Wildlife Photography

[LTAY1946]

Looking for some opinions.

I am trying to sort my settings out properly for birds in flight and stationary. For reference my setup works out to be around 630mm and I go around 95% of the time handheld. Lens is sharpest at F8 but decent from F5.6 (max with TC).

I have shake reduction off for both.
I have ISO on Auto for both.
I have the aperture on Auto for both.
I set the shutter speed myself for both, usually 1/640-1/1000 for stationary and 1/2000-1/3200 for BIF.

I know I need to use the ETTR rule more often as I don't change my settings (including EV) almost ever.

I am confused on what metering I should be using, some places say Spot for both, or for one and Centre for others, a few even said always use Matrix. I've always used Matrix previously but wonder if different ones could help.

My birds in flight are just not coming out great and I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I am able to pan and track pretty well, the focus stays on the target.

I have had success using dot focus for stationary targets. I have had success using dot for BIF but using Large area seems to work well in open spaces (not tested with busy backgrounds yet properly).

Please advise, thanks!

One of the first things in this mix of settings is to max out your fps (frames per second) and as you said the best type of focus area for your model camera. I don't know what model camera that you are using but I hope it will capture 10fps using a tracking focus system.

 

[WoDia]

 

[casportpony]

Adorable!

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

One of the first things in this mix of settings is to max out your fps (frames per second) and as you said the best type of focus area for your model camera. I don't know what model camera that you are using but I hope it will capture 10fps using a tracking focus system.

I use a K3 original. It's around 9 FPS, but I do slightly disagree with the importance of FPS. There's nothing great about capturing 20 shots back to back in 2s if they're not in focus or well exposed. I find nailing the focus preemptively and fixing the exposure of more importance, I just seem to be having exposure issues.

 

[mdees88]

Looking for some opinions.

I am trying to sort my settings out properly for birds in flight and stationary. For reference my setup works out to be around 630mm and I go around 95% of the time handheld. Lens is sharpest at F8 but decent from F5.6 (max with TC).

I have shake reduction off for both.
I have ISO on Auto for both.
I have the aperture on Auto for both.
I set the shutter speed myself for both, usually 1/640-1/1000 for stationary and 1/2000-1/3200 for BIF.

I know I need to use the ETTR rule more often as I don't change my settings (including EV) almost ever.

I am confused on what metering I should be using, some places say Spot for both, or for one and Centre for others, a few even said always use Matrix. I've always used Matrix previously but wonder if different ones could help.

My birds in flight are just not coming out great and I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I am able to pan and track pretty well, the focus stays on the target.

I have had success using dot focus for stationary targets. I have had success using dot for BIF but using Large area seems to work well in open spaces (not tested with busy backgrounds yet properly).

Please advise, thanks!

It sounds like the issue you are having is bad exposures (assuming it is overexposure blowing out the highlights on the birds?)

I would recommend always using evaluative metering (matrix in your camera I think).

I would also leave the shake reduction on when handholding, unless it is causing you problems. This way you can use slower shutter speeds when necessary and still get sharp images.

I use the same settings as you. 1/400 or more for stationary and 1/2000 or more for BIF. Auto ISO and Auto aperture.

I've never had a camera that got the exposure perfect on light colored birds in full sun.

Anytime the bird has a light color on it and the sun is out the camera will almost always overexpose the image and blow the highlights. You correct this by lowering the exposure compensation by around 2/3rds of a stop. I pretty much leave my exposure compensation at this most of the time. Sometimes you have to lower it more and occasionally you don't need to lower it at all.

You always want to take one image of your subject then look at the image and make sure there are no blinkies (highlights blown out). If there are you lower the exposure compensation until you do not clip the highlights. Then in post processing you can add some exposure back to the overall image then reduce the highlights so the bright whites do not get blown out.

 

[WoDia]

Adorable!

Thank you! The mother leaves the fawn under one of our young fruit trees during the day, so I had a great chance to get a photo.

 

[fuzzi]

This afternoon, near the bird feeders I saw something unusual.

This little guy was completely still, and at first I thought he might be dead, but then I saw his eye move.

I suspected he was a fledgling who was unable to fly well enough to get back to the nest.

I took this photo with my Android phone, then got him a dish of water. As I placed it close by he managed to fly away.

Be safe, little Jay!

 

[fuzzi]

Not the best picture, need to start taking my REAL camera with me in the gardens.

First dragonfly of the year, possibly a Blue Dasher, or maybe even an Eastern Pondhawk...and probably very new to the world.

 

[LTAY1946]

I use a K3 original. It's around 9 FPS, but I do slightly disagree with the importance of FPS. There's nothing great about capturing 20 shots back to back in 2s if they're not in focus or well exposed. I find nailing the focus preemptively and fixing the exposure of more importance, I just seem to be having exposure issues.

This is true but also getting the wings in the position you like best requires those extra shots most of the time. I never could get wings in flight like I could a still object. Matrix should get most of those frame in flight in focus. I was shooting a Nikon D500 @10 frames a second so that is very similar to you K3 for fps. Hope you get the combo you need. I quit shooting about 2 years ago. I may shoot some here with my chickens but no more wildlife chasing. Age has taken a toll.

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

This afternoon, near the bird feeders I saw something unusual.

View attachment 3527154

This little guy was completely still, and at first I thought he might be dead, but then I saw his eye move.

I suspected he was a fledgling who was unable to fly well enough to get back to the nest.

I took this photo with my Android phone, then got him a dish of water. As I placed it close by he managed to fly away.

Be safe, little Jay!

Don't feel too sorry for the little baby eaters