prcb1949 Loc: Ex Zimbabwe - Now UK

Hi I need some help. The following pics were taken under partial tree canopy and on an overcast day. I had set my camera on manual and chosen a fast shutter speed because I was wanting to do some BIF something I had not attempted to do before. Could you please tell me where I went wrong! my settings were as follows

1st PIC - 1/2500 F4.8, ISO-6400
2ndPIC - 1/500, F5.0, ISO-5600
3rd PIC - 1/2500 F4.8, ISO-6400
The last pic I think had about the same values.

My equipment is as follows . Nikon D3300 - Lens Nikon DX VR AFP 70-300 1:4.5-6.3g ED
Hope that is sufficient info.

(Download)


(Download)


(Download)


(Download)

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

Nice set

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

I must be missing something. I like your photos. I agree they could be better in minor ways but I don't see what you are asking, specifically. To me the exposure looks pretty good.

On my Sony, for birds, flying or static, I use aperture priority and f4. My ISO is usually 200, sometimes 320. It looks as if you are in the ballpark unless I am missing something. That sometimes happens.

Dennis

prcb1949 Loc: Ex Zimbabwe - Now UK

Hi Dennis thanks for commenting - To me or as I am seeing it they appear to be very grainy and dull. I have only recently ventured into manual settings and still have a lot to learn I think.

prcb1949 Loc: Ex Zimbabwe - Now UK

I have just edited my comments so you may not have seen the settings I used.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

I do see some grain. But not necessarily dull. When you are post processing are you able to add some color saturation? I never used to do that until a friend suggested it. I only use the program on my MacPro but when I add saturation, some, not tons, it definitely helps my bird photos look more natural. A blue heron actually looks blue rather than gray.

May I also suggest you take some photos using manual if you like but then try taking some identical photos using aperture preferred and the same aperture. I really like f4 for birds. You may find that aperture priority works pretty well for you.

I wish you well,

Dennis

prcb1949 Loc: Ex Zimbabwe - Now UK

Thanks Dennis Ill give that a try

R.G. Loc: Scotland

They are grainy because of the high ISO and they are dull partly because of the high ISO but mostly because the lighting was dull. I think the problem is you're not using the right mind-set.

Can we assume that you understand the exposure triangle (the three settings that affect how bright the exposure will be)? To avoid using ISOs as high as those you've used you need to do two things:-

1) Don't use a shutter speed that's any higher than what's needed.

2) Don't use an f-stop that's any higher than what's needed (i.e. an aperture that's any smaller than what's needed), where the needs are determined by how much depth of field (DOF) is needed.

That's a quick summary of the mind-set that you should have.

In your shots the movement within the frame goes from almost none to not very much, so as far as movement is concerned, a fast shutter speed isn't required.

The other consideration is camera shake. Your focal length on your DX camera is 300mm or less, which is an FX equivalent of 450mm or less. Even at full zoom you could have used a shutter speed of 1/500 sec (with the appropriate camera-holding skills), and for shots around the 100-150mm mark the shutter speed could have been even slower. That's using the rule of thumb which says the slowest shutter speed that you should be using to avoid camera shake is the inverse of the full frame equivalent focal length. For example, for a FF equivalent focal length of 150mm your minimum shutter speed should be 1/150 sec.

The FF equivalent focal length is 1.5 times the DX focal length - e.g. 100mm DX = 150mm FF equiv.

Applying that rule of thumb to your shots (bearing in mind that there's no fast subject movement) indicates that you could have used slower shutter speeds. That in turn would have allowed you to use lower ISOs.

The graininess and the dullness can both be corrected up to a point in post processing. A small white balance (WB) shift towards yellow (i.e. warmer) plus some carefully applied saturation and contrast will help with the dullness. Edge based sharpening - i.e sharpening that avoids smooth areas (where the most noticeable noise is) plus global denoise will help with the graininess.

Another more extreme method is to make a selection of everything that's not the main subject (that usually means the background) and apply negative Clarity or some kind of blur to that selection in order to smoothen the background. But it's easy to overdo that technique, and while smooth backgrounds may look OK, smooth foregrounds can look odd in some cases.

prcb1949 Loc: Ex Zimbabwe - Now UK

Thank you very much for your comments - which are helpful. After looking at the results as soon as I transferred them to my PC I came to the conclusion that my ISO was probably too high, and in the case of the subjects that were not moving my shutter speed was unnecessarily high. This is certainly pointing me in the right direction and will help me to be just a little more confident- if that makes sense.

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

The only one of your shots that I would consider "dull" is easily dealt with in Lightroom. I adjusted the white balance and used the auto settings. You can lighten or darken according to your taste.

(Download)

R.G. Loc: Scotland

You're welcome. Glad you found them useful. Knowing possible mistakes and how to avoid them is what confidence is all about.

prcb1949 Loc: Ex Zimbabwe - Now UK

Thanks Mike

J-SPEIGHT Loc: Akron, Ohio

Gilbert Thomas

What was your White Balance set for?

Sinewsworn Loc: Port Orchard, WA

I think the shots presented, except the last one, are okay. Considering what you are asking, and the settings you have presented I believe that using a lower shutter speed, 1/400 would allow for a lower ISO. I think f 5.6 is best for that lens. I have a D3200 and get great images from it, provided I do my part. Thanx for sharing.