CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Hi saltwaterphil. I did find and reviewed the Grant Atkinson video. I was mistaken earlier when saying Exposure Compensation cannot be set in Manual mode. This statement was correct for my 5DIII and most EOS systems, but I see from Grant's demonstration, the 5DIV model provides this new feature. Apologies for the erroneous statement made earlier.

I closely watched the video and have a few comments that might help your understanding the details being presented.

Grant mentions early in the video starting at 0:30 that he has changed over from Aperture Priority to Manual. But, he fails explain in this video that he's modified his camera to behave in Manual as if it was Aperture Priority. This oversight will make it difficult to exactly follow his video demonstration. Notice at the discussion starting at 2:20 he has set the camera to Manual and then uses the Main Dial to change the aperture and the Quick Control Dial to change the shutter. This functionality in the video is opposite of the standard function assignments for these dials in Manual Exposure, see details on p 251 - Manual Exposure of the 5DIV Instruction Manual.

At the 5:00 segment, he demonstrates using the Custom Function Menu to reassign the function assignment for the Set Button. You can use this demonstration as well as the instructions starting at p 495 - Custom Controls to modify your camera to follow the function control assignments of Grant's 5DIV as used in this video. Hopefully, these observations will help understand and follow exactly the configuration steps presented in the video.

The video - https://youtu.be/Xmud7-O8HNs

BTW- you should use the <quote reply> function to link your comments to a specific prior post.

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

You can also try spot metering on the bird. I don't know if you can link the spot metering to the focus point on that model, you can on the 1D series cameras which can be useful too. Check your manual or menus about spot metering to determine if they can be linked. Counting clicks when changing settings is a good skill to learn...too.

ronz Loc: Florida

You need to be in something other than M but here is an old trick I still use. Meter off the grass in the same light as the bird and adjust settings as needed. I used this in old days with film and still use it today for many subjects.

ronz Loc: Florida

Sorry you can meter in manual but I was thinking about not being able to use Exp. Comp

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

Mi630

what I have done shooting eagles is to set camera to 1/1600, f8, and auto ISO. with auto ISO I can still use exposure adjustment when in auto ISO. With eagles it is touchy getting the exposure with the white head and dark body. I have recently started using highlight tone priority to help fight blowing out the white heads. I get a lot fewer blowouts using that feature. A lot of people are unfamiliar with this menu setting (in Canon at least). The local camera shop employees were even unfamiliar with it.

saltwaterphil Loc: va beach, va

WOW.....You know your stuff, thanks for the come-back. It was driving me crazy that I couldn't make the set button hold the exposure. Dark birds on a cloudy bright sky is a difficult task. Thanks again for taking the time to help. Phil

williejoha

When I shoot Eagles in and around Wabasha Minnesota, I meter the sky plus 1 f stop to allow for the dark bird. If it is sunny I may alter a little to allow for the head of the bird. Using Lightroom and shooting raw has been my way with very good results. Now if the bird sits in a tree, this is not the way to go. Try it and see what happens. Good luck.
WJH

saltwaterphil Loc: va beach, va

You meter the sky in what mode? Do you set your speed 1st

williejoha

I meter in evaluating mode and shoot in M. My settings are usually ISO 1600 -2000, f 8 and shutter at 1600 - 2000 give or take. I shoot a 7D II with a 100-400 II, in AI Servo.
Hope this helps.
WJH

PhotoKurtz Loc: Carterville, IL

The 5D Miv will do 7-shot AEB. I use that quite a bit and throw away the unwanted frames. This may be a time to try that. Otherwise, set your f-stop and speed while pointing at the grass and see how that matches up. (a suggestion from a Canon factory rep).

bigjb3

There is one situation where shooting in manual mode is best: that's if the lighting is the same on the bird whether it's on the ground, just taking off with dark trees in the background, or in the sky. (example: shooting a white snow goose where it is lit by the sun regardless of what the background is). If you set the exposure for the bird properly in any of these locations, you won't have to change the exposure as the background changes brightness. The bird will still be properly exposed. This is in contrast to other modes where as the background changes, you must change the exposure settings. However, in manual, if the lighting changes on the bird, with any of the above backgrounds, you will have to change the exposure settings to adjust to it, like you would in the other exposure modes. Also, if you go from photographing a white bird to a dark bird, you will have to change the settings for that bird.

MikeT9

If you shoot BIF in Manual and bearing in mind the ISO capabilities of the Mkiv use the Auto ISO setting. Choose the shutter speed depending on the type of bird. You don’t say what type of lens you are using and how fast it. Personally I use f/5.6 as a starting point on the basis that the DOF will cover nearest to furthest points on the bird for most flight shots. Using Auto ISO in Manual will mean you can use exposure compensation, I would point your camera at the sky and adjust the EC to +2, again as a good starting point. If you use Auto ISO in Manual with EC you must remember that the moment anything other than the sky becomes the background you will blow the shot completely.

bigjb3

I have the Canon 5D4 and use either the 500 F4 or the 100-400mm 4.5-5.6 IS Mark 2 lens for bird flight shots. My point was not to discuss what settings to choose, but to say that if the light on a particular bird does not change whether it's on the ground or in the sky, the bird will still be exposed properly if you have chosen the correct manual exposure settings (although the background exposure will change, but the subject is the bird, not the background). If you are using auto ISO or any other auto exposure feature (aperture or shutter priority), you will need to compensate depending on the bird's brightness and the changing background brightness or brightness of the light on the bird.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Yeah, the old fashioned way... Put the camera in full manual mode (M). Then SET ISO, SET Shutter Speed, Meter a gray card (or use an incident meter), and SET aperture.

Just don't allow the camera to do anything automatically except autofocus. If you want more exposure on the backlit bird, just manually adjust the aperture or ISO.

HOWEVER, you should be able to use the exposure compensation dial if there is one on your camera.