Camera Settings for African Safari
May 17, 2019 10:22:04 #
traderjohn wrote:
I would pick your travel companions brains and be guided by their past experience. This way your "experimenting" will be fruitful.
Thank you. You are right. My friends have vast experience and also very good photographers as have seen their photos...they're excellent.
May 17, 2019 10:26:23 #
billnikon wrote:
For moving subjects I use, GROUP AUTO FOCUS, Continuous Auto Focus, Center or Matrix metering, CH on the motor drive, aperture priority (aperture should be set about 2 stops down from wide open), and an ISO that will deliver a shutter speed of at least 1/1000 sec. but better at 1/1600 sec. or faster for moving objects.
Good luck and keep on shooting until the end.
Good luck and keep on shooting until the end.
Thanks. Normally I use Group Auto Focus for small moving subjects e.g. birds in flight, or if they're far away. I also use continuous auto focus and matrix metering. I use CL. Have never used CH as it sounds like a machine gun!! If 30% of my pictures come out sharp, will be happy.
May 17, 2019 11:18:13 #
Steve Perry (a member here) has a great e-book on shooting wildlife. I read it at least twice before our last trip to Africa (Kruger) and it was invaluable. I adopted virtually all of his suggestions, which included auto ISO, and got very fine results. I would advise getting the book and reading it. It was the best preparation I could have had for that trip.
May 17, 2019 11:32:32 #
I have been to Africa twice and we are set to return in 2020. If you want to practice before you go try shooting rom a freeway overpass. Just think of the cars as animals in motion. It works great for trying all your settings. Totally agree regarding taking duplicate shots. Cause once you are back you can not recreate the shots that you missed. Enjoy!
May 17, 2019 12:01:57 #
I've done one, and after a few days of fiddling, I just set it on P, auto iso and guess what. All shots were fine.
I did find that the extra long tele was useless. the animals aren't fazed by jeeps, they are used to them and find them boring. So you will get close.
I did find that the extra long tele was useless. the animals aren't fazed by jeeps, they are used to them and find them boring. So you will get close.
May 17, 2019 13:54:18 #
I always like to go to aperture priority and auto ISO/ fixed, depending on the light situation. This way I can set the arperture to the sweet spot of the lens used. Watch the resulting shutter speed and adjust accordingly. Always had got luck shooting that way. have fun and let’s see some posts when you get back.
WJH
WJH
May 17, 2019 15:39:08 #
IDguy
Loc: Idaho
Grace98 wrote:
Thanks. Normally I use Group Auto Focus for small moving subjects e.g. birds in flight, or if they're far away. I also use continuous auto focus and matrix metering. I use CL. Have never used CH as it sounds like a machine gun!! If 30% of my pictures come out sharp, will be happy.
After several combinations I settled on single point AF-S, spot metering, M mode, and auto ISO. I set the aperature to minimum and set the minimum shutter speed to 1/500. It worked point and shoot.
Set the AF-S release priority to focus.
Nearly all my images were excellent. The only exception was some wild dogs chasing an impala. It was before I settled on the above and didn’t have time to adjust.
I sometimes used CL, but most often took one shot at a time.
May 17, 2019 18:13:20 #
May 17, 2019 19:48:31 #
terpfan
Loc: central coast, California
I was in Kruger, Zimbabwe, and Botswana 3 years ago. Canon crop sensor, 70-300 for over 95% of my photos and 24-105 for the remainder. I'm sure you've heard F8 and be there. I would only add, 1/800 to 1/1000 exposure and auto iso. Better some noise and still get the shot. It is a trip of a lifetime. Enjoy.
May 18, 2019 05:54:34 #
windshoppe wrote:
Steve Perry (a member here) has a great e-book on shooting wildlife. I read it at least twice before our last trip to Africa (Kruger) and it was invaluable. I adopted virtually all of his suggestions, which included auto ISO, and got very fine results. I would advise getting the book and reading it. It was the best preparation I could have had for that trip.
Thanks. Yes I know Steve Perry and have one of his books.
May 18, 2019 05:55:25 #
Tom Vargas wrote:
I have been to Africa twice and we are set to return in 2020. If you want to practice before you go try shooting rom a freeway overpass. Just think of the cars as animals in motion. It works great for trying all your settings. Totally agree regarding taking duplicate shots. Cause once you are back you can not recreate the shots that you missed. Enjoy!
Thank you - good idea.
May 18, 2019 05:56:17 #
IDguy wrote:
After several combinations I settled on single point AF-S, spot metering, M mode, and auto ISO. I set the aperature to minimum and set the minimum shutter speed to 1/500. It worked point and shoot.
Set the AF-S release priority to focus.
Nearly all my images were excellent. The only exception was some wild dogs chasing an impala. It was before I settled on the above and didn’t have time to adjust.
I sometimes used CL, but most often took one shot at a time.
Set the AF-S release priority to focus.
Nearly all my images were excellent. The only exception was some wild dogs chasing an impala. It was before I settled on the above and didn’t have time to adjust.
I sometimes used CL, but most often took one shot at a time.
Thank you....
May 18, 2019 05:56:59 #
May 18, 2019 05:59:08 #
terpfan wrote:
I was in Kruger, Zimbabwe, and Botswana 3 years ago. Canon crop sensor, 70-300 for over 95% of my photos and 24-105 for the remainder. I'm sure you've heard F8 and be there. I would only add, 1/800 to 1/1000 exposure and auto iso. Better some noise and still get the shot. It is a trip of a lifetime. Enjoy.
Thank you....I'm going to take loads of SD cards so can take lots of shots...hopefully will get some right. I'm quite excited as must be amazing to see all those animals in the wild.
May 19, 2019 07:53:01 #
IDguy wrote:
After several combinations I settled on single point AF-S, spot metering, M mode, and auto ISO. I set the aperature to minimum and set the minimum shutter speed to 1/500. It worked point and shoot.
Set the AF-S release priority to focus.
Nearly all my images were excellent. The only exception was some wild dogs chasing an impala. It was before I settled on the above and didn’t have time to adjust.
I sometimes used CL, but most often took one shot at a time.
Set the AF-S release priority to focus.
Nearly all my images were excellent. The only exception was some wild dogs chasing an impala. It was before I settled on the above and didn’t have time to adjust.
I sometimes used CL, but most often took one shot at a time.
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