My new lens, the Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO, arrived yesterday afternoon and this morning I was out shooting.

Before going, I did some test shots in my back yard.  First, the Canon 2x II will work with the lens, but only in manual focus mode.  Grumble.  However, my Tamron 1.4x works fine and provides auto focus.  I am pleased with that.

Through the years, I have tried to provide tags on my photography site that will assist others who want to see photographs done with specific digital cameras, whether they be Canon digital cameras or Nikon digital cameras, or a specific Canon or Nikon lens.  So, I thought I might provide a easy set of links here to stuff that might interest you.  The list is sorted by the total number of photographs for each tag.

One of the great joys of blogging is receiving messages from people all over the world.

Before I purchased the Canon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO lens, I searched the Internet to find out if one could use a teleconverter with the lens.  Canon 1.4x and 2x extenders will not work with the lens.  After considerable reading I found out that some users had indeed used third-party extenders with the lens.  Most had talked about the Kenko 1.5x.  Since I already own the Tamron 1.4x, I was glad to learn that another photographer was using the extender with the lens.

Yesterday, I wrote a blog post about the Canon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO and immediately I got some feedback from a good friend who thought that I had over-sharpened some of the photos used in the blog.  So, I looked closely and sure enough my friend was right.

In recent weeks, I have been exceedingly interested in a whole new camera kit that fits my needs for travel.  My idea has been to lighten the load, and to find quality equipment that is suited to the subjects I photograph most.

Every so often, I run across the work of an exceptional photographer.

Dave Ohlsen’s work is among the best I have seen.

Here is a video he just published at YouTube.

Enjoy.

Admire.

Learn.

Live.

From time to time, my friends at Essential Photo Gear send me stuff to evaluate.  Two weeks ago they sent me the Apex Bean Bag, a new product designed in large part by Chas Glatzer, master photographer and well-known columnist and photo tour operator.

GOOGLE PHOTOGRAPHY PRIZE

Google and the Saatchi Gallery team up for new student photography competition.

National Geographic magazine has long-represented the “Ultimate” in photography for professional and amateur photographers.  Now, through the second annual “Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest,” photographers from coast-to-coast will again have the chance to have their photograph grace the pages of the magazine in an ad for Energizer® Ultimate Lithium batteries. The winner will also be awarded a trip of a lifetime – a National Geographic Expedition for two to the Galapagos Islands.