Live View and Garden Birds

[Jon D]

I am thinking of buying a 450d to take pictures of birds in my garden.

I know where the birds appear and my plan is to set up a disguised 450d with my 100mm or 50mm lens very close up and connect it with a long usb cable to my laptop indoors. If I turn off the beeps and use USM focus to avoid noise would this work to get really close up pictures?

I am thinking this might be a better option than buying a 300mm lens just for this purpose. as even my 70-200 Plus TC haven't got close enough. I could use the 70-200 in the planned set up but would I need to, a smaller lens would be more discreet.

What else might I need to consider?

[faw67]

Hey there, I just sit in a chair by where I see the birds and wait , Im using a xsi (450d) 70-200 f4 L with a 1.4 tc and this is what im getting, btw Im within 6-8 feet of the action
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=594178
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=594178
no camo or blinds yet
FAW

[Bill Boehme]

There is no such thing as a long USB cable so unless your computer is within about 16 feet, that idea will not work. The other issue is being able to remotely slew the camera and to remotely focus it. If you think that you can just set focus to a fixed point that is very close, you will be disappointed in the number of OOF shots because DOF is very shallow at close distances.

[Jon D]

Thank you FAW and Bill for your replies.

It looks like I need to be a more patient to get shots like yours FAW - great shots.

Although, Bill, within 16 feet would be my range (just). I take your point about focus, but what do you mean by slew the camera?

[faw67]

Slewing is moving the camera back and forth side to side etc.
And thank you

[Bill Boehme]

..... what do you mean by slew the camera?

Basically, it means changing where the camera is pointed. Technically, I was referring to rotational slewing where the camera could be moved in azimuth and elevation angles in essential the same way that you would move a camera that is on a gimballed tripod head. Slewing could also mean translational slewing as described by FAW.

[PacAce]

If you are using Liveview with remote capture, you will be able to focus your camera from the laptop using the EOS Utility software. It just won't be quick, though, especially if the focus is way off. If it's already focused close to where it needs to be, then remote focusing will be much quicker.

[Bill Boehme]

I had forgotten that the 450D has live view.