Telephoto Lens advice
Feb 14, 2012 15:47:30 #
On Friday, I'm going to participate in the Audobon Society's national bird count at a preserve. I'm pretty sure I'll need a telephoto lens. I have one (70-300mm) and I'm shooting with a Canon T3. Any advice or tips I should know. I've never used a telephoto lens before. Is it pretty much the same thing as a standard lens?
Feb 14, 2012 15:52:38 #
pinkycat wrote:
On Friday, I'm going to participate in the Audobon Society's national bird count at a preserve. I'm pretty sure I'll need a telephoto lens. I have one (70-300mm) and I'm shooting with a Canon T3. Any advice or tips I should know. I've never used a telephoto lens before. Is it pretty much the same thing as a standard lens?
Pretty much, if its a sunny day anyway. Cloudy days will make you want a tripod or monopod.
Feb 14, 2012 17:25:45 #
Crank it out all the way and set your aperture to about 4.5 or 4, if your lens goes that wide. You don't need a lot of depth of field unless you're shooting a California Condor.
Center point focus. (NOT all the points - you want the bird, not the tree branch behind it, in focus).
AI Servo focus mode for Birds in flight if necessary.
AV mode on the dial.
Try to rest the camera on something solid if you can. At 300mm, camera and lens barrel shake will be murderous.
If you must handhold, hold your non-shutter hand out near the end of the lens.
Take off any CPL or UV filter - you won't need 'em.
Center point focus. (NOT all the points - you want the bird, not the tree branch behind it, in focus).
AI Servo focus mode for Birds in flight if necessary.
AV mode on the dial.
Try to rest the camera on something solid if you can. At 300mm, camera and lens barrel shake will be murderous.
If you must handhold, hold your non-shutter hand out near the end of the lens.
Take off any CPL or UV filter - you won't need 'em.
Feb 14, 2012 17:27:57 #
You may want to crank up the ISO. If hand holding you will need an exposure of around 1/500 sec to prevent blurring.
Feb 15, 2012 09:48:39 #
Feb 15, 2012 12:32:52 #
Yeah, only bigger, and heavier, and less DOF, and . . . .
If you already have the lens, get out and shoot with it as much as you can so that some of the use factors become more or less second nature before the day when results matter.
If you already have the lens, get out and shoot with it as much as you can so that some of the use factors become more or less second nature before the day when results matter.
Feb 15, 2012 13:29:41 #
JimH wrote:
Crank it out all the way and set your aperture to ... (show quote)
Ditto this plus one more thing. Use as fast a shutter speed as you can. On birds that are still or perched, you may be able to get away with 1/300th shutter (minimum), but faster is always better. Birds in Flight (BIF) you want a minimum of 1/1600th or faster. It takes a lot of practice to do BIF. Keeping the center point focus on the bird while it is flying takes a lot of practice. BIF, turn off IS or VR. If the bird is perched, us the IS or VR except if you are using a tripod (turn them off).
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.