BIF - Need Advice

[bentbobfromli]

I have had my new Sigma 150-500 for about 3wks. I have shot BIF 4x. I do understand that it is going to take many many practice sessions to be able to start capturing BIF consistently. That being said what are the proper techniques for shooting BIF? Right now I suck!! I was alongside a serious shooter the other day and his advice was: high ISO to get the highest possible shutter speed, AI Servo, keep OS off and shoot in manual checking the histogram for proper exposure. Today I shot with OS 2 ( Sigma says for horizontally moving subjects), ISO 1600, AI Servo, 1/4000 on my XTi.
Here are a couple from today. ( noise reduction and sharpened )
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3336/3311970201_94c9ea4aa3_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3378/3311970137_826af3733f_o.jpg

[sandpiper]

I have never felt the need for dramatically high shutter speeds (such as 1/4000th), so don't use ISO 1600 unless in particularly darkish conditions. I also always shoot with the IS in mode 2 for panning. Although that may have little effect on camera shake with fairly fast shutter speeds, it does have the benefit of stabilising the image in the viewfinder, making it easier to keep the AF point on the bird, as it isn't moving around in the frame quite so much.

I tend to shoot about f/8, with a reasonably high shutter speed, ISO to suit those settings, IS mode 2, AI servo and centre AF point. My technique is to acquire the target as soon as possible and get the AF and IS up and running well before I actually take the shot (or at least as much as possible). Track the bird, keeping the AF point on it and, when ready, gently squeeze the shutter release the rest of the way and fire off a few frames, continuing to track and follow the bird after I release the shutter button.

Be very careful about keeping the AF point on the bird, letting it slip off can cause the camera to try and refocus on something else. Even if you get the point back on the bird quickly, the change in focus can fool the AI servo which is attempting to predict the position ahead of the bird and focus for where it will be when you take the next shot. If the AF has refocused from one object back to the bird, then it can think the bird is travelling faster than it is and overadjust the focus.

Here's a thread I started earlier tonight, showing puffins in flight. The shots were taken at between 1/800th and 1/1600th of a second (apart from one taken from a pitching boat, where I bumped it up to 1/2000th). Aperture was f/8 for pretty much all of them, ISO was either 200 or 400 depending on the light at the time:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=653191

Here's another one, this time an older thread but showing the same technique, used on a falcon diving at a lure at over 100mph, just to show that the same basic technique works even on very fast birds - they are just a darn site harder to keep the AF point on:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=317122

The only other advice is to practise. BIF is not an easy subject and I certainly expect to get a number of soft shots mixed in with the keepers.

[andrewhuxman]

You have to remember not every shot will be a keeper, nothing wrong with the Pelican shot. Practice.. practice.. practice is how you will get better,learning how your lens tracks and focuses will also assist you in getting better inflight shots. Just my humble advice

[bentbobfromli]

I have never felt the need for dramatically high shutter speeds (such as 1/4000th), so don't use ISO 1600 unless in particularly darkish conditions. I also always shoot with the IS in mode 2 for panning. Although that may have little effect on camera shake with fairly fast shutter speeds, it does have the benefit of stabilising the image in the viewfinder, making it easier to keep the AF point on the bird, as it isn't moving around in the frame quite so much.

I tend to shoot about f/8, with a reasonably high shutter speed, ISO to suit those settings, IS mode 2, AI servo and centre AF point. My technique is to acquire the target as soon as possible and get the AF and IS up and running well before I actually take the shot (or at least as much as possible). Track the bird, keeping the AF point on it and, when ready, gently squeeze the shutter release the rest of the way and fire off a few frames, continuing to track and follow the bird after I release the shutter button.

Be very careful about keeping the AF point on the bird, letting it slip off can cause the camera to try and refocus on something else. Even if you get the point back on the bird quickly, the change in focus can fool the AI servo which is attempting to predict the position ahead of the bird and focus for where it will be when you take the next shot. If the AF has refocused from one object back to the bird, then it can think the bird is travelling faster than it is and overadjust the focus.

Here's a thread I started earlier tonight, showing puffins in flight. The shots were taken at between 1/800th and 1/1600th of a second (apart from one taken from a pitching boat, where I bumped it up to 1/2000th). Aperture was f/8 for pretty much all of them, ISO was either 200 or 400 depending on the light at the time:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=653191

Here's another one, this time an older thread but showing the same technique, used on a falcon diving at a lure at over 100mph, just to show that the same basic technique works even on very fast birds - they are just a darn site harder to keep the AF point on:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=317122

The only other advice is to practise. BIF is not an easy subject and I certainly expect to get a number of soft shots mixed in with the keepers.

Thanks Sandpiper for the tips. The one thing I definitely haven't been doing consistenntly is keeping the shutter halfway depressed and move with the bird before depressing completely. I'll get that straightened out next shoot.
Those puffins are incredible. The falcon ain't bad either.
You're the "Man!"
This Forum is fantastic!

Bob

[bentbobfromli]

You have to remember not every shot will be a keeper, nothing wrong with the Pelican shot. Practice.. practice.. practice is how you will get better,learning how your lens tracks and focuses will also assist you in getting better inflight shots. Just my humble advice

Thanks Andre. I appreciate all the help I can get.

Bob

[C4Miles]

One suggestion I would make is to try switching the AF from the shutter button to the "*" button on the back of the camera. This can be done via custom function IV. Do a site search to learn more about this technique. I have been using it since the film days and would be lost without this capability. The thumb does the focusing in AI Servo on the "*" button, and just click away once AF is acquired.

[Roy C]

One suggestion I would make is to try switching the AF from the shutter button to the "*" button on the back of the camera. This can be done via custom function IV. Do a site search to learn more about this technique. I have been using it since the film days and would be lost without this capability. The thumb does the focusing in AI Servo on the "*" button, and just click away once AF is acquired.
Yep, I go along with this although I use the AF-ON button on my 40D because I find it better positioned - choose whichever button suits you best.

[gymell]

Both of your example shots are against more complex backgrounds, which is MUCH harder than shooting against a plain blue sky. Of course, a varied background also is more interesting, but if you're looking to improve your skills, just keep in mind that you'll have more keepers against an easier background.