Spoonbill workshops: photoworkshopsandtours.com/index.php/2018/07/16/roseate-spoonbill-photography-workshop-2019/

Wildlife photography is a new genre for me, and I marvel at the work you produce. It certainly gives folks like me something to aspire to. I have this lens on order through NPS, so hopefully will have it before too long, and it is great to see such remarkable results with it.

Some amazing and beautiful birds. Just WOW. It's not possible to believe all this wonder was just natural selection.

Your skill continually impresses me Mark. Superlative work. Thanks for sharing!!

I think for many it depends on your typical bird photography location. If you are in a bay type of location where subjects are at varying distances, then the 100-400mm would be a better choice. If your subject is farther away, then a 500mm prime may be better. While primes are nearly always the best for best image quality, much can be said for the convenience of a zoom like a 100-400mm.

As always, just fantastic videos man. Always look forward to them.

Hey Mark, I love all the photos and the filming and the narration! I'm sharing your stuff with anyone who will listen. On the humorous side, I love the Bird photo that you show at 7:36 on the time line as a possible fun shot.The bird looks like he could be imitating a Photo Soft Box. Keep up the amazing work.

Excellent Video Mark, and Amazing Photography! Thank You.

thanks for the throwback style video mark. Reminds me of your old school ones!

You do the best play by play on KZfaq. Appreciate ya!

Otro gran vídeo con tu toque profesional, enhorabuena.

Truly spectacular Mark. Aren’t we fortunate to have this awesome equipment. Spoonbills aren’t just beautiful, they are elegant.

Pink Spoonbills are beautiful birds, in fact all birds I feel are beautiful even vultures and crows, in fact crows are one of my very favorites to watch. What a shame the Z9 doesn't have highlight zebras or some sort of indicator inside the EVF... it's one of those things I never knew I needed until I had it and now it's how I set my exposure almost exclusively on my A1. Awesome photos and storytelling as always, your videos are enjoyable for the entire family that doesn't care about cameras and lenses.

Wow, I always watch your videos Mark, but for some reason, the colors in this one are just unique and the detail, wow

I have been fascinated by the Spoonbills since I was a little girl. I think it is the unusual bill and fabulous coloring that got me. I hope someday I can see a live one. The Great Blue Heron is one of my favorite birds, enjoyed your shots and video of them, they are so majestic.😎

Sensational images and video Mark. The image quality from the lens and z9 are surely as good as it gets. A 100-400 mm zoom lens with that quality has me drooling to own one, lol. Great job Mark with the wonderful film and kudos Nikon for delivering top notch gear, yet again! 👏👍😀

Those are some gorgeous shots!

After shooting both lenses in Costa Rica, and more recently at the Spoonbill Rookery, I like both of them equally at this point. I like the ability to assign the control ring to Exposure Comp on the 100-400 along with the flexible focal length, and the extra reach on the 500. I look forward Part2, thanks for the wonderful images and story!

Wow, Mark. I'm on a pre-order list for the 100-400, (Finally got my Z9 today!) so this series is of special interest to me. Gorgeous work, as always. :)

Some really great shots. There's a lot of good photography out there, but I'm really getting hooked on your style Mark - I love it. Can't say which lens I'll get first (still saving for the Z9), but probably the 100-400. Both are great lenses. Looking forward to part 2.

Beautiful birds! 🤩😍

Thank Mark, WONDERFUL!!

Well made video Mark, the sharpness and detail in your shots is really well reproduced. Makes want to get out there and shoot. But I've got to go to work.....

“Coy cautious curiosity”… Beautiful use of alliteration. Gorgeous video.

Beautiful bird and great captures as always Mark! Thank you for sharing them with us!👍💖😎JP

Beautiful pictures! I like see your videos, because I learning photography. Thanks.

Fantastic images! I use the 500 PF on my Z50 and can't wait for your comparison later! Very satisfied with it but it would be nice to see if there is any reason to switch. And I think the spoonbill is a very pretty bird but maybe a bit "jurassic"!

Mark the Spoonbills are beautiful and I cant wait to catch one of your workshops.

I love your picture at 7:25, such a beautiful bird. I didn’t know existed until I found you here on YT

Awesome video Mark. I was there last Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Best location we found in Florida to photograph Spoonbills! I used the Z9 and both the 500 PF as well as the 100-400 Z lens.

Love these sharp Nikon images 👍

Thanks Mark just what I want to see

Waiting. Excited!

You are a great story teller Mark. I currently shoot with a Z9 and 500pf and am very happy with it, but the old 200-500 i have is out of it's league and I am hoping the 100-400 will be great replacement. Perfect for shooting on safari also. Thanks for the great content and waiting for part 2.

Gorgeous shots and video!!

