R-Bobby Loc: New Orleans

I am using a Nikon D7000 with a Sigms 150-600 lens
Trying to take pictures of birds in flight,

What setting do you recommend

Manual, Apature Priorty, Sutter Priotry

ISO

Apature setting

Sutter speed setting

AK Grandpa Loc: Anchorage, AK

Best advise is: Get both books by Steve Perry . . . "Wildlife Photography" and "Secrets of the Nikon Auto Focus" . . . Both books are outstanding !!! He also has great articles, information and reviews on his website . . .

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

I don't use that camera, but I have been using NIkon products since 2006.

Continuous Autofocus (AF-C), Dynamic area Auto Focus with 9 or 21 focus points active.
Back button focus
usually F7.1 or F8
ISO 1000-1600, you could use Auto ISO and let the ISO float between 800 and 2500, but you cropping capability severely diminishes above 1600.
Manual, after taking some spot meter readings of the highlights - I measure and add one stop more light - this ensures highlights won't get blown
Shutter is usually 1/800 or faster

Strive to get at least 10-40 good shots, expect to take 100s or more. Don't believe anyone who tells you they have a keeper rate of 80% - they are either lying or don't really shoot birds in flight, or have really low standards for image quality. Remember that Ansel Adams said "Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop." and he shot mostly landscapes.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene_lugo/

pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY

I use manual selecting both aperture and shutter to insure DOF and fast enough shutter and Auto ISO. In addition I use in canon terms AI-Servo to lock on to movement, spot focus, and shoot continuous fire with short bursts. Obviously, if you are shooting in dim light you will get high ISOs. If normal light let the camera select the ISO and you spend your time getting the spot on the bird as it takes practice and not have to play with the settings. A short burst will likely get get one or more in focus. To repeat, it will take practice.

Dalek Loc: Detroit, Miami, Goffstown

a good tripod with a gimbal head or a good monopod also helps. also some practice on birds close to where you live.

hzaifert Loc: Monroe Township, NJ

I shoot with Nikon D7000 and Tamron 150-600. I shoot in manual with a minimum shutter speed of 3000. I adjust iso and aperture as needed.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

You should probably go to the "Bird In Flight/Bird On Water" forum section. http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/s-112-1.html
There is a lot of good info there.

ggttc Loc: TN

A good synopsis...

R-Bobby Loc: New Orleans

Thanks for all the great recommendations

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

You do need a refreshing course in birds photography. What I have learned about birds in flight I learned on trial and error. For that type of photography you will be using at least 1/1000sec. shutter speed to freeze motion so it makes sense to me to use Shutter Priority. The lens you have has a digital factor of 900mm at the long end so it makes lots of sense to use a shutter speed fater than 1/900sec. and what I have suggested would be the minimal speed that should be set. If the shutter speed is higher then so much better.
You have to play with the ISO speed setting but I would say that it should not be less than 400 to allow you to achieve high shutter speeds. Remember that your lens is pretty slow. In my book, if I can use a shutter speed that is higher than the focal length of the zoom I disable VR. At such high shutter speeds VR is not that useful and it drains battery power.
The aperture to use will depend on the light available to you at the time of shooting. With your lens try first an aperture like f8 to see if you obtain the results you want. If you do not then you have to play with ISO and or bringing the aperture down to or near the lens maximum opening.
As I said, trial and error with lots of practice will make you a very good birds in flight photographer.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

You may wish to do some things with your lens as well. Have you done any customization?

Sigma has a guy who talks about BIF with this lens; Roman Kurywczak. Watch his video at: http://blog.sigmaphoto.com/2016/a-paradigm-shift-in-birding-photography-at-optic-2016/ He did it for B&H

He recommends 1/1600 and ISO 800 as a starting point.

williejoha

Look up Arthur Morris. He is one of the best. Lot's of tutorials on YouTube.
WJH

cthahn

You should take some basic courses in photography and learn something about photography. You obviously have no clue about using your camera and expect someone to tell you what to do every time you take a picture.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

You need to learn to use "quote reply" so people know what you are referring to. And you have bee here long enough to know that.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

To avoid blowing out highlights, wouldn't you subtract light by increasing the F number one stop, effectively closing down the aperture? Your post says you would add one stop more light which would indeed blow out the highlights.