Archboo3 Loc: Central Florida

I haven’t seen a suggestion to try using a Minos are tripod.

Arizona Art Loc: SE Florida

I shoot alot of bird and bird in flight photos. It took me about 20,000 photos to convince myself that there is no substitute for filling the frame with the subject to get a reasonable result.

I won’t take a bird picture if the subject doesn’t fill at least 1/3 of the frame. Otherwise, the result just aint worth the effort.

Consequently, i “pass” on a lot of shots because the subject is just too small.

Just my $.02 worth.

W9OD Loc: Wisconsin

This has been an educational post. I was having the same problem with some of my images. The ISO was the problem.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

globetrekker there is a great discussion going on about this photo its vice is its virtue... it has serious problems and that makes it a challenge for the PS people and others like me who do not have PS.
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-802747-1.html

Please globetrekker, will you permit us to use the photo for post-processing experiments? Do you have the as shot, straight out of the camera in raw and or JPEG that could be used? I you no longer have it, then can the as presented here be used?

chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA

Agree...same place, same experience. Get closer!

WayneW Loc: South Carolina

The camera normally in my hands is a Nikon D750. It offers auto ISO, but I will never use it. I have to control that aspect, always. Do some testing, on your tripod, with manual ISO. Take shots of a subject at a distance, start at 100 ISO and gradually increase it with each shot. Then check out the images on your computer screen. You might stop using auto ISO😁

DanielB Loc: San Diego, Ca

Yes - you nailed it. First you're using an 24.2-megapixel APS-C sensor not bad but if you were shooting an R5 it would have made a difference. Second, I'm assuming you were all the way zoomed in at 400mm which with even a crop censor it's a reach. Shoot your subjects with distance and the capabilities of your camera/lens in mind.

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

I would like to put in my 2 cents worth.
I assume you are using a tripod or a monopod.
I found some use with a 150-600mm lens even though it may be a little pricey. Focusing and zooming were difficult. I purchased a bracket called FOTGA L200. It does a better job of support than a zoom lens foot. It is not expensive and makes good use of your monster lens.

marcelfilmfoto Loc: Westchester County, New York

Yup...only way out.

photogeneralist Loc: Lopez Island Washington State

The photo on my screen is 1200 x 800 (0.96MP) Your camera has a 24.2 MP crop sensor. I'm amazed that you got as good an image as you did given the massive cropping that is implied by those numbers.

RE: exposure, PERHAPS you might have cranked in +1 or +2 EV to properly expose the underside of the overhead eagle against the clear blue (bright) sky. That MIGHT have minimized the need for adjustments to exposure corrections in post which necessitate compensating adjustments to sharpness and contrast along with the problems they bring to a photo (white fringing at wingtips and front and back wing edges.
The real problem, though, IMHO , is the massive cropping.

ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or

hello fellow Oregonian. I am not always satisfied with my photos either but they are improving with practice. My longest lens use to be a 300mm of film days technology. I evaluated the situation and upgraded the lens to a Sigma 150-600mm. Photos improved but there was still a problem. I switched from 20mp to a 61mp camera. Images improved again. Still not happy. Focus seemed to be a problem. I sold gear and got the Sony A1 50mp and superior focus system and traded the sigma for the Sony 200-600mm G lens. . Much happier with the images but the pocketbook is empty. I've tried but just can't use a tripod with the A1 and 200-600mm lens. You just can't move fast enough. I push the ISO up to between 800 and 2500 to get the shutter speed above 1/800 and usually 1/1500. I use "S" or in your case "TV" to set the Sutter speed. I also found that neither one of the lenses Sigma or Sony did not like me using a Polarizer filter. So I shoot the lens naked. There are plenty of times that I wish I had a 1.4x or 2x tele extender. Gwilliams has excellent examples using these extenders. Looks like you are doing the best you can with what you have. The best reason to get new equipment is that what you have won't do what you are trying to do. I try not to depend on PP to save my photos.. Fellow hogers did a wonderful job PP your photo but to me, The eagle now looks like a 70's hippy paisley bird.

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

I would try UPPING the ISO (I don't have an R type camera but results from those in our club suggest thiese cameras can handle much higher ISO's than previous models), this would allow you to keep a high shutter speed and move the F stop to perhaps F8.

I can see some haloing around the and between feathers near the wing tips so a fair bit of sharpening has been done.

Finally, I would consider a monopod with a ball head. I find even with the ball loose (so I can pan around) it offers more stability than my hand held.

Red6

I have an R10 and while birds are a challenge, the R10 is more than up to the challenge. There is a wildlife photographer from Nova Scotia on Youtube who does a lot of wildlife photography and I tend to follow his advice when it comes to wildlife and bird photography.

First, I think your shutter speed is a little fast, unless you are photographing a bird in a high-speed flight or in a quick dive, you could probably get by with 1/1250 or even 1/1000. The eagle in your image is in gliding flight so 1/1250 speed and panning with the eagle's flight should be adequate.

Second, I think your aperture is too wide at f5.6. Go to a setting around f8 or f11 if possible. Experiment with your lens and try to find the best aperture for the lens. It will usually be around the middle of the aperture range.

As far as ISO, most of today's cameras can handle the higher ISOs much better than older models. I use AUTO ISO and let the camera go wherever it needs to. Shooting at 800 or better should be no problem. Then if desired, post-processing can take care of some of the noise issues. Personally, with today's cameras, striving to shoot at the lowest possible setting will severely limit your options and cause you to lose many opportunities for good shots that could be made at higher ISOs. My thoughts; A sharp image with some noise is better than no shot at all.

The last issue is your lens which as many would agree, is the MOST important item. While the R10 is more than capable of delivering good images, it all starts with the lens. I am not sure which lens you have, it sounds like you may be using the Canon RF 100-400 mm zoom telephoto which is a full-frame lens. That is what I have since the Canon RF-S lens options are limited at this time. While this is a pretty good lens, it is not a Canon L lens and I have noticed that this lens can be soft at longer distances. I often do lunar photography and can rarely get super sharp at the upper end of the telephoto range. Or maybe you are using an EF lens and adapter. Either way, it is the lens that makes all the difference. My suggestion, rent a high-end Canon telephoto lens for a week or so and see if it makes a difference. There are even some very good Canon telephoto primes that should deliver good images. That is my plan to get a sharper image at the desired focal length.

Many of us often believe that for all problems there is one definitive solution. In my experience in work, life, and photography, there is rarely just one causative issue for a problem. In most cases, it is several issues in play simultaneously that cause the problem. Each one needs to be addressed and solved to reach a final solution.