saltwaterphil Loc: va beach, va

I'm shooting a lot of birds in flight ; small dark target against a big bright sky. The camera is metering off the bright sky making the bird underexposed. I'm trying to find a way to lock the exposure at +1 or whatever in M mode. I can't seem to find a way to do it. Looked for videos on the subject, one said change the set button to metering can't seem to get it to work. Bottom line... what I want to do is in M mode set the speed then meter off the bright sky then set the aperture to that f stop, then set my exposure to +1 and have it lock at +1. To compensate for the bright sky. I can't seem to lock the exposure. Any ideas. Thanks

IHH61 Loc: Homestead Fl

Press Quick menu button. In touch screen touch exposure compensation to activate. Set to +1 or whatever. Press Quick menu button or Set button to lock.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

In M(anual), the same three sides of the "triangle" apply. Either increase the ISO, open the aperture wider, or lengthen the shutter speed.

So, let's say you decided 1/1000 is a good speed to freeze motion of a flying bird. On the given day, in the given light, at the time of day at your location, you find 1/1000 at f/8 requires ISO-800 to properly expose the sky. To move the exposure to +1 while maintaining the same 1/1000 shutter speed leaves the option of either opening the aperture to f/5.6 or the ISO to ISO-1600. If you've updated the increment values to 1/3 stops, you can adjust both the aperture and ISO in slight steps like 1/1000, f/6.3 and ISO-1000.

Although the reference to the Q menu is another method to control the camera settings, in a BIF scenario, you should learn to control the camera via the various external dials on the body with the camera still raised to your eye. This is practice, practice, practice. Something I've learned is to use the "Main Dial" on the top of the body in M(anual) to slightly alter the shutter as I track birds in different directions against the sky. In the hypothetical +1 exposure of 1/1000, f/6.3 and ISO-1000, I'd bring the aperture back to f/8 to capture the entire bird in focus through the wing-tips. This would require the ISO to climb to ISO-1600. While shooting I adjust the shutter speed only by turning left or right on the Main Dial to adjust just the shutter speed for slight changes to 1/1250 to lessen light or 1/800 to add light.

The Main Dial on the top and the Quick Control Dial on the back of the camera both move in "clicks". You can count these clicks as you move one dial and then move the other dial the same number of "clicks" to maintain the same exposure. When moving fast in BIF, I don't think about the number values on the exposure triangle. Instead, I just count the clicks on one dial and make the same number of clicks on the other when I need to adjust two "sides" of the exposure triangle together.

You might also look at adjusting the "Set" button and re-assign to setting the ISO. In this custom configuration, just press and hold the Set button with your thumb while holding the camera to your eye. You can turn the Main Dial with your index finger to adjust the ISO. You can see the ISO values in the view finder and the adjustments to the exposure in the scale at the bottom of the viewfinder.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

"Exposure compensation", as available in the P, Av or Tv modes, does not exist in M. Therefore, in Manual you use the Exposure Level Indicator in the Viewfinder and increase the ISO, open the aperture wider, or lengthen the shutter speed (independently or change two or all three) and "move" the exposure indicator to the right of the middle / neutral setting on the indicator.

Japakomom Loc: Originally from the Last Frontier

Not sure what metering mode you are using, but you might want to try spot metering. If that blows out the sky too much, maybe evaluative metering.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

Expose for the bird, not the sky! I M mode the exposure is already "locked" until you change it!!

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

I don't shoot BIF but the concept is the same. Expose for the main subject, if it blows out the background so be it.

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

Chances are your camera is set to evaluative metering? Try using spot metering, with single point focus. Don't focus or meter the sky, shoot the bird. Good luck.

saltwaterphil Loc: va beach, va

Thanks for your comments.....using spot metering might be helpful. I'm shooting at eagles high in a bright sky may not be able to put the meter spot on them every time, but I'll give it a try. There's a vid by Grant Atkinson on this call 5d mk iv in M mode with auto ISO, but damned if I can make it work.

LiamRowan Loc: Michigan

Generally it's tough to shoot BIF using M mode. You can demonstrate for yourself why by putting your camera in Aperture Priority mode and depressing the shutter button halfway with the lens pointed at the sky. Then move the lens around the sky and watch how the shutter speed changes (dramatically) and you'll see the issue immediately. In M mode, your camera will not adjust to the significant changes in the brightness of the sky. I have the best luck using Aperture mode, and then setting EC depending on the bird. White swans, 0 EC usually. Darker birds, anything from +1 to +2. For me that gets the most predictable exposure because Aperture mode is taking into acct the brightness of the scene, and EC is taking into acct the relative brightness of the bird to the sky, whatever it is.

There are often surprises, though. On average a sandhill crane in a blue sky I'd shoot at +1.6 EC. The one below was shot at +0. The sun was low, so the sky was turning dark, and the bird was lit by the orange sun, making the exposure difference between the bird and the sky much smaller than usual. Had that been a white bird, I would have needed to use negative EC.

saltwaterphil Loc: va beach, va

beautiful shot..... I've gotten a lot of advise, I just have to go out and experiment and see what works for me. Thanks PS I have found that shooting a sharp pic of a bird in fight is harder than killing one with a shotgun and that's a good thing. I used to hunt a lot.

saltwaterphil Loc: va beach, va

Thanks..Look at a vid by Grant Atkinson called 5d mk iv in M mode with auto Iso. He sets the set button to move the exposure in custom controls. I can't seem to get it to work, but I'm just learning.

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

You're on the right track to getting this solved. Which case have you used in AF tracking? No success means try another case. Since you are trying to lock onto a target already airborne why not try to use "Auto selection" to lock, then manuever the target into the center of your metering zone. The camera has some terrific tracking capabilities that work for some people, make yourself one of them. Auto ISO is proving to be valuable shooting roosting birds, hope it helps you. Good luck.

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

The "set" button can be used to change exposure compensation, among several other functions. 600 pages?

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

Time of day is extremely important, during the first hour after sun rise there generally is not enough light to shoot BIF, then for about the next 2 hours on a clear day you have optimum conditions for BIF. Same in the afternoon, about 3 hours before sun set. For BIF you want the sun low in the sky so that the birds are not backlighted and the abdomen and wings of the birds are receiving as much direct light as possible, when the sun is high in the sky this is impossible. I mostly shoot Eagles and Pelicans with Herons and Cranes sometimes thrown in. People approach BIF in different ways, personally what I have found works best for me is an ISO between 640 and 800, camera set on AV with a 7.1 aperture and I use case II for AI Servo tracking. If I am shooting dark birds I adjust the exposure anywhere from 2/3 to 1 1/3 stop, obviously white birds such as egrets will require a negative exposure adjustment. I always take a few shots of anything that flies and review my images to make sure that the camera settings I have selected will produce the results that I am looking for. Eagles are a bit tricky because of the dark bodies and white heads, if you try to perfectly expose the body chances are that you will burn the detail out of the white head and tail. At any rate it is better to over expose a little and bring the exposure down in post than to under expose and try to push the exposure in post, the images will be cleaner with less noise. I also always shoot RAW because it gives you much more latitude in adjusting white balance and exposure than a JPG will.

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