Swallow In-Flight Challenge

Here are a couple of shoots of a Barn Swallow I took with the 20D and Sigma 120-300.

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Here's one more with that combination:

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Here's couple taken with the 20D and 400 f5.6L.

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One more with the 400L.

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Great shots, George.

i think you did well and other's have nice shot's too -also i like the challange ider as it will give us some good shot's ( hopefully )
Rob.

Not a favorite of mine, but it will do. I'll have to go back when the sun is not backlighting the subjects at this particular spot... It's true that the "non-pro" bodies have a tough(er) time to track fast small flying birds, so I override this by employing that ancient almost forgotten technique called "manual focus".

Not to diss Jody's shots as they are fantastic to say the least - one of the best inflight masters in fact, but lets not forget his camera has 45 AF points and 8.5 frames per second burst. There are many members here on POTN that I'd love to see what they could achieve with such equipment...

dancad wrote in post #3240718
Not a favorite of mine, but it will do. I'll have to go back when the sun is not backlighting the subjects at this particular spot... It's true that the "non-pro" bodies have a tough(er) time to track fast small flying birds, so I override this by employing that ancient almost forgotten technique called "manual focus".

Not to diss Jody's shots as they are fantastic to say the least - one of the best inflight masters in fact, but lets not forget his camera has 45 AF points and 8.5 frames per second burst. There are many members here on POTN that I'd love to see what they could achieve with such equipment...

I hear you, however, I do not think the camera with 45 point AF nor 8 FPS should make much of a difference.
You'd generally want to use the center sensor with one adjacent expansion... so as to maximize the speed of the camera's Servo AF response. Also, I personally see no perceptible benefit in going beyond 5 FPS, even 3 FPS should do it. To me is kinda pointless firing in the intervals when the bird is not in good focus.
Melanson swears by his Bushawk....
Well, you would not catch me with that around Toronto.....and if my keeper rate is only 5% as a result, so be it.
I also find 400mm too long.....my aim is just not steady enough at that FL.

In summary, strategies and equipment vary, in the end it is the results that count as well as the fun we are having shooting those challenging birds.

I forgot Martin's were Swallows

Allen, that's excellent. Can't see her feet.....that means some sort of a power flight although the tail is fanned out.
See one below. She was going full tilt to her nest under construction.

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morehtml wrote in post #3240638

Yup, that's all out power flight. Great job.

One more

Then I got her again, because BY THEN I KNEW HER FLIGHT PATH. I think that's the key here.

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If I were judge I believe Allen's got the winner.

2nd place Wayne

3rd is Dan

4th is Peter

IMO