, sucker for fuzzy little things, the chicks that is not the photo. I have never seen swallow chicks before but they have posed nicely for you.

Bob

[John Parry]

Thanks Ron & Bob

I was (fairly) OK handholding here where I had time to do a proper 'exhale & squeeze'. But I was trying to capture mummy arriving back with some juicy insects, when the chicks transformed into four gaping maws. I would say she arrived and was gone within a second, and what with the anticipation, the need to take the shot as soon as I detected the bird's arrival, the wide open lens, and the slow speed, I couldn't manage to get it without 'snatching'. This was the best I could do....



I know - it's terrible, but it seems only fair to show some abject failures as well as some of the better ones!! And apart from the obvious snatch, it at least gives you an idea of how fast mummy was travelling....

Regards - John