7Dll and BIF on eagles

I have been out photographing eagles the last few weekends and trying different settings. The two areas I have been concentrating on are AI servo 1st & 2nd image priority and case. I have had pretty good success with equal priority on first & 2nd image. I tried focus priority yesterday on both and it seemed to miss a lot more. As far as the case setting go, I have had the best luck with all three of them set clear to the left. I was just wondering what some of you guys are using for your settings.

Archibald wrote in post #17897829
Wow, complicated!

IMO, the default assumption in any cross-format comparison is that the composition is the same.

Nascar Nut wrote in post #17897820
I have been out photographing eagles the last few weekends and trying different settings. The two areas I have been concentrating on are AI servo 1st & 2nd image priority and case. I have had pretty good success with equal priority on first & 2nd image. I tried focus priority yesterday on both and it seemed to miss a lot more. As far as the case setting go, I have had the best luck with all three of them set clear to the left. I was just wondering what some of you guys are using for your settings.

To provide real help, you first need to help us. Please post some of your 'failed' images with exif, as well as overlay showing Af point. Also, very important you tell us what AF point mode, single point, expanded, large zone etc. I suspect your issue is more related to aim and initial locking onto the eagle. Also, are you using back button focus?

Equal is the factory setting and is is a pretty good setting for what you are shooting. It is a good balance and focus acquisition and AF tracking is a little more forgiving. In Focus the system will not let you shoot until it has fully confirmed AF and that goes for subsequent shots in the burst sequence which 2nd image priority is responsible for. Try Focus for 1st and Equal for 2nd and see what you get. Again equal for both is very good and if it works for you then go with that.

As for the case numbers and settings Case 1 is the base and will cover most of your needs. Cases 2 to 6 are just tweaks depending on the situation. Cases 1 and 2. Both accel/decel and AF switching are all the way to the left. Tracking sensitivity is set to 1 on Case 1 and -1 in Case 2. You have set it to -2.

Tracking sensitivity is responsible for the system not losing focus on your subject if it goes behind a tree or another bird flies in front of it. They system will wait for a second before looking for something else to track. If I wanted the system to focus on a bird that flies in front of my original subject then I would set it to +2.

Birders often use Case 2 to keep focus on the original subject and you have just set it to -2. So have I. You are probably doing this in Case 1 which is fine. It lets you go off the subject for a bit and won't re-fecus until you get the AF point back on. Very handy.

Watch this video.

https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=7sgRZBo-WKI

Here is a good link.

http://www.timboyerpho​tography.com …s-and-flight-photography/

By the way, if your misses are mid-burst, I would suggest putting acce)l/deccel. to +2 along with Af point switching to +2, especially if using one of the zone modes. With TS at - 2, you often need to pump the BBF to regain focus mid burst if you fell off too long.

Thanks guys for your responses. I am using center focus points with 4 expansion. I have not been using back button focus. I am pretty good at following the birds. I started this thread to see about other options to try from guys that they have had good luck with. Just seeing if I can improve. I was using my 100-400 version 1and keeper rates were not that good. I now have the sigma 150-600 sport and having much better success. I always want to find ways to improve, though. One thing I find hard in the field when photographing, is keeping track of what settings I have changed with a group of photos when I get home. So I usually just set it up and shoot with those setting for the day. I just have one day a week to try for the eagles as it is a bit of a drive for me. Makes for a long process. I am going to watch the video and check out the other link.

I just started using the BBF this year. I used the shutter button for AI Servo since going to digital in 2005. Can't remember what the 20D offered. I have no problems keeping the shutter half pressed to maintain focus between bursts. BBF is a good tool not not critical unless someone has trouble keeping the shutter half pressed.

You are on the right track. There is not a whole lot more you can really do with your current settings. Just maintain good technique and make sure your shutter speeds are appropriate.