Reconvic Loc: clermont Fl

If I don't use the correct jargon concerning equipment and technique...excuse me please. I am a relatively new photographer of 20 months but have immersed myself in birding especially raptors in flight and "dives". For me and other more experienced professionals it is the most difficult event. I use JUST a Sigma 600 Contemporary for all my captures. I have researched the media and here on UHH about the best camera and lenses for my passion. The 850 comes in at 46 mps but I always crop that ends up at 20 mps. The 850 is frequently compared to the D500 crop camera that also crops out at 20mps, and now the mirrorless Z6 and Z7. The 850 comes in first in image quality and focus rate, depending on the lens of course. An osprey dive for me happens in a little over 2 seconds. I have 2 successful dives now and the 850/sigma has nailed every frame including the 50 mph dive and the getting up out of the water. My buffer runs dry at 20 frames and takes a little time to recover so I can complete the fly away.

Soooo...Is there a better camera for what I am doing? Mark Smith on you tube is the only other photographer that I have viewed that has successful osprey dives and has determined that the 850 is the best for both focus rate and image quality. The lens he uses is a 600 prime that I don't think I can free hand? I have to rent a Tamron G2 to see if there is any better image quality?

I am including 2 of the frames of my first Osprey Dive where the osprey is estimated at speeds up to 50 mph. Would greatly appreciate any comments from you that I greatly respect.

1st frame of descent

(Download)

2nd frame of descent

(Download)

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Since you are a Nikon guy I'll tell you what my friends use (mostly). They have the D5 and a 500mm prime, or 600mm prime or the 200-500mm Nikon zoom. Some go with the D500 and the 200-500mm zoom. Mostly those are the people that can afford the prime and D5.

Reconvic Loc: clermont Fl

Do they shoot osprey dives or NASCAR or something comparable?

throughrhettseyes Loc: Rowlett, TX

You have the best camera for what you are doing right now. I have a D500 with a Nikon 200-500 f/5.6 and a Tamron 70-200 f/2.8. They are both equipped with a fast focus system compatible with the Nikon fast focus system. You can get better but for 4x the money. Follow the D850 setup procedures the Mark Smith gives you in his video "settings for birds in flight for the D850 and he has one for the D500 too. You might try using the crop mode to give your buffer more room and buy the battery grip to increase your FPS to 8. Or you might buy a D500 for birding. It has a 200 shot buffer at 9 FPS with or without the grip. Oh don't forget the built-in slow motion video capabilities you have on the D850.

BebuLamar

D500 it’s not as fast as rhe D5 but the buffer is good and you still have 20mp with the same framing

Reconvic Loc: clermont Fl

I'm shooting with the grip that increases the fps to 9 and use Mark Smith settings (BTW the only photographer with an osprey dive) and he has a one to one comparison with the d500/Z6/z7 and says even for birding the D850 comes in first and the D500 at 10 fps is the ONLY advantage...thanks

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Most of them are birders with expensive cameras. There is a lake near me where the osprey often come on the day the lake is stocked with trout. You will find 30 or so photographers with the setups I explained. Some people are Nikon people and some Canon. Yes, there are a few others as well.

Reconvic Loc: clermont Fl

Where can I view the ospreys diving? I can't find ANY other than Mark Smith.

Imagemine Loc: St. Louis USA

Think you are doing a good job with the camera you have you put the d850 in crop mode & the buffer would recover faster & you will get better reach. The d850 is the best all around camera for that reason, it will go from full frame to crop mode in the same camera. I don't have a d850 but I do have a d500. If I didn't already have a full frame df I would have gotten a d850 for the resolution & because it can switch from full frame to crop mode. I pair my d500 with a Nikon 200-500mm lens. Think you're on the right path Mark Smith gives good tips👍

gilpog

With shots like that why worry about the camera system!

Reconvic Loc: clermont Fl

I don't know how anyone could shoot a dive on a tripod and I cannot hold a prime.

jmw44 Loc: Princeton, NJ USA

You have a great camera for what you are doing. Your pictures prove it - nice job. If you do not have the battery grip with the advanced battery (and the necessary charger), you might consider it. It will give you 2 more frames per second, which may not sound like much, but means a lot for birds in flight. Mark Smith's setup will help as mentioned above. I would also recommend Steve Perry's ebook on focusing. Above all you will find that using back button focusing will be a big help. Perry is great in that regard and will walk you through the whole focusing system of your camera.

Your buffer fills quickly because of the huge picture files of the D850. You can reduce the size of the files by using the crop feature or by shooting with less quality, but the larger files have many advantages. The D500 would give you more buffer (for one thing the files are a lot smaller) and more frames per second, but you should be able to do very well with what you have.

You have selected a difficult type of photography, but it will be very rewarding, too and you have gotten a great start. Best of luck to you.

SonyA580 Loc: FL in the winter & MN in the summer

One thing I noticed is the ISO changed from 280 on the first shot to 360 on the second shot. I'm not sure what effect this would have on the outcome, if any, but it looks like you are controlling everything manually, except the ISO.

Reconvic Loc: clermont Fl

lol...thanks Gil...can't help it, it must be the Marine in me that always wants to be better!

Reconvic Loc: clermont Fl

Yup...have the Grip and ONLY use back button focus...thanks