Whatbird.com

I'm sorry for your loss...  but there's always a bright side like the justification for a new 50D to lighten the fellings of sorrow. Maybe if everyone on this forum sends you a dollar....   Oh BTW did you try reseating your lens?  I get the dreaded error 99 if the lens isn't quite right or I'm using a sigma lens that doesn't ...

One or two more suggestions. Shoot in RAW you will have much more latitude on the adjustments you make.   If you get a little more advanced with the 40D you can try spot metering something in the scene that is median grey locking the exposure and composing the shot with the subject in frame or try using the highlight ...

Looks like a hooded merganser

My opinion if money is not a concern would be the 500mm F4 IS.  The 500mm Canon and Nikon lenses deliver the best sharpness and DOF I have seen, ever.  Something about that focal length I don't know what it is just make them that much better than the 400 or even the 600mm lenses.  Just my opinion based on comparing ...

http://www.photosig.com/go/photos/browse?id=17250  Try this link Mud,  it should take you to a site I go to very frequently.  Photosig.com. they have camera and lens reviews by real amateur and pro photographers from round the world.   hopefully this link will take you to the 50-500 sigma page. 

I don't own a 50-500 but I have tested a couple as well as the 150-500 OS.  My opinion of Sigma lenses is that they are just borderline good.  I have had an internal debate for years about getting one of the third party 500mm zooms and I just can't do it.  the cost is soooo much less than the cost of the Canon (in my case) lenses ...

I got lucky, I won my Canon 20D in a sales contest.  Because I got the Camera for free I was able to spring for a couple nice (not L glass but nice) lenses.  The one I like the best for birding in my 70-300 IS, but I've mentioned that before here :-) 

Certainly looks like a Green heron.  I saw one last weekend on the bank of the Souhegan river in Merrimack so I know that are in the area.  

The answer depends on how much money you have to spend :-)    I absolutly love my 70-300 IS.  The focus is fast and sharp, the bokeh (background blur) @ 300mm is really nice, like in this photo http://www.flickr.com/photos/rdatkins/131047780/ and the cost isn't too bad.   I read a lot of reviews on this ...

Hi I assume you just drag this into the adobe/CS3/presets/actions  folder?  Do you need to convert the picture to a smart object first?