Camera settings for photographing birds in flight?

11 years 4 months ago #264365 by Adam Nagle
Assuming you have a fast lens, what camera settings would you have when trying to photograph birds in flight? BTW have any of you tried those flash extenders? I'm just wondering how easy is it to catch the bird with the beam in mid flight?


Photo Comments
,
11 years 4 months ago - 11 years 4 months ago #264370 by Stealthy Ninja
I would use 1/500 (1/1000 better) at the slowest myself. Then stop down as much as possible to keep the DOF nice and deep. The ISO I'd keep as low as possible but Shutter Speed trumps the need to keep noise low IMHO.

I'm not a BIF guy, so someone more experienced can say something if they'd like, I'm willing to learn.
,
11 years 4 months ago #264442 by effron
BIF is a genre unto its own, there are some that devote a lot of time, energy and of course money. I will post a good link. The flash extenders (Better beamer) work fairly well, one to two stops improvement, more importantly fill some shadows at low light times of day, when birds get active. The link......

mikeatkinson.net/Tutorial-9-Photographing-Birds-in-Flight.htm

many more if you google....

Why so serious?
Photo Comments
,
11 years 4 months ago #264491 by Joves
Generally it is 1/250 and up, it really depends on your panning abilities. One thing is the gimbal mount if you can afford one, while yes you can do it without one, you will have better chance with one. The real key with it is practice, practice, practice. And at first throw in some luck.


,
11 years 4 months ago #264513 by robbie
Excellent postings....
My setup is .....
Aperture Priority...Continious Focus[ a must] ISO...400 or higher if shutterspeed to low.
Metering is Matrix[Nikon] but you need -ec to avoid blowing out the highlights.I don`t like 'Spot' metering because if the metering falls on the 'dark' area and there are white area it will be blown out.That`s a personal preference but a lot of shooters uses 'spot' metering.
Shoot in raw with center focusing point,those cameras with the multi-point focus is too confusing plus it might not focus on what you want to shoot.
Panning is good to learn because the bird going across you requires more shutterspeed to freeze the action but panning will freeze it at much lower shutterspeed.
Tripods for BIF`s isn`t for me,I have a 'sidekick' head but shooting stationary birds I rather handhold.
One more thing....Don`t think it`s easy shooting BIF`s,some days I don`t have one keeper.
Goodluck.


,
11 years 4 months ago #264628 by crystal
giving what kind of fast lens you are talking about and how much or how little of light you have, and what kind of birds are you shooting, how fast are the birds flying etc... hard to say. Go out and shoot.
,

817.3K

241K

  • Facebook

    817,251 / Likes

  • Twitter

    241,000 / Followers

  • Google+

    1,620,816 / Followers

Latest Reviews

Nikon’s retro-looking Nikon Zfc is anything but retro. Under its classic body is a host of features and amenities that make it a worthwhile compact mirrorless camera for 2024.

Apr 15, 2024

The Canon EOS R50 is one of the newest R-system cameras from Canon. Is it worth your money? Find out all the details you need to know in this comprehensive review.

Apr 10, 2024

The Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II is Sony’s flagship mirrorless zoom lens. As such, it’s loaded with features and has a top-shelf build quality that makes it a top pick!

Mar 27, 2024

The Leica SL2-S is an attractive, premium mirrorless camera with photo and video specs that are sure to impress. And with the legendary Leica name, you know this camera exudes quality!

Mar 26, 2024

Forum Top Posters

Latest Articles

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV is a micro four thirds camera released in 2020. It’s an entry-level system along with the OM-D E-M5 Mark III. Use this guide to determine which one is best for you!

Apr 17, 2024

Blue hour photography might not be as well known as golden hour photography, but it is every bit as good a time to create epic images of landscapes. Learn how in this quick tutorial!

Apr 17, 2024

Nikon’s retro-looking Nikon Zfc is anything but retro. Under its classic body is a host of features and amenities that make it a worthwhile compact mirrorless camera for 2024.

Apr 15, 2024

Moving from taking snapshots of your dog to creating beautiful images doesn’t have to be that difficult! Use the tips outlined in this dog photography guide, and you’ll get better results in no time.

Apr 15, 2024

Acrylic print photos are a beautiful way to display your favorite images. But they don’t come without some questions. Get all the answers you need about this medium in this guide!

Apr 15, 2024

Where do you get your landscape photography inspiration? Is it from masters like Ansel Adams? Or perhaps viewing art from other genres? We’ve got these and a few other sources for you to check out!

Apr 10, 2024

The Canon EOS R50 is one of the newest R-system cameras from Canon. Is it worth your money? Find out all the details you need to know in this comprehensive review.

Apr 10, 2024

Too often, affordable online printing companies don’t meet your expectations of what a print should look like. But there are some choices that combine affordability with superb quality!

Apr 09, 2024