Shooting osprey in flight...need help with settings

[adnil]

Using a Canon XT and a 70-300 DO IS lens.


Generally shooting against a blue sky using AV and F8 or F11, ISO 400 or 800, and I try and keep the speed above 800. Any advice?

Metering Mode---partial or center?

AF Mode---AI focus or AI servo?

[witchy]

I can't help you but just bumping this for you :)

[jimtfoto]

You might want to check out this link. It's on the Naturescapes forum (I think you'll have to register as a member to read it), but it deals with taking pix of Ospreys in flight. It's part of a series of "Bird in Flight" articles.

http://www.naturescapes.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=37794&highlight=birds+flight

I also did a Google search of this topix recently and came up with a bunch of other articles ...

cheers,
jim

[Chardyboy]

Using a G3 - f5.6, manual focus 3 clicks below infinity, high speed continuous shooting and evaluative light metering.

I use a 1Gb card and have a success rate of 2 in 5 photos being good.

My results are shown at: http://chardyboy.fotopic.net/ - click on Hawk Conservancy or "Hyperfocal" Birds for the full collection.

I'd love to see your results.

Regards

Dave

[adnil]

You guys are really helpful. I do appreciate it. The naturescape.net site is the best.

[scottbergerphoto]

I suggest:
1. Manual Metering: The light blue sky plus 1 stop.
2. AI Servo
3. CFn. 4-1
4. Shutter speed above 1/500

[Scottes]

I'll wholeheartily agree with Scott's 1-3, but I usually shoot in Av mode to keep the aperture wide open and let the shutter fall where it may. I'll get an idea of the shutter speed with a half-press of the sky, and adjust ISO to make sure the shutter is sufficient.

And "sufficient" is relative to you and what the bird is doing. If you're good with panning then 1/200 can produce a fine shot during a glide, but if the bird is diving you may be wanting 1/1500.

I just checked 93 Osprey shots from last year, using the Canon 100-400 L IS in sunny blue-sky conditions. I was spread fairly even across the board from 1/400 to 1/1250, with the average being 1/800. 1/3 of the shots were ISO 200, and 2/3 at ISO 400. I was fairly inexperienced then, and I find this average shutter to be a little high. I'll be shooting them again in 2 weeks and pretty much plan on ISO 400 and 1/500 or 1/640 if the lighting is the same. Of course there will be adjustments depending on what action I'm trying to capture.

[adnil]

Scott---what is CFn. 4-1?

Scottes---In AV mode, what happens to the pic if the shutter is too high?

Thanks again.

[GTogs]

Scott, what do you suggest for someone that shoots left eyed with glasses, my thumb when I'm using the "*" to focus sticks my kunckle into my glasses lens?

[zach]

All good advice here. The only thing to add from my experience is use 1 focal point, usually center for me.

[adnil]

Will center focal point work with AI Servo?