fiat76 Loc: PA, MD, and SC

Aaron or Erin is a frequent flyer at our dock. Yesterday a dragonfly picked a bad runway on which to land (check out his/her beak on one of the images). The images are not as sharp as I would like. I welcome CC.

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andiamo236

I have run into the same issue with sharpness. I recently took BIF course (Birds In Flight).
The recommendation was as follows (the references are using Nikon equipment):
-Camera to MANUAL
-Stabilization "OFF" (This is useless at high shutter speeds and puts un-needed effort on the camera system for fast moving objects)
-"f8" (allows a DOF margin for fast moving objects)
-Shutter speed set to 1/3200
-ISO "AUTO" (set the upper limit to the highest ISO that will allow minimal digital noise)
-AF to continuous and engage "AF-Tracking" (start out with 9 points, adjust as required)

fiat76 Loc: PA, MD, and SC

Thank-you, Andiamo236, for taking a look and offering some suggestions for sharper bird images! Am anxious to try the AF-tracking and Auto ISO. I have been totally frustrated with my less-than-sharp-tack images. Anyhow...thanks for your input-greatly appreciated!

andiamo236

I wish you good luck. Here is an image I took hand held with my Nikon 80-400 (older version) with the settings I mentioned.

fiat76 Loc: PA, MD, and SC

This is a stunning image! The composition...the sharpness! Thank-you for sharing! I am inspired....SIGH.......

andiamo236

Thank you! I see by your title information you may live in the area PA, MD and SC. I took this picture while attending the BIF photo workshop in York, PA. This image was taken at Kiwanis Park in downtown York, PA. They have a bird rookery there and a fairly large number of nesting Great White Egrets.

Attached is a couple of my favorites from Conowingo Dam last November.

fiat76 Loc: PA, MD, and SC

Andiamo236: WOW...your images of the eagles are OUTSTANDING captures! Beautiful. I hope you share them with other photography enthusiasts who like me, are striving to get beyond mediocre images and need some inspiration. We live (sort of) in Chambersburg, which as you already know is not too far from York. I didn't know about the bird sanctuary there, and I have heard of the dam but don't think I was ever there. York is off our travel grid. Most of the summer we live on a boat at a marina on the Chesapeake Bay. We go home every so often to mow the grass, etc. The past two winters we took the boat down the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) and moored in Marathon (Boot Key Harbor), between Key Largo and Key West for several months. We have a condo about ten minutes from downtown Charleston. (The condo is on high ground and we are on the third floor, so we are not anticipating any damage!) Charleston, though...another story. When we're home, I like to shoot at Caledonia State Park. The ICW and the Low Country are a photographer's heaven. I have not found a photography niche on which to concentrate, and maybe that is part of my problem. My longest lens is a 210mm, and it's just not long enough for good close ups of birds in their natural habitat. I think I told you I am using a Sony a55 which I bought 8-9-10 (?) years ago to replace a Minolta film camera. I never really got too involved with photography until two years ago when I got burned out stitching reproduction samplers, and my SO suggested I put my teeth in photography. So here I am, trying to make up for lost time. I am in the market for a camera upgrade, and I've been studying/researching cameras and lenses. My current Minolta lenses are fair to good, with the exception of a Tamron wide angle lens that I think is probably one of the better lenses in my bag. I initially went with a Sony because I was able to use all of my and my dad's older Minolta lenses. I will probably stick with Sony and am looking at the a7 series. The a9 is out of my price range! A 7rIII is supposed to be released the 3rd-4th quarter, so I have been waiting to see the sticker price. I hope you will continue to share your images on UHH. When I get in a slump, I see the outstanding captures of other photographers (like you) and am inspired to learn more and raise the bar!

andiamo236

I don't know anything at all about the Sony's, however, we have several folks in one of our camera clubs that rave about them. I also hear you can use lenses from other makes but you will need adapters. I am not an expert so I am unsure about this statement.

You need to pick equipment you are happy and comfortable with............it is more the photographer than the equipment (at least 70% maker vs. 30% equipment). The lenses are the largest expense and item that will outlive bodies.

I started with Canon but switched to Nikon about 25 years ago and have no desire to change because of my investment in the lenses. I think Sony, Canon and Nikon make great equipment.

One thing about the Canon and Nikon brands is that 3rd party lenses such as Tamron, Sigma are available for Canon and Nikon DSLR bodies. There is a fellow that I know that is using a 600mm Tamron on a Nikon DX body and his Eagle pictures are stunning.

I wish you luck and encourage you to keep on shooting.