[Leica] Ruby-crowned Kinglet photo

[Doug Herr <Telyt@compuserve.com>]

WARNING: BRAG MODE IN USE

I haven't scanned it yet but I just got a roll of K200 back from the lab
with a photo of a Ruby-crowned Kinglet that knocks my socks off.  It was
made during the few minutes I had one morning between dropping my daughter
off at school and my dental appointment.  Once I get it scanned I'll post
it on my website.

For those who are not familiar with birds, the north american kinglets (2
species) are tiny bits of fluff in perpetual motion.  For years, wildlife
photographers have considered these the ultimate challenge, for their
constant activity, the tiny size and because they like shady trees.  Art
Morris, on a photo.net forum, believes he has found the ultimate
kinglet-slayer equipment in the Canon (duh, they sponsor him) EOS 3 with
its 45 AF sensors, along with a 300mm IS-L-USM-Whatever lens.

I foolishly chose to suggest on that forum that other technologies like a
bright viewfinder with rapid MF and a shoulder stock could also bring home
the kinglet photos.  Mr. Morris was not pleased, to say the least.

This particular kinglet popped up on a stem a few feet away from me;
lighting was heavy overcast so my exposures that morning were 1/100 sec at
f/4.0; equipment was SL with 250mm f/4.0 Telyt (late), shoulder stock &
47-yr-old eyes.  Definitely old-tech.

I'm writing this for 2 reasons: first, I'm inordinately proud of this
photograph, and second, it's a good illustration of the idea that there's
always more than one way to make a photograph.  New tech isn't nessesarily
the only way.

Doug Herr
Sacramento
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/telyt