depth of field: I am showing a northern cardinal picture I took with my Canon 600 f4 and 1DX mark III the bill and eye are tack sharp, but the breast feathers, feet and finally the...

JOHNERIKSSON Loc: CENTRAL WISCONSIN

I am showing a northern cardinal picture I took with my Canon 600 f4 and 1DX mark III
the bill and eye are tack sharp, but the breast feathers, feet and finally the tail are badly out of focus. So my question is what kind of camera settings do I need to make all the bird sharp these were iso 800, f5.6 and 1/3200. How would you set up the camera to get better results. Or would you take several pictures with different focus points and combine them?

williejoha

Consult a depth of field chart or app. The are widely available for free on the net.
WJH

Spirit Vision Photography Loc: Behind a Camera.

Use smaller aperture with a lens of that length.

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

It will in part depend on how far away the bird is. But a starting point would be reducing shutter speed to 1/1600 so you can bump aperture to f8. Might also double check focus tuning to make sure not front focussing.

CO

A 600mm lens is going to have a very shallow depth of field. As Orphoto stated above, the distance plays a big factor in this also. How far away was the bird from the camera? Bring up a depth of field calculator online.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

JOHNERIKSSON wrote:

I am showing a northern cardinal picture I took with my Canon 600 f4 and 1DX mark III
the bill and eye are tack sharp, but the breast feathers, feet and finally the tail are badly out of focus. So my question is what kind of camera settings do I need to make all the bird sharp these were iso 800, f5.6 and 1/3200. How would you set up the camera to get better results. Or would you take several pictures with different focus points and combine them?

Try this:
Took a couple extra tots of Johnny Walker Blue to get it right!

(Download)

Nalu Loc: Southern Arizona

As already mentioned, how far away from the bird were you? I usually find that wide open with these long lenses does fine with birds unless you are very close. In that instance, assuming you focus on the eye and the bird is not parallel with the back of the camera, the you would expect to see the face in focus and the hind end of the bird somewhat soft. In that case, stopping down will help.

Larryshuman

I have a Nikon 600mmF:4 G VR and depth of field isn't more that a inch. Were you too close and at F:4? You should have focused on the eye. I can show you images of warblers where the eye in tack sharp and the tail in soft. Also it depends how the bird was positioned relative the the lens. If the bird is 45 deg to the lens DoF is very shallow, if the bird is parallel to the camera sensor sharpness will be very good. I shoot a lot of birds and I use fill flash and stop down the lens to F:8. Check Stave Perry's ebook on focusing. I have written a PDF about shooting birds with flash. send me your email (Larrys@bex.net) and I'll send it to you. Its written with Nikon in mind, but it will also work with Cannon.

Leitz Loc: Solms

RWR wrote:

Try this:
Took a couple extra tots of Johnny Walker Blue to get it right!

Someone posted this chart before (you?). I was skeptical at first, but the following calculator proves that depth of field is determined by magnification ratio and aperture. Still, many insist that focal length and distance matters.
http://www.photopills.com/calculators/dof-macro

Larryshuman

no I didn't post it.

Leitz Loc: Solms

Larryshuman wrote:

no I didn't post it.

Are you also RWR??

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

I've used this for many years... it is an appropriate estimation of what you are seeking JOHNERIKSSON...

http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

btw, this matter is actually far more complex... and deals with circles of confusion and the physics of optics...
Bottom Line? Test your own equipment... it's priceless (pun intended)

Hope this helps JOHNERIKSSON
Please stay safe... Always wear a mask in public and practice social distancing...
All the best on your journey...

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

JOHNERIKSSON wrote:

I am showing a northern cardinal picture I took with my Canon 600 f4 and 1DX mark III
the bill and eye are tack sharp, but the breast feathers, feet and finally the tail are badly out of focus. So my question is what kind of camera settings do I need to make all the bird sharp these were iso 800, f5.6 and 1/3200. How would you set up the camera to get better results. Or would you take several pictures with different focus points and combine them?

You can get close depth of field with an app, hyper focal pro, and also get a better understanding of depth of field by using it.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

Leitz wrote:

Someone posted this chart before (you?). I was skeptical at first, but the following calculator proves that depth of field is determined by magnification ratio and aperture. Still, many insist that focal length and distance matters.
http://www.photopills.com/calculators/dof-macro

But magnification ratio is certainly a product of focal length and distance.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

Leitz wrote:

Someone posted this chart before (you?). I was skeptical at first, but the following calculator proves that depth of field is determined by magnification ratio and aperture. Still, many insist that focal length and distance matters.
http://www.photopills.com/calculators/dof-macro

And focal length determines magnification, does it not. Longer lens, brings things closer(magnifying), just as if you walked closer with a shorter lens.