Einreb92 Loc: Philadelphia

I almost always shoot in manual, but lately, I’ve been trying to get bird shots under less than ideal lighting conditions and began using shutter mode. When I do, am I to disregard the meter reading and assume the camera will do the rest to render the best possible shot? I have the same questions about the other non-manual modes as well.

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

Yes, your camera will do what it can to get proper exposure as long as its possible. If your shutter setting is too fast for your aperture, your image will be dark unless you let the ISO compensate.

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

The folks at Nikon probably have as much knowledge on camera technical matters, as you, (Einreb92). I bow to their expertise in designing the best system for getting things deemed to be right / correct. Of course, one can use Full Manual control over exposures. That is one of the features that the Nikon designers install in their cameras. It is then left to the users, using their better / superior skill / knowledge, to determine what the best / correct exposure should be. Some people do not have those skills, or knowledge, and rely on the more pre-determined automatic settings.

Einreb92 Loc: Philadelphia

Thanks for your reply. So I should ignore the meter. Should I then, in response to your statement, also set ISO to auto?

Einreb92 Loc: Philadelphia

Well I would like to think My knowledge is on par with Nikon, but I am going to have to give them the win, mate lol. As I get better and better at capturing what I envision, with my new gear, my speed and reaction time might increase a bit. But the other leg of the equation is age. For the type of shots I referenced in my initial post, things are happening quickly, and nature’s Air Force has a mind of its own. Shutter priority (for me) is the way to go. It just seemed wrong to ignore the meter in the view finder and I thought to get some reassurance from the community. Thanks for weighing in.

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

Why would you ignore the meter? It is still telling you where the camera's meter sees the exposure based on all the parameters that you are shooting at that point in time. If the meter is telling you the shot is going to be over or under exposed it likely will be. Shutter and aperture priority are just saying that you are choosing that parameter as more important at that time.

I shoot a lot of trains moving at 50-70 mph. I shoot those in shutter priority mode with a shutter speed of 1/2000 most of the time. I select my ISO and set it, I don't care for auto ISO because l feel it gets it wrong too often. I prefer to control the parameter. The camera then selects the aperture. It is usually in the f/2.8 to f/4.0 range. That is generally fine because the subject being 100 feet or more away gives me decent depth of field at these open apertures. A DOF app for your phone or tablet can help you understand the combinations and how they will impact your results too.

I need to freeze the motion in this shooting because without that I don't have a worthwhile shot. If my meter is telling me I am overexposed or underexposed then I can judge if that is something I need to change in shooting or will deal with in post processing. Sometimes location of the sun and the orientation of the trains puts you in a backlight situation. It is up to me to decide how I want to shoot that situation. It is based on my knowledge of my equipment and what is most important to the shot. I can let the aperture go more open, I can increase ISO to get a closed down aperture at the same shutter speed, or I can reduce my shutter speed priority if I think I can still freeze the motion. These are the decisions I make as the photographer.

The other important consideration is understanding you different metering modes and using the metering that is most appropriate for the shooting situation. Again this is based on knowledge of your equipment, experience and experimentation to gain that knowledge. For example, if Imam using spot metering do I have that metering mode linked to my focus point or not. Something simple like that could greatly impact the exposure.

So, experience and knowledge are your friend. The great thing about digital is the cost is very low to experiment. In film days it was very expensive to just fire off a roll of Kodachrome 64 to try some experiments. Today I can go out and shoot a few hundred shots if I want and if I don't like the results I can still learn from the exercise and simply delete them when I am done.

Also keep in mind that shooting birds is one of the most challenging and expensive types of shooting you can undertake. It will take time and practice to get good at it...

Best,
Todd Ferguson

pahtspix

Steve Perry has some GREAT downloads on using Nikons for nature and wildlife..Google him and see what he's got!..Very in-expensive for what you get

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

When shooting birds in flight I like Aperture Priority, let us say I am using 6.3, I then want to shoot at least 1/2500 sec. So I play with my ISO until I get the shutter speed up to where I want it. I use Aperture Priority to knock out the back ground so the bird is isolated. I also use GROUP AUTO FOCUS, continuous auto focus, center weight metering (not spot). If my shots are dark or light, I use exposure compensation as a final adjustment. Good luck and keep on shooting until the end. ie. If I am shooting white birds, I tend to go a +1 on exposure compensation, if my birds are darker, I might go the other direction with exposure compensation.

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

Bill,

Just for my knowledge what focal length lens are you usually shooting and how far is the distance to the birds roughly?

Best,
Todd Ferguson

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Todd, I now use the Nikon 200-500 with the Nikon D500. I have found that my sweet spot on that lens to be 6.3. I shoot primarily in Florida wetlands on board walks, my birds are usually 5 to 200 feet from me. My keep rate is almost 98% and that's when the are moving across me and not at me. Love that lens and camera combo. I used to own the Nikon 300 2.8 and 200-400 4. I found them heavy but NO SHARPER than my 200-500, especially with post processing sharpening tools. I no longer have to haul these things around, I am very thankful for it. Again, I use GROUP AUTO FOCUS ( I believe in this setting because it gives me the best keeper rate), again, continuous auto focus and center weighted metering. And I use exposure compensation to fine tune my shots. I am very lucky to live so close to two of the most outstanding birding area's in the state of Florida. Green Cay and Wakodahatchee Wetlands.

WessoJPEG Loc: Cincinnati, Ohio

Go to auto iso.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

Plus I use auto ISO

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

Thanks for sharing Bill. I can understand that being your lens sweet spot. Do you have issues with DOF when the birds are very close with at crop body and long focal lengths. I would think the DOF could get very very shallow. I think you have a great combination for birding with the D500 and the 200-500!!!

Best,
Todd Ferguson

jccash Loc: Longwood, Florida

I use the same rig and also live in Florida. Seems like the 200-500 was made for the D500. My wife is getting me a monopod for my BD next month. Fun hobby

Not a bird in flight but I was about 200 feet last month when I captured Rocky the Raccoon