# EOS 1D X + 300 f/2.8 IS II + DxO = Awesome



## mackguyver (Jun 29, 2014)

Here's a 100% crop of a great horned owl photo taken 9 minutes *before* sunrise this morning. I got better shots of the owl, but this was the first shot and it was a mere silhouette to my eyes. The bird took off right after this shot to a nearby tree and I didn't think I had even focused on the bird until I got home and downloaded my photos. I couldn't believe it!

f/2.8 1/160s, ISO 4000, EV+1, pushed ~0.25 stop in post, DxO Prime:


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## mackguyver (Jun 29, 2014)

And the full photo:


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## candyman (Jun 30, 2014)

mackguyver said:


> Here's a 100% crop of a great horned owl photo taken 9 minutes *before* sunrise this morning. I got better shots of the owl, but this was the first shot and it was a mere silhouette to my eyes. The bird took off right after this shot to a nearby tree and I didn't think I had even focused on the bird until I got home and downloaded my photos. I couldn't believe it!
> 
> f/2.8 1/160s, ISO 4000, EV+1, pushed ~0.25 stop in post, DxO Prime:


 
Wonderful capture!
I still dream of going out early and running into such wonderful subject.


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## scottkinfw (Jun 30, 2014)

Very nice shot. Where do you live?

sek 



mackguyver said:


> And the full photo:


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## mackguyver (Jun 30, 2014)

candyman & Scott - thanks for the nice comments. Obviously I wish I could have been closer to him so I could use the 300m without extenders, but it's just amazing to be able to shoot before sunrise. Back in the day with my Rebel / 7D and 400 f/5.6 lens, I would never have dreamed of shooting in such low light, so it's really changing how I shoot. Scott, I live in Tallahassee, FL, which is in the Panhandle of the state.


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## Northstar (Jun 30, 2014)

mackguyver said:


> Here's a 100% crop of a great horned owl photo taken 9 minutes *before* sunrise this morning. I got better shots of the owl, but this was the first shot and it was a mere silhouette to my eyes. The bird took off right after this shot to a nearby tree and I didn't think I had even focused on the bird until I got home and downloaded my photos. I couldn't believe it!
> 
> f/2.8 1/160s, ISO 4000, EV+1, pushed ~0.25 stop in post, DxO Prime:



what fun! nice shot! i never see owls where i live...bummer.


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## mackguyver (Jul 1, 2014)

Northstar said:


> what fun! nice shot! i never see owls where i live...bummer.


Thanks and I bet plenty of owls have seen you  They are VERY hard to spot and I once asked a famous owl photographer how he finds them, and his answer was luck and persistence. He said he walks around and checks every tree until he finds one. Keep in mind that this is what he does full time, of course. I got really lucky with this guy, though the early hour really helped. Usually I hear them and then try to find them, and I have about a 5% success rate if they are nearby and hoot/call more than 2x.


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