Canon EOS1DMkIIN - flying birds shooting

I always use the EOS1dMkIIN + EF300mm.f2,8 L USM IS for flying bird shooting. With big birds as cranes, vultures, etc. I usually get a 30% of keepers. But with flying pigeons and after more that 6000 pictures, my keepers percentage is not more than 2 or 3% and even less.

The problem, on my side, shooting flying pigeons without using a tripod at distances going from 10 to 50 meters seems to be that when the bird is too close, i.e., less than 20 meters, my pictures get blurred. I think this is due to my difficulties to keep the bird at the center focusing point, because, in addition to their their erratic fly, they do it at a great speed, perhaps 20-30mph. This is obviously my fault, but I find that the camera+lens combination I am using, that I believe is the fastest available as regards AF speed, is not as fast focusing as I need.

Normally, during daylight here in Madrid (Spain) I shoot at a fixed speed of 1/1000, which gives an opening of about f6,0 to f2,8 at an average ISO of 200. Custom functions that I believe related to the AF speed are the C.Fn-13 which I keep at the default setting 0 (45 AF points) and C.Fn-17 which I also keep at the default setting 0 (uses a single point AF). The selected focusing point is always the center point. Whereas normally I shoot the pigeons with a blue sky, I put +1 full point of exposure compensation and use the center-weighted average metering. In the 300mm.f2,8 lens, off course AF is activated, IS is also activated in position 2 and the shootong distande is set between 6,4 metres and infinity.


And now comes the question (please excuse my bad english!): Does any one can tell me what are the settings giving the fastest AF? Am I using the best settings for this purpose?. Thanks and regards.

Sounds like you have everything correct. Pigeons in flight can be tough to capture, your keeper rate will be low. The smaller and more erratic a bird is, the tougher to photograph.

And Welcome To The Forums

My off the cuff answer as a non-bird shooting amateur would be to increase ISO to allow a smaller aperture and greater depth of field with subsequently larger margin for error. At 2.8 you're going to have a very small DOF. I was also under the impression that for such images AI servo and multi-point AF might be better than center point.

One other thought, turn off the IS. At 1/1000 IS is useless. Also position 2 is for panning, the erratic movement of the birds defeats it's purpose.
Do you focus with the shutter button? If so, think about CF 4, either option 1 or 3.

Run the ISO up to 400, program mode, IS mode 2 and pratice.

i have this combo Not the N just the mk2 you seem to have things set right and are getting about what i get 2% -3% keepers on smaller bird's its just the way it is im afraid yes pratice but that will not make it much better 4-5% .A1SERVO is not that good with bird's in flight and keeping the centre point ON the bird not that easy.
the new 1DMK3 may help .
Rob.

Thank you very much for your replies. Calikoat and Gyrob, your advise is very usefull and confirm what I am thinking about this matter.
Lungdoc, Vetkrazy and Gasrocks, many thanks for your suggestions. I will try IS (off), an ISO of 400 and C.Fn-4 option 3.
Thanks again and God bless.

What do you have your AI Servo tracking sensitivity set at (C.Fn) 20? When I changed mine to #4 Fast sensitivity I had a lot more keepers in my panning shots.

Thank you Pitslave. My AI Servo tracking sensitivity (C.Fn-20) has been always set at the default option 0 (standard). I will try the number 4 (fast sensitivity). As soon as weather improves I will get a couple of hundred pictures of stock doves in flight (wild pigeons?) and will inform you about the results. Regards.

selenito wrote in post #2759067
Thank you Pitslave. My AI Servo tracking sensitivity (C.Fn-20) has been always set at the default option 0 (standard). I will try the number 4 (fast sensitivity). As soon as weather improves I will get a couple of hundred pictures of stock doves in flight (wild pigeons?) and will inform you about the results. Regards.

Good luck my friend. I think it should help a lot. I had the same problems at first until I changed this setting.

Try turning AF point expansion back on.. I find it invaluable for letting the camera actually track moving objects. Using only one AF point kind of cripples the camera on that aspect.

For in flight things I always use ring of fire focusing(all 45 points)

u need the mk3.... nah...just kidding... it's the technique.... i'm struggling to do that with my 20d but i'm getting the hang of it.... u have 45af pts.... i only have 9! though i ony use the centre af pt to track the birds....

keep shooting...

Try Cfn-17 settings 1 and 2 as suggested by CDS.

vetkrazy wrote in post #2755374
One other thought, turn off the IS. At 1/1000 IS is useless. Also position 2 is for panning, the erratic movement of the birds defeats it's purpose.
Do you focus with the shutter button? If so, think about CF 4, either option 1 or 3.

Ditto ... stole my words !!!