I have read and read the manual , but still am not satisfied with all of the results I get. Can someone please advise me on the best settings for birds in flight?
DAN Phillips wrote:
I have read and read the manual , but still am not satisfied with all of the results I get. Can someone please advise me on the best settings for birds in flight?
Post some examples and store the files. This will be way more effective and efficient.
DAN Phillips wrote:
I have read and read the manual , but still am not satisfied with all of the results I get. Can someone please advise me on the best settings for birds in flight?
1/1600 or 1/2000 if very close, f8, hopefully in good light and with properly adjusted manual ISO. I will also say that most BIF shooters are using OEM lenses with their cameras for the superior focus tracking/accuracies and shooting hand held with maybe a facial stabilizer and auxiliary holding bracket for the lens.
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Point focus and metering with focus priority if allowed. Shoot multiple shots high speed and pick the best.
1/2000 min shutter, min fstop, and auto iso.
Don't forget back button focus and continuous high for shutter release. Auto iso is very helpful.
DAN Phillips wrote:
I have read and read the manual , but still am not satisfied with all of the results I get. Can someone please advise me on the best settings for birds in flight?
High shutter speed (1/1000 sec or less), one stop below wide open for optimal sharpness, whatever ISO you need, and shoot the birds when the sun is up.
SX2002
Loc: Adelaide, South Australia
Not sure if the 750 has the same setting as my D500 but the settings I use are Grp (Group) focus points (4 points in a diamond formation) continuous auto focus and rapid fire mode..in the case of these pics, 5 frames/second.
So these five shots were taken in one second while panning with the Tern, about 70 meters away. (Sigma 500-600mm lens) The Exif data is with the pics if you decide to download them to see what they were.
Cheers,
Ron.
DAN Phillips wrote:
I have read and read the manual , but still am not satisfied with all of the results I get. Can someone please advise me on the best settings for birds in flight?
Dan I also have the D 750 & the 150-600.I shoot raw & in Aperture priority mode.I also shoot birds & wild life & am very happy with my photos, may I ask what focus mode are u using & do u use back button focusing?
billnikon
Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
DAN Phillips wrote:
I have read and read the manual , but still am not satisfied with all of the results I get. Can someone please advise me on the best settings for birds in flight?
Use this, GROUP AUTO FOCUS, continuous auto focus, center weighted metering. Shot at least 1/2500 sec. at one stop down from wide open.
And, personally do not like that lens for birds in flight. I use the Nikon 200-500 5.6 and get much better results at 500 mm. That lens is questionable at 600 mm.
This is the equivalent setup: D750 + Sigma 150-600...handheld...ISO 250...f8...1/1500...late afternoon...back button focus, continuous focus...
Thanks to all, I will keep shooting.
Steve Perry has some excellent ebooks and videos on shooting wildlife with a Nikon. Really worth the small cost.
DAN Phillips wrote:
Thanks to all, I will keep shooting.
That’s what it takes to improve. Be realistic - the manual is
NOT a photography how-to book.
A couple of points: If you want the bird to look like a static taxidermist’s specimen strung up on fishing line, use high shutter speeds. If you want the bird to look like it’s alive and flying, hone your panning skills and use slower speeds to get some background motion blur - 1/125 or even 1/60 second is not too slow if you can pan steadily.
If you’ve had the camera and lens more than a day or two, you ought to know your minimum hand-holding shutter speed and maximum acceptable ISO.
Labtrainer wrote:
Steve Perry has some excellent ebooks and videos on shooting wildlife with a Nikon. Really worth the small cost.
A second vote here for Steve Perry's ebooks. So much has been learned from his ebooks and my wildlife photography has improved vastly. Definitely worth the small cost.
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