Beautiful photos, Mark.

Great video Mark. The eyes bulge out to the side so it has good peripheral vision to see predators approaching from the side/behind. You’ll notice predators including eagles, hawks, owls have forward facing eyes to focus on their targets.

Your work is amazing! I love Spoonbills! I sure wish that I was shooting when I lived right down the street from Sanibel Island~! I'm using the 500 pf but am missing the ability to zoom out for some really close subjects and often I wish I had more reach. Yes, I want it all...

Loved it, Thanks, Mark!

Fantastic shots!!! The 100-400 looks like a great lens.

As usual your videos and images are outstanding. I recently received my Z9 and Z100-400mm lens and am trying to master all of the settings. I find your video quality to be some of the best I have ever seen. What video file type and picture control settings are you using. Thanks for all of the videos and help.

Amazing photography Mark 👍

Real nice work Mark, so amazed at how steady your hand held video is. Technique like no other. Roseate's have such beauty only their mother can Love. Curious if Wide Area Large w/animal subject detection is still your most referred AF option w/Z9 for stills & whether you use same for the Video? If this is to be revealed in part II I'll be refreshing screen often.

roseatte spoonbills are so cool. I love watching them at Paynes Prairie

Finally !!!! Some great images with the New Z 100 to 400. Im convinced I do not need to spend the money on the Z 400 2.8 to get incredible images with my Z gear. Thanks man you saved me a ton of cash

Amazing images and a great reflection of the camera and lens. Still waiting for Z9 but have the 100-400 and 500pf use both as safari lenses here in Africa. Use on a Z6ii and Z7ii. I have come to "master" the focus on these bodies and can honestly say they have limitations but in 90% of the cases they work fantastic. With BIF this is where the Z7ii and Z6ii is not on par with Sony A9ii. Many say the 100-400 se no impact using the 1.4 TC, sorry but the focus is slower and the IQ takes a hit especially for distant subjects. But that is the case for most zoom lenses. For me the 500 pf on the Z7ii is a stunning combination. The 100-400 on the Z6ii is for versatility and this is where this combination shine. But in ideal world I would love the Z9 and the Z6ii in combination. With The Z9 on the 500pf. Looking forward to your 500 pf video

Great footage!

Another fantastic video Mark. Doesn’t matter what gear you used is the person behind the gear.

Love the photo around 7:24 where the wings are overhead with tips almost touching then the neck and head protruding outward.

Mark you're just the best at this stuff. Honest and an amazing wildlife photographer (PS...I use venmo :)) On the Z9, I'm not a Nikon shooter but I have a friend that is and he's been waiting for his Z9 forever. Hopefully they are released soon so we can compare with my A1.

Well done Mark!

Wonderful storytelling Mark! Image quality is absolutely stellar. I'm interested to hear your overall thoughts of the Z9 video capabilities -- my impression is the video IQ is a solid notch above the A1? Too bad Nikon is dragging their feet on releasing the 200-600Z, a must have lens for me. The 500pf is an amazing lens that.has deservedly achieved near "cult" status for DSLR owners, but it cannot trump the versatility/value of a high-quality native zoom of similar size that can handle a TC IMO.

Thanks Mark for the video and looking forward to part 2. I have been twice the past week and it was excellent. The main lens I used is the Nikon 300mm AF-S lens. I have thought about getting the 100-400 lens but in most of my photography I think it will be too short. Have you tried the 1.4x TC with the lens and if so, how does it perform? Thanks!

Great video Mark😊👏👏

Amazing footage and beautiful stills as always, Mark! Really looking forward to part II as I am debating my first Z telephoto lens: bet this is going to come down to versatility and video-friendly AF vs longer reach of the PF lens... fast forward to your future comparison in several months (years? Come on NIkon!): ''Z 100-400 vs Z 400 PF vs Z 200-600mm, the ultimate native Z mount lens for wildlife photography'' :-)

Love the Spoonbills, prefer the raptors. As for as the lenses, I think you need both, at least until one of the 600's comes out.

Nice work Mark

I went to this location at sunrise next day after the 4/19 Osprey workshop and got amazing shots with Sony A1 and Sony 600 f4. 🙂

Gorgeous images. Curious to hear which lens you like better on the Z9, I've heard tremendous things about both. For my needs, I'd likely opt for the 100-400. Looking forward to part 2! Also, is this shot at 60fps / playing at 24 (40%)?

Love those Spoonbills with their rich color. Can't believe you have a location where you get that close. I am on the Texas Gulf Coast and have a rookery that is close but the background is cluttered with other birds making it difficult for a clean background. Curious as to you thoughts on the Z9, 100-400 combination in comparison to the Sony gear you use?

Great images. You got great front to back focus with incredible DOF. What F stop were you shooting at?

