Trying to photo Humming birds
May 20, 2019 15:07:07 #
Iron sight wrote:
Camera is a Sony A6000. Lens Sony 55-210 Focus is on Automatic AF, Camera is on Intelligent Auto.
Birds are Usually always out of focus. Feeder is in focus.
??
Birds are Usually always out of focus. Feeder is in focus.
??
I shoot hand-held and go to where they are normally hanging around. I have had less success with a tripod and at feeders.
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on a tripod
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May 20, 2019 18:17:11 #
May 20, 2019 18:18:26 #
May 20, 2019 18:26:47 #
May 21, 2019 01:41:17 #
Gene51 wrote:
I shoot hand-held and go to where they are normally hanging around. I have had less success with a tripod and at feeders.
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Very nice!
May 21, 2019 02:27:04 #
May 21, 2019 09:06:43 #
Iron sight wrote:
"back button focus" I'll try and look it up.
Thanks
Thanks
Back button focus is absolutely the way to go when photographing birds in action. It is now my preferred way to go with everything. It may take a little bit to get used to it, but it is well worth using it - at least to me.
May 21, 2019 09:17:24 #
Iron sight wrote:
Camera is a Sony A6000. Lens Sony 55-210 Focus is on Automatic AF, Camera is on Intelligent Auto.
Birds are Usually always out of focus. Feeder is in focus.
??
Birds are Usually always out of focus. Feeder is in focus.
??
Flash, either on or preferably off camera, helps a lot. If I am not using flash, this is the technique I have had some success with (meaning 1 keeper out of 50 shots): Use your tripod as you are doing. Shoot in manual mode; you are shooting in the shadows against a bright background. Use an f/stop high enough to give you some DOF, but keep your SS up to at least 1/500. At 1/500 the body and head can be frozen but the wings will show movement. If you want to freeze the wings you have to be in the 1/2000-1/3200 range. Second, autofocus on the "flower" you want to use. Try to use spot focus on the far "petal" of the plastic flower. Then, carefully take your lens off autofocus and place in manual focus. It is very difficult for even the best cameras and lenses to autofocus on a moving hummingbird fast enough.
Ideally use a remote trigger and shoot in burst mode. I use a wired remote; I can stand away from the camera, watch the feeder, and shoot when the HB moves into my pre-focused zone.
Lots of fun, but be prepared to cull lots of shots. When you do get a good one, congrats!
May 21, 2019 13:10:00 #
The focus system will focus on the foremost object in the frame unless you tell it otherwise by using AF-C and expandable flexible spot. Then moving the green square to the left so it will first focus on the bird.
May 21, 2019 17:25:33 #
May 21, 2019 19:28:06 #
Eric2018
Loc: Los Angeles, CA, USA
With your tripod and feeder, you should be able to pre-set everything. You know exactly where the bird will be, so there should be no need for fancy autofocus techniques.
Use manual focus, manual shutter speed, manual aperture, manual ISO. Take an exposure reading off of the feeder (get up close to it, note the recommended shutter and aperture at a given ISO, and set those manually). A remote shutter release will usually help prevent blur due to camera movement, but your photos suggest camera movement isn't your problem (the feeder is sharp). Remote may allow you to stay further away from the birds, but my experience with hummingbirds is they quickly get used to us slow-moving humans and aren't scared away so long as we stay relatively still.
If you want to "freeze" those wings, you have to use a flash. Even 1/4,000 won't freeze the wings in mid-stroke, although you could get some pretty sharp images if you happen to catch the wings at the end of a stroke (when the wing momentarily slows down to change direction).
Using a flash, you could also try shooting at dusk or pre-dawn so the background is dark compared to the flash-lit bird. Again, manual is your friend here. Figure out the proper shutter speed, aperture and ISO based on your flash specs. Or go with trial and error to find the right combo with your flash (which you can do with or without a bird in the frame). Auto flash will NOT be your friend, as the flash is likely to try to expose for the vast expanse of emptiness behind the bird, resulting in a blown-out bird.
Use manual focus, manual shutter speed, manual aperture, manual ISO. Take an exposure reading off of the feeder (get up close to it, note the recommended shutter and aperture at a given ISO, and set those manually). A remote shutter release will usually help prevent blur due to camera movement, but your photos suggest camera movement isn't your problem (the feeder is sharp). Remote may allow you to stay further away from the birds, but my experience with hummingbirds is they quickly get used to us slow-moving humans and aren't scared away so long as we stay relatively still.
If you want to "freeze" those wings, you have to use a flash. Even 1/4,000 won't freeze the wings in mid-stroke, although you could get some pretty sharp images if you happen to catch the wings at the end of a stroke (when the wing momentarily slows down to change direction).
Using a flash, you could also try shooting at dusk or pre-dawn so the background is dark compared to the flash-lit bird. Again, manual is your friend here. Figure out the proper shutter speed, aperture and ISO based on your flash specs. Or go with trial and error to find the right combo with your flash (which you can do with or without a bird in the frame). Auto flash will NOT be your friend, as the flash is likely to try to expose for the vast expanse of emptiness behind the bird, resulting in a blown-out bird.
May 21, 2019 19:30:03 #
Eric2018
Loc: Los Angeles, CA, USA
bajadreamer wrote:
Flash, either on or preferably off camera, helps a lot. . . .
Good advice.
May 21, 2019 20:40:35 #
As near as I can tell, all your efforts have the birds in shadow.
Consider placing the feeder where the hummer will be in sunlight (I like early morning and late evening light) giving you more light to work with. Then pick your choices of lower iso, faster shutter and/or tighter aperture for greater dof.
Whatever you do, keep on keepin on! When you get your keeper you will be thrilled.
Though hopefully only for a day or two as you then set the bar even higher!
Consider placing the feeder where the hummer will be in sunlight (I like early morning and late evening light) giving you more light to work with. Then pick your choices of lower iso, faster shutter and/or tighter aperture for greater dof.
Whatever you do, keep on keepin on! When you get your keeper you will be thrilled.
Though hopefully only for a day or two as you then set the bar even higher!
May 22, 2019 14:24:27 #
Ok..Lowered the feeder, camera no longer pointed at the sky. (I think that helped the most) Manual focus. Otherwise camera is on auto and 1/400 sec shutter speed. A breath of Photoshop.
May 22, 2019 14:28:12 #
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