BooIsMyCat Loc: Somewhere

I have a Canon 70D with a Canon 100-400 mm lens.

My problem: When trying to photograph birds, I keep running into the problem where they may be sitting on a branch when I first see them but take to flight right about when I am set up for a still photo. If I set the camera high ISO and high Shutter Speed they continue to sit and my photos look grainy.

Any suggestions?

mtparker Loc: Cape Charles & Springfield, Virginia

Shoot lots and ...
1) Patience
2) Patience
3) Patience

It takes time, effort, and a little stealth. Some bird species are more tolerant of us than others but all are very wary. Some birds never seem to stay long on a perch so you have to have a combination of luck and experience to get good shots.

My keeper rate with songbirds is very low and, with shorebirds and wading birds, rather high.

Practice ... Practice ... Practice

RRS Loc: Not sure

Look for light that will allow you to shoot with a lower ISO. Try to shoot your birds facing west in the morning as you will have the main light behind you and east in the evening. I have even gone so far as to plant the right plants to attract humming birds that will give me the best light and background. How high of an ISO are you using and what shutter speed. Are you holding your set-up or shooting off a tripod? Birds can be tough and BIF is even more challenging but in all a lot of fun.

BooIsMyCat Loc: Somewhere

Thanks!... I'm going for eagles and pileated woodpeckers so, my goals are high but my save rate is low.

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

There is a notorious problem regarding photographing birds which you have apparently just discovered. Birds have a very annoying habit called flying. They also know exactly when photographers are attempting to press the shutter. Have you ever heard them calling to each other. As a fluent speaker of bird languages I can tell you that bird calls are in fact laughter. They are laughing and speaking to each other about how the have just frustrated another photographer who was attempting to photograph them. These calls are often a response to very loud swearing and the most foul language comming from frustrated photographers. You can often hear those calls. " gotta nother one" "Gotta nother one". It is not tweet tweet tweet.

BooIsMyCat Loc: Somewhere

I think I'm OK with humming birds. It's the big birds like eagles and pileated woodpeckers that I'm having problems with. If shooting an eagle sitting in a tree, I try to keep my ISO below 800 but if it takes off, I need a higher ISO to get higher shutter speeds so that I can capture more than a blur.

mtparker Loc: Cape Charles & Springfield, Virginia

+1

RRS Loc: Not sure

I shoot about 95% of my BIF off a tripod and a gimbal head. I don't change the ISO for sitting birds or flying. I set the ISO for the light I have to work with and am able to pan with the subject using BB focus. I try to not go above ISO 800 with my 7D but prefer 400. I also shoot in the manual mode too. Your hummer does look good. Our eagle season is about to start and every year it just gets better. would like more info on your settings.

BooIsMyCat Loc: Somewhere

I KNOW my settings are incorrect - I'm trying to get in the ballpark. I took this photo... too dark and lots of noise. Then, I knew he was going to take off and sure enough, he did. All I got was a blur. So, basically, I have multiple problems (to say the least). I realize the noise is due to the high ISO. I also realize that much of my problem is I'm not thinking things through - more excited about getting a picture and have to slow down. I either get it or I don't.

Settings for this shot:
Manual
Tv - 1/30
Av - 20
Spot Metering
ISO - 3200
f/400

birdpix Loc: South East Pennsylvania

You are running into the perpetual problem that wildlife photographers deal with. That is the limitations of our gear. I shoot birds with a 7d and rarely shoot other than ISO 800. This is regardless of weather I am shooting sedentary birds or BIFs. I can control the noise with Lightroom. I believe the 70d can be shot at ISO 800 with controllable noise also.

Remember, Underexposure will increase the noise.

Looking at your settings: 1/30 is way, way, too low a shutter speed unless you are locked down on a sturdy tripod. That certainly won't stop subject motion. f/20 is not needed at that distance and indeed may increase the problem of difusion at smaller apertures. ISO 3200 is quite high and certainly contributed to the noise in this photo.

My usual settings are ISO 800, f/8 at 1/2000 in bright sun. I will reduce shutter speed and/or open the aperture as needed in lower light. Sometimes, in bright sun with very white birds, I will reduce exposure to prevent clipped highlights usually by lowering ISO.

Try those settings as a starting point in bright sun and let us know how you do.

If you doubt my credentials, visit either of my web sites. The exif data should be available for nearly all of my photos and you will see what you can do at ISO 800.

I would love to be able to shoot at higher than ISO 800 but the 7d really gets noisy. I have the 7d MkII preordered and I hope the high ISO noise will be less of a problem. I really get frustrated when the sun is setting and the light is reduced and there are great picture opportunities out there that I have trouble gettng.

BooIsMyCat Loc: Somewhere

Thank you for the feedback! I will try your suggestions and let you know how things turn out.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Boo, try shooting on Auto ISO a few days and see if your shots don't improve.
With auto ISO, assuming the standing shoots have less light the ISO will be higher but when they fly into brighter light the ISO will go WAY down and the noise is lower. I've taken indoor shots that are taken one second apart with one shot at ISO 3200 and the next at 400.
The bigger issue is when they fly into a backlit situation, causing under exposure.
You may also want to set up your dial custom ,C1, C2, C3 parameters. One for the sitting situations and one for the typical flying conditions, this way you can also control not only the speed but a + 1or2 EV's for the backlit situations.
The dial can be switched in less than 1 second if it's not locked.
It sounds like a lot of work but it's not once you get the hang of it. It's just taking advantage of the cameras functions to produce a higher keeper rate.
I set mine up and erase them constantly for an anticipated days shooting. I can also change them if I'm sitting there and nothing is happening for a few minutes. Just look in your manual. Good luck 😐
SS

BooIsMyCat Loc: Somewhere

Thank you! Will look into these settings. At this point, setting auto ISO can't hurt a thing either. Thank you for the feedback.

MarkintheHV Loc: Hudson Valley

Not sure what camera you are using, but I use the Canon 7D (3 custom setttings) and have my custom settings programed for tree sitters and flyers. That way I am only moving the dial one click and my camera is set up for whatever I am doing

MarkintheHV Loc: Hudson Valley

do you have the auto iso limited?