Birders with the 100-400L lend a noob a hand?

Hi,

I have a 100-400L coming (bringing my novice equipment total to a 10-22,24-105,and 100-400), and will primarily use it for nature/wildlife shooting on my hikes (basically everything I see.....lol).

I must confess it was all of your fantastic posts (and the unofficial poll results) that convinced me to go with this lens, however, I am truly amazed at how you get such stunning pictures of birds in flight at distance. To me this seems to be one of (if not the) the most difficult tasks in photography. Thus learning the techniques you use would help in anything (sports etc)?

Can you please recommend any books, texts, websites and etc. (especially lens specific data) that would be a good resource for a novice? Dont get me wrong, Ive been compiling endless data from Google searches, but thats not the same as a recommendation from someone who walks the walk So much to learn..........

Many thanks,

Proxy, BIF shots are extremely hard to get and require a lot of practice. You not only have to learn how to capture the actual action but get the exposure correct and composition all in an instant...it's probably one of the hardest things (photography wise) I've ever tried (and am still trying) to do.

The bird forum here is an excellent resource. I have lots of photography books but none of them focus on BIF shots. Sometimes photography mags will have special articles just on that, so you might check out your local news stand. But really, all the pointers that have helped me have come from this and other forums.

Good luck in your quest

Hiya Proxy. As Permagrin says, BIF shots are tough but very rewarding when it all comes together. I asked a similar question to you a few months back and got some extremely good responses, check it out here. Hope it is of interest.

http://www.photography​-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=210520

I have a 400L Prime, which focuses faster than the 100-400 Zoom and find it childs play to get large birds in flight. I use the center focus mark and AI Servo and set to slow burst mode on my 30D. I use Evaluative metering, the broken circle with a dot in the middle and that seems to work fine when I use some Exposure compensation to go with it.

Practice on things that move to get good at it, anything will do, cars on a highway, birds, jets flying over. anything that moves will sharpen your skills. Thats what I did, and after maybe a couple days, I was getting eagles in flight with no problem. Those little guys though, sparrows, cardinals, chickadees, are all luck if you happen to get one in flight. You can set up a good position, say on a route they use into a feeder, and wait for them, but it's still going to mean a lot of empty frames and maybe a few good ones with a bird in it.

I would say everything that was said and more. I had my first try at BIF today with a Chickadee leaving the feeder and its tough. I'll have to post the image after I get it from the camera. Just give me a few

Practice, practice, practice.

It's not that hard to get good sharp bird in flight shots with the 100-400mm - even relatively small fast moving birds are eminently achievable.

But you need to keep at it until it clicks - and it will, if you give it a chance.

(If you know this bird, you know it's a challenge to get a good flight shot of it).

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Agree with all the above and go to a mall parking lot early in the morning before the cars start arriving and throw out some bread pieces and practice on the Gulls that should start landing.
Thank goodness for digitals - I hate to think of what using film would be costing me with my slow learning curve on our feathered friends.

Keith - nice shot.

Here's one of mine with the 100-400L

Here is one with a 300mm f4 Hand Held, Taking Donations for 500mm f4 IS

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Many thanks everyone, great picture too......

Question, I have the Digital Rebel XT (350D), so are you guys shooting BIF shots in "Single shot" or "Continuous" modes" for your bracketed shots (assuming your doing that)? I don't have my 100-400L yet so I haven't played with either with anything over the kit lens.

Thanks for that link also, I am starting through it just now

My camera is always on Continuous mode. It's the only way to shoot.

Also, nobody has said anything about using a tripod. For most of my shooting, I use a tripod with a Bogen 322 Ballhead, shown below. This little gem is the best thing since sliced bread. It will easily hold your camera and Bazooka, and when you let go of the grip, it instantly locks in position. Rated for 11 pounds and means it. The beauty of this guy is that you use the left hand to hold the grip and the right in the normal position on the camera and the shutter release. You can turn in any direction to follow the bird.

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Everyone has given you good advice. Once you get used to the push-pull for this lens, you will like it. People bad mouth it but I didn't find it hard to get used to.
One thing that will help is to lock onto the bird when it's a ways away. The AI servo will help keep you locked in. Also, the more light you have the better it will stay locked on to the bird. I really like the push pull for birds in flight. The one drawback of the 100-400 is it's slow at 5.6. That's why good light is so important with this lens.
Good luck. This lens is a great lens for carrying around in the field. This is the lens that always goes with me when I'm in the woods checking my trail cameras. I have been able to "jump shoot" animals with this lens.
Gerry
http://www.pbase.com/p​addler

http://www.bushhawk.co​m/

This thing works great for in-flight shots.

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It is very, very easy to get in-flight shots with this lens when the background is sky. The bird is the only thing for the camera to focus on, and it does so with no problems. Water backgrounds also yield pretty good results. However, trees in the background will very often throw the focus off.

I have never used AI Servo mode for shooting birds in flight, mostly becasue I am typically shooting birds not-in-flight when the in-flight opportunities come along. However, I have learned to quickly shift from IS mode 1 to IS mode 2 when going for an in-flight shot.

A tripod would be great, if you are in a location with a lot of birds and don't have to move around a lot. If you don't have the tripod set up when the bird comes, you might be better off handheld.

Fast shutter speed, hand hold, left hand out at the base of the hood, skeet shooter stance and do your best to hit focus while tracking the bird coming... When it is close enough while tracking refocus on eye and shoot in bursts..... Practice is what makes it all happen successfully, and it is frustrating in the beginning...... Good luck