1 tip for a birding newbie

[rklepper]

Ok, so I just received my new Sigma 150-500 lens. Great lens and takes tack sharp photos.

The problem is that I really wanted to take BIF with it. There are Eagles around and I went to take some yesterday and no matter what I tried I could not them in focus. I could get them in the photo, and that was about it. I was shooting in manual, center point focus, AI servo.

What one tip would you give to a BIF newbie?

Thanks so much

[SNSagency]

If you can, draw back on the zoom. It's much easier to track a bird at 400 than it is at 500. Unless you're shooting for an agency, it's easy to crop a photo taken at 400 to match one taken at 500 and you''d be hard pressed to tell the difference in normal day to day usage.

Just because your lens says 150-500 on it doesn't necessarily mean that you have to use it at the max zoom all the time, indeed most zooms perform best some distance short of their max zoom

[sparker1]

Center point focus may be OK if the bird is still, and close. It is very difficult (for me) to hit a distant flying bird with the center point. I'm better off using all focus points, even though some shots will pick up extraneous objects to focus on.

[bhowdy]

Doc,
I found the photography of BIF's was one of the most difficult photographic skills for me to get a handle on. Sounds like your camera settings are good. I agree with the tip about pulling back the zoom just a bit. I know other Sigma 150-500 users that feel the lens is much better at less than 500.

I found that tracking a bird is essential to getting a crisp BIF image. Moving the focus button from the 1/2 depressed shutter button also was a help to me. Mine is on the AF-On button.

Once you get the bird in focus just let the 40D's 6fps do the work! And of course practice. :)

[artyman]

I've found better success with my 150-500 using manual focus, as I find it very difficult to keep BIF under the centre focus point, the lens started hunting for clouds or whatever whenever I strayed from the target.

You can still get good IQ at 500mm which is the whole point of having a long lens, I mean why buy a 500 if you are not going to use it's capabilities, rather than zoom out then crop. Use 500 and crop, that makes sense to me. You will of course get a lot of missed shots with BIF, at least I do.

[LW Dail]

My tip would be go to a pond where you have lots of ducks landing, taking off, and flying around. Or a busy bird feeder.

Start shooting using all the techniques listed here until you get your game on and you develop your technique.

Then get out there and shoot your eagle. After your beautiful, perfectly exposed and focused sparrow shots, an eagle will seem like child's play!

[canonloader]

Were you using a tripod?

[dispatchermike21]

My tip would be go to a pond where you have lots of ducks landing, taking off, and flying around. Or a busy bird feeder.

Start shooting using all the techniques listed here until you get your game on and you develop your technique.

Then get out there and shoot your eagle. After your beautiful, perfectly exposed and focused sparrow shots, an eagle will seem like child's play!


yup +1

[monty28428]

Agree with separating focus from the shutter button, also pre-focus on infinity - this way the bird shows up in the view finder at least and you can follow it to obtain focus, I also only use center point.... At any rate you will find what works for you... just keep practicing.

[rklepper]

Hey. Sorry I have not gotten back to this sooner. I have been busy becoming a Grandfather for the 6th time.

Thanks for all the tips, I will give them a try. I was shooting on a monopod as I just had shoulder surgery in Dec and cannot hold this bear by myself. I have shot mostly sports for the past 25 years, but as all my kids have graduated that opportunity is few and far between and I am trying to branch out into other areas.

Doc

[scot079]

Hey congrats Doc!

I would agree that BIF is one of (if not the most) difficult skills to perfect. Harder than handholding an MP-E 65 @ 5x in a cave @ f/16!

I've found that handholding is best unless you're using a heavy lens. If you have to use a tripod then it really takes some concentration but smoothness at the same time. Practice makes perfect and it's really like firing a high powered rifle at a long distance, moving target. In the end, the more you do it the better off you'll be.

Hell practice on sparrows that way when that eagle passes you'll be grinning as you hover the center point on it's eyeball!

[trmwf]

I always look for the bird farthest away and start tracking from long distance as it seems to give me time to get everything in order. I have very little luck seeing a bird that is fairly close then swinging in to action.

Mike

[Jon]

You'll see it called "ring of fire" or RoF - set all points active (if the background permits) and pick up your subject with the center point. If it drifts away from there, the surrounding points will pick it up and maintain focus for you.

[davebreal]

Is your problem also the distance from the bird? Many people (myself included), make the mistake of expecting too much out of autofocus and cropping. If the bird isn't close, you aren't going to get a lot of detail and IQ.

[hTr]

I get a Few in Focus, The Secrets to BIF is High Shutter speed with your 500 Shutter speed should be at least 1/1250, Use f8 to increase DOF gives you a little more room for error, Shoot with AI Servo and Auto Focus on, Sight bird with both eyes open and Shutter Button half way and Mash When focus is obtained. But the most important is Practice, Practice And Practice

[Hawkman]

Ok, so I just received my new Sigma 150-500 lens. Great lens and takes tack sharp photos.

The problem is that I really wanted to take BIF with it. There are Eagles around and I went to take some yesterday and no matter what I tried I could not them in focus. I could get them in the photo, and that was about it. I was shooting in manual, center point focus, AI servo.

What one tip would you give to a BIF newbie?

Thanks so much

Read as much as you can on technique in the many photo forums out there, and practice a lot. Gulls and geese are good practice.

Make sure you have an adequate shutter speed. 1/1500 s or faster is required, especially for eagles since they can make abrupt and fast moves. Increase ISO to get that shutter speed.

Gene