Missed Opportunity

[tomj]

"but feel I should be shooting using Av (aperture priority) and controlling the ISO to get the SS high enough"

This is what I do. I don't know the best aperture for your lens, I have a 400/5.6 that is fine at 5.6, but I tend to use f8 most of the time to gain a little DOF, assuming the light's good. I also use evaluative metering.

The main problem other than focus with your shot is the light direction - it's from the right and rear putting the birds are mostly in shadow. If they were facing the other direction it would have been better. Opening up a couple of stops with EC would have helped, maybe.

[Hardrock40]

Buy a feeder, put it where you can open a window and shoot from inside your home or car.

[Duane N]

If you have to crop you images I wouldn't be worried about your dof truthfully....it doesn't come into play unless you are full frame for the most part.

My walk around settings when I used my 400mm f/5.6L was 1/1600", f/5.6, ISO 400. Of course this all depended on the time of day and the color of the bird I was photographing. Darker birds I tend to lower my shutter speed...brighter birds the opposite.

I posted this example in another topic but it explains why I say not to worry about dof just yet.



Same bird, taken from the same distance (mfd which is 16' on my 500mm f/4L lens). Left image is at f/22 (I think) and the right is at f/4. Enough of the bird is in focus at mfd at f/4. But as you can see the entire bird isn't in focus even at f/22 (mainly the tail).

Worry about your shutter speed (keeping it as high as possible) to eliminate user error. Over time and with experience then start to worry about everything else that comes into play.

I think this is the best thing about photography...learning and growing. It also helps to remember what NOT to do.

[jhayesvw]

Originally Posted by markisclueless

I am not good enough to shoot in manual mode yet, so use AF but control my SS which is high for clarity, I am however concerned that this negatively affects my aperture and hence DOF ...

I might be way off the mark but what range should I work on for best results :
SS between xx - yy
Aperture between xx - yy
IMO between xx - yy
I know these are all dependant on BIF / perched, light conditions etc but would like some tips so when practicing I can narrow the variables down ... thanks

You can shoot in Manual mode (dont manual focus we mean manual camera settings).
Here is what I walk around with.
I have a 60d (similar to your 550d) and 100-400L
camera in M (manual)
SS between 1/640 and 1/1600
Aperture between f 5.6 and f8
ISO between 100-1600 (I let this float as its the "least important")

center focus point. spot or evaluative metering. back button focus

[markisclueless]

thanks Duane and Jeremy for the time taken to revert ... will practice and practice .. and then practice some more ... I am off to a Eco park called Intaka Island (see link below) on the weekend so hoping to take loads of shots covering all the advice I have been given ... thanks
http://www.intaka.co.za/island.php

[jhayesvw]

you'll figure out what works for you.

dont be afraid of auto ISO while youre learning the other settings too.
I still use it when im walking in the woods because the light changes so fast.

[res]

In that picture, it appears you only got caught on one thing, the birds are back lit. The birds were between you and the sun. Welcome to bird photography. I am not knocking any of the suggested settings I am just saying, with the light behind the bird, you needed to compensate for that condition and yes, it would have been a more blown out background but the birds would have been properly lit. I have shot in many of the various modes and I still vary between two most of the time. When walking and speed shooting I set my ISO at 400, use spot meter and go with AV. IF shooting still shots with even light, even comp or if I am set in place, I switch most of the time to manual and will take a couple of test shots to see where I am going to have issues. Definitely check out the various settings and find which one works for you but never forget, mother nature does not always let you use her like a studio and put your subjects in the most perfect light. The challenge with bird photography, is placing yourself for the best possible result and then learning to adapt when you don't get the best set ups but you have to make it work!!

[markisclueless]

Originally Posted by res

In that picture, it appears you only got caught on one thing, the birds are back lit. The birds were between you and the sun. Welcome to bird photography. I am not knocking any of the suggested settings I am just saying, with the light behind the bird, you needed to compensate for that condition and yes, it would have been a more blown out background but the birds would have been properly lit. I have shot in many of the various modes and I still vary between two most of the time. When walking and speed shooting I set my ISO at 400, use spot meter and go with AV. IF shooting still shots with even light, even comp or if I am set in place, I switch most of the time to manual and will take a couple of test shots to see where I am going to have issues. Definitely check out the various settings and find which one works for you but never forget, mother nature does not always let you use her like a studio and put your subjects in the most perfect light. The challenge with bird photography, is placing yourself for the best possible result and then learning to adapt when you don't get the best set ups but you have to make it work!!

thanks for advise ...

[markisclueless]

Originally Posted by markisclueless

thanks Duane and Jeremy for the time taken to revert ... will practice and practice .. and then practice some more ... I am off to a Eco park called Intaka Island (see link below) on the weekend so hoping to take loads of shots covering all the advice I have been given ... thanks
http://www.intaka.co.za/island.php

Well, I am back from my trip to the Eco Park, and happy to say that I tried to take everyone's advise into account, and I think I did a much better job this time around .. still loads of learning to do but at least on the right track (I think ) .. this I think you refer to as a Humming Bird, but here in South Africa we called it a Double-collared Sunbird

[jhayesvw]

Youre definitely getting it!
cool bird and great photo.

I see your photo is at 1/1600,f5.6, and 1250 ISO.
what mode were you in?

[markisclueless]

Originally Posted by jhayesvw

Youre definitely getting it!
cool bird and great photo.

I see your photo is at 1/1600,f5.6, and 1250 ISO.
what mode were you in?

I was it TV (shutter priority mode) with it set at 1/1600 ... the reason the ISO was so high is because the light was bad (very cloudy and getting ready to rain) ... what could I have done to improve it (was on Auto ISO) ... BTW, thanks for the compliment !

[jhayesvw]

I wouldnt say there is anything you could have done.
it looks nice.

[res]

Originally Posted by jhayesvw

I wouldnt say there is anything you could have done.
it looks nice.

Very nice shot for that kind of lighting. Great color on the bird. Yup, you are headed in the right direction!! Don't be discouraged when shots don't work. Things will come. Keep shooting and seeing what you missed.

[markisclueless]

hi, I have been practicing but feel my shots are soft/OOF ... The following shot of a masked weaver was taken with the following parameters:

AF = centre
Focal length = 400mm
F7.1
SS = 1/1600
Iso = 800 (if I remember) ...
AI Servo

I am struggling with the AF point - either front or back focussing .. are there any tips as I use a monopod with IS mode 1
This weaver was around 8m away, do I need to change the Focus range to 6.5m (if so, will it still work if next shot is at 2m ?)
Will back button focus solve any of my issues as I will rather practice the "right" way from the start ....

[Duane N]

Has this one been cropped at all or is it straight out of the camera? If it's been cropped can you post the original so we can see how much of a crop it is.

Was the wind blowing at all?
How steady are you using a monopod?

There's a lot of factors involved figuring out if your lens is front/back focusing. The best way to determine this is to take a picture of a stationary subject that doesn't move and have the camera/lens properly supported to eliminate movement on your part.