Common hawkers

We had a sudden improvement in the weather this morning, which brought the local dragonfly population out in droves. The 18-270 wasn?t the only lens I took out with me today, but it was the only one I could use to get a shot of this amorous couple, who were simply too far away for my macro lens to be use for.

The 18-270 isn?t as sharp as my fast 70-200 (not to be expected at 1/3 of the cost), but to be honest, I?m not sure I could have got the shot with the larger lens, even with a teleconverter fitted. The speed wasn?t a factor, as I needed the extra depth of field from a moderate aperture. I had to lean out from the bank for this, and couldn?t help but notice how much easier it was to hold the Tamron steady. It?s about a third of the weight as well, and I think I?d have taken a second bath if I?d have used my Nikon lens. It also made a nice change to finish a three hour walk without tired shoulders today!