Bird in flight-

I was trying my hand at a bird in flight this morning. What could I do better to achieve a sharper image? What would you do differently. Exif data available on flickr. I'm open for all constructive criticism. thanks

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/30060171@N03/8​154599732/

Not a bad shot for a 5D2 . Your shutter speed was a bit low for such action, at 1/800. Try setting it for 1/1250 or 1/1600 if there's enough light. You'll have to up your ISO to accommodate that.

Looks to me like a combination of a couple things. Missed focus on the bird. The focus point seems to be on the water on the lower center part of the frame. The shutter speed is almost fast enough, but not quite, as there is also a little motion blur.

I had posted that then intended to take a look at your exact numbers, but Wallace beat me to it lol.

thanks to you both....I could have definitely upped my shutter speed...and yes on the focus; seems like I had accidentally selected all of the focus points I will testing a few different settings so that I can be better prepared the next time.
will

shoot local sports...if you can stop a baseball in mid flight and count the stitches or stop a kicked soccer ball in air and read the maker of the ball....birds be come less of a challenge..... sports are great practice...and mostly controlled...... shooting in the wild is unpredictable so you have be totally sure of your setting, you only get on shot to get it right

AI Servo, single point AF, back * button for focus, hi speed drive.

Not sure if the camera has selectable zone focus but I've found that helps a bunch on the 7D as it gives you a larger target area in the view finder.

thanks Stan and Dave. I will try out your suggestions.

WillMeades wrote in post #15205782
What could I do better to achieve a sharper image?

In this case there's only so much you can do. If you want a sharper image, that shows extremely fine feather detail, then you need to:

1. Be much closer to the subject, so that you can put more pixels on the bird's feathers.

2. Shoot a subject that has direct sunlight on it; preferably sunlight coming from a low position in the sky, so as to avoid or minimize any shadow areas.

Tom Reichner wrote in post #15207270
In this case there's only so much you can do. If you want a sharper image, that shows extremely fine feather detail, then you need to:

1. Be much closer to the subject, so that you can put more pixels on the bird's feathers.

2. Shoot a subject that has direct sunlight on it; preferably sunlight coming from a low position in the sky, so as to avoid or minimize any shadow areas.

thanks Tom....I took a look at some of your photos...Wow!

Tom Reichner wrote in post #15207270
In this case there's only so much you can do. If you want a sharper image, that shows extremely fine feather detail, then you need to:

1. Be much closer to the subject, so that you can put more pixels on the bird's feathers.

2. Shoot a subject that has direct sunlight on it; preferably sunlight coming from a low position in the sky, so as to avoid or minimize any shadow areas.

Thanks Tom - I needed that too. Simple math I think.

BTW - your images are amazing.

Titus213 wrote in post #15206209
AI Servo, single point AF, back * button for focus, hi speed drive.

Not sure if the camera has selectable zone focus but I've found that helps a bunch on the 7D as it gives you a larger target area in the view finder.

Could you explain back * button for focus more?

I have moved my focus to the * button on the back of the camera (7D and 20D). It separates focus and metering as two distinct functions. In AI Servo you hold the * button down for focus as you track the subject and just trip the shutter button to take a photo.

In single shot AF you can meter on one area focus on another, again without holding the shutter button down half way. And once you've achieved focus you can shoot without the camera re-focusing for you.

It took a bit to get used to but it's the only way I shoot now.

Some folks love it - others not so much - https://photography-on-the.net …ghlight=back+bu​tton+focus

https://photography-on-the.net …ghlight=back+bu​tton+focus

thanks for the explanation Dave.

Thanks Dave.