Thanks very much for sharing your physical distance. 😀 ✅️🤸💃🦉

Great vid & so good to see Nikon equipment holding up mit's end of the bargain. Are some of these photos grabs from video clips? Just curious.

Which is the lens collar that you are using for 100-400m Z S lens ? Awesome pics and video..

another great video

Outstanding sir 💕👌🔥

lovely video. thanks

Great video and amazing photography of beautiful, colourful birds (you can tell by the way I spell colourful, I'm British!). One question - and it may be difficult to answer - but is 400mm really long enough for bird photography? Just how far did you have to crop in on these photographs? Or were you really that close!

Amazing footage... I'm very happy with my 100-400s, but one thing is kind of wierd for Z9, missing zebra in video mode. I just checked my z7II, it's implemented here, but I'm not sure, it was always part of it, or it came with new FW 1.40. BTW, thanks for discovering DX mode in video section, I didn't even know I had it...lol!

Hi Mark ! Great images again ! 👍 I read that you have the 800mm F6.3 in preorder, but will you have the opportunity in the futur to test the Z9 with the 400mm F2.8 TC ? Bye. Cyril, from France. ;-)

Love ❤️ the Colours of Spoonbills 👏🤣😀

Wonderful stuff, as usual! …even from a sony lover 😄

I love the spoonbills but I still haven't been able to get a shot of one that I like.

at Conowingo ,the huge Rookery at Island , all day long GBH flies over to park lot, grabs one branch there and flies back to the trees on other side for its nest

Those pink spoonbills are gorgeous, just trying to decide on 100-400 lens to save weight over my 200-500mm

Great images, fantastic location, stunning birds. I shoot smaller birds in flight like swallows, sandpipers and terms but have had little success acquiring focus on them with the Z9, it seems to ignore them even when prefocussed. Perhaps you could try it out with smaller fast subjects and give us some tips on focus acquisition if you have any success.

beautiful spoon bill

Hi Mark. All nature is beautiful. Keep clicking from James l. In bonnie scotland.

I would like to ask what makes your videos and photos so beautiful? The colors are so beautiful. What format do you record?or what LUT do you use? I want to get as much out of my machine as possible, but I only have a sony a6500.could you give me some information about this?i prefer to take photos and do our post-production in the lightroom, but i am also interested in the video.Thank you for your answer

Thanks!

Hi Mark Can you go thru the mechanics of actually shooting the fast action birds in flight please. Are you doing back button focus with your thumb and shutter release with your pointer finger ? Do you keep the back button held all the time while shooting ? I use a Nikon D850 and a 500pf but seam to have trouble panning the camera and trying to hold my thumb and pointer on the buttons Thanks Mike

I have a rebel t7i and was looking to get into bird photography do you guys thing the canon 100-400 mark i or the sigma 100-400 would be better. Looking to stay under $1000

Great video as always, but meatus has 3 syllables: mee-AY-təs, not 2, meet-əs.

Hi Mark, these videos are inspirational. I have recently received my Z9 and I mainly shoot video. It's early days but I am struggling with white birds on dark backgrounds and the whites seem to blow out. In the absence of zebra, can you advice how you expose the white birds so well? Actually, your videos on the Z9 are brilliant and maybe you could share your settings at some stage ie Codecs, FPS, shutter speed, focus settings etc. Cheers from Oz.

Nice video. I have a question though, when you photograph the spoonbills in flight at 1/3200, do you turn off lens stabilisation?

Spoonbill is gorgeous

Hi Mark again your work is absolutely stunning. Love what your skill allows you to capture. I would truly love to attend one of your workshops. Unfortunately for me I live in the UK, more importantly I couldn’t afford it 😂😂 Happy to learn from the master on KZfaq. Keep doing what you do, us mere mortals are always happy to learn from the best. Enough ass kissing😂 Thanks Phil.

Beautiful work 😅

well done

What is the location of this shoot? Great stuff..

Spoonbill is beautiful...

What lens foot do you use on the 100-400? Thanks!

Was everything handheld? Very steady!

I don't see the link for the workshop you mentioned at this location.

I would always go for a Prime lens over a zoom .🤔

Mark whenever I watch your videos which are all excellent btw, I feel like I am watching a old episode of Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom with Marlin Perkins I think you can start a new career

I was taking photos from my d500 in video mode without knowing now most of my files are in dsc format, I can still see the images but is this a issue? Does it reduce quality? Couldn’t find anything online about it

Did the firmware upgrade correct the EF issue?

What foot are you using on that lens Mark?

while the 500 pf might be a hair sharper , the 100-400 is the newest tech and much more versatile. If invested in the Z system , I would no longer invest in a 500 pf , but wait for the 800 pf or 600/4 in the future