Help with Nikon 80-400 mm zoom lens
Jan 2, 2021 17:02:30 #
spauley
Loc: Ketchum Idaho
On lens settings there are Am, Ma, and M. If you have it on M (manual) does that override all the main camera
settings? Must be since my first trial after December Idaho duck hunt shoot resulted in all blurred images.
My camera settings were Af-C, 51 focus points, shutter priority, speed 1/2000; Ch;
Aperture was often showing f9.
Temp that day way 19 deg F overcast.
Lens settings were M, Full, VH on; Norm; unlock
I was stopping the birds but they were all out of focus.
Need your tips. I love watching and hunting ducks and geese. Now after 50 years
of duck hunting would like to take more pics than take more ducks.
Thanks
Steve --- Ketchum, Idaho Hunting is on the Snake River near Hagerman
settings? Must be since my first trial after December Idaho duck hunt shoot resulted in all blurred images.
My camera settings were Af-C, 51 focus points, shutter priority, speed 1/2000; Ch;
Aperture was often showing f9.
Temp that day way 19 deg F overcast.
Lens settings were M, Full, VH on; Norm; unlock
I was stopping the birds but they were all out of focus.
Need your tips. I love watching and hunting ducks and geese. Now after 50 years
of duck hunting would like to take more pics than take more ducks.
Thanks
Steve --- Ketchum, Idaho Hunting is on the Snake River near Hagerman
Jan 2, 2021 17:55:26 #
Since you placed the lens in manual focus (why?), did you actually manually focus the lens on your subject?
Jan 2, 2021 17:58:38 #
spauley
Loc: Ketchum Idaho
No. Didn't realize I had it on manual and birds were too fast to do that anyway.
Would you choose Ma or Am on the lens?
Would you choose Ma or Am on the lens?
Jan 2, 2021 18:08:55 #
spauley wrote:
On lens settings there are Am, Ma, and M. If you have it on M (manual) does that override all the main camera
settings?...
...
settings?...
...
I don't know the lens (Am, Ma, M), but I'm guessing that "M" is manual focus. It doesn't override exposure settings in the camera (not the same as camera "manual"). Your auto focus will not work when the lens is in manual.
"Unlock" lets you use the zoom. Lock prevents lens creep when the camera is pointed down.
Other settings would appear to be for your vibration reduction.
Jan 2, 2021 18:22:40 #
Jan 2, 2021 18:44:55 #
spauley wrote:
No. Didn't realize I had it on manual and birds were too fast to do that anyway.
Would you choose Ma or Am on the lens?
Would you choose Ma or Am on the lens?
From the manual:
/M and M/A Modes
• M/A: Autofocus can be over-ridden by rotating the lens fo-
cus ring.
• A/M: As above, except that the focus ring must be rotated
farther before the autofocus is over-ridden, preventing ac- cidental changes to focus caused by unintended operation of the focus ring.
Based on that I’d probably leave it on A/M. If your shooting birds in flight, you’re going to need to pay attention to the number of focus points that you select and your tracking settings. Since I’m a Canon shooter, let me defer to someone who shoots a lot of BIF with Nikon. Btw, what camera?
Come on Nikon BIF gurus - a little help here please...
Jan 2, 2021 19:16:55 #
spauley
Loc: Ketchum Idaho
Camera is Nikon D7500. I'll try A/M
I used 51 focus points. I had to back away from 400 mm in order
to capture the ducks in the viewfinder. Went to 300 mm.
Thanks
I used 51 focus points. I had to back away from 400 mm in order
to capture the ducks in the viewfinder. Went to 300 mm.
Thanks
Jan 2, 2021 19:27:02 #
spauley wrote:
Camera is Nikon D7500. I'll try A/M
I used 51 focus points. I had to back away from 400 mm in order
to capture the ducks in the viewfinder. Went to 300 mm.
Thanks
I used 51 focus points. I had to back away from 400 mm in order
to capture the ducks in the viewfinder. Went to 300 mm.
Thanks
Against a clear sky, using all the points should work. If you have a more complex background, you may want to limit the ones you use - I believe the Nikon users call this group AF. You’ll also need to make sure the AF is continually tracking, either with a half shutter release push or learning to use back button focus (BBF). And finally you may need to “tune” the tracking parameters in the menu. An experienced Nikon user can give you all this information - I only know how to set up Canon and Fuji.
Jan 2, 2021 19:34:21 #
spauley
Loc: Ketchum Idaho
If I have trees behind the duck should I use perhaps 9 focus points and pray I get a centered bird?
Thanks
Thanks
Jan 2, 2021 20:40:33 #
I am a Nikon shooter, I own & use the Nikon 80-400 and I like to shoot birds in flight. I use M/A, AFC and group auto as my primary settings for BIF. Ducks are pretty fast ( I used to hunt ducks too). Your panning ability is just as important your shotgun swing. I usually try to get my shutter speeds up in the range you mentioned but ISO setting is also a consideration. I often use Auto ISO but I usually need some exposure comp as well to get around the fact that there's a whole lot of sky (bright) and only a little bit of bird (usually a lot darker than sky). I usually use center weighted or sometimes even spot metering. It ain't that easy! Lastly take a look at Steve Perry's www.backcountry gallery.com for a lot of good info from a real expert. Try experimenting with some slower flying birds you don't care about, like gulls.
Jan 3, 2021 01:56:53 #
spauley
Loc: Ketchum Idaho
Thanks. We have much in common.
So exposure is trial and error?
Play with the ISO? Cloudy day ISO 800?
Sunny day ISO 300?
What do I set the dial at on the D7500?
So exposure is trial and error?
Play with the ISO? Cloudy day ISO 800?
Sunny day ISO 300?
What do I set the dial at on the D7500?
Jan 3, 2021 06:43:31 #
Rick from NY
Loc: Sarasota FL
Please don’t take this the wrong way, but it is pretty clear you know little about the basics of photography and even less about shooting fast moving subjects like BIF. I respectfully suggest that rather than asking questions about “shooting ducks with an 80-400 lens” you go back to step one and learn basic photography skills, continue to step 2 which is learning the fundamentals of both you camera body and your lens and then perhaps move on to step # 250 which is about shooting fast moving, small critters. What you are currently attempting is sort of like going duck hunting before you know how to load and operate your shotgun.
Jan 3, 2021 07:43:55 #
spauley wrote:
On lens settings there are Am, Ma, and M. If you ... (show quote)
Steve, if you set the lens to M you should also set the camera to M from what I remember of that lens. I had one but it was over 5 years ago.
Jan 3, 2021 09:14:39 #
Drip Dry McFleye's system is similar to what I've used with an 80-400 on a D7100 for years. The settings on the lens I use: A/M; Full; VR ON, Normal; Unlocked. The camera: Aperture priority; C Low; AF-C; Center weighted; ASO usually 400-800, F 7.1-9, attempt to have shutter speed >1/1000. I play around with exposure compensation but usually need to post process.
If it's cloudy, just at sunrise, and the birds are coming fast - get out your shotgun and take photos later.
Mike
If it's cloudy, just at sunrise, and the birds are coming fast - get out your shotgun and take photos later.
Mike
Jan 3, 2021 11:31:11 #
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