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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Novice birder saying hello and asking a few questions | |
Welcome
I'll try to answer what I can below - My opinion.
sumtiw wrote:
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1.In the morning hours lights is not that good especially when I am in the woods. Right now I use my 100-400 mm handheld at around 1/200 second and it makes "not so sharp" images. Then I tried taking my Tripod with me but again if I suddenly have to change the height or if I have to move from one place to the other, it's not an easy task.
Should I buy a Monopod? If yes, what kind of ballhead do you all use? Will my BH-55 work good with a monopod?
Forget 1/200. The old rule of thumb for hand held is 1/focal length. Add 1.6 for the crop factor. Even with that old IS, 1/1000 would be good. Your not sharp because shutter speed is too slow. As others said, your kit is used by many people and is fine. Try ISO 640 or 800. Then use noise reduction sw.
No need for a monopod. Shoot handheld.
sumtiw wrote:
2. I also bought a flash beamer recently that I use with Youngnuo 560 iii flash set at 50 mm. But the pictures that I took with it look too artificial. I kept it at 1/16 intensity. Do you use beamers? If yes at what settings?
Set the flash to high speed sync (HSS) in aperture or shutter priority mode. Do not use program mode. Use negative flash compensation until the flash adds barely noticeably fill flash. Done right, its fine. If that flash doesn't have HSS, then you are out of luck or learn to use manual flash with manual settings in camera. Yes, your bird has way to much flash. You need HSS and dial back the flash compensation.
Flash has a place. Morris is the expert.
sumtiw wrote:
3. Someone suggested me to keep my ISO at Auto. I tried it but since the branches on which the bird sits are in shade and the background (clouds) are of course very illuminated, The pictures come out very weird. I keep my metering at center weighted (the one with a black dot at the center). Will I have to accustom myself to change settings very fast according to the frame that I am seeing currently? I mean will I have to change the Shutter speed and ISO based on the frame that I am going to capture? What strategy do you all use? I do not judge the amount of light very well if I use camera at Aperture mode so I try to use shutter priority mode. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? ...Show more →
Do not use center weight. It gives weird results for me too. Your scene is backlit, try partial metering. Also try spot metering. If the scene is "normal", use evaluate metering. Remember that the meter will try to set the camera so the shot is 18% grey. You can use eval mode and just dial in positive compensation. Or shoot manual.
As to mode, many will say to use manual. Your choice. Remember exposure is a triad of aperture, shutter, and ISO. If you want DOF, set a high aperture. If this is BIF, then the shutter must be much higher. Use whatever you are comfortable with. No, you do not need to constantly change things every frame but the lighting can change due to clouds, backlit, etc. Its all different. Pick whatever you are comfortable with to start. Always try to use the lowest ISO. Forget about auto ISO for now. You choose the ISO.
sumtiw wrote:
4. When you go to some place to take pictures of birds, do you stay at one place and wait for some bird to show up or do you keep wandering around and keep looking for birds and when you see one, you set up your gears and start taking pics? I go out at the sunrise time (around 7:00 here in CO) and stay in the field till 10:30 or 11:00. They say sunrise is a good time but according to what I have seen in past 2 months, birds come out only after it becomes a bit warm.. say around 8:30 or 9:00 AM. What is your experience in this regard?...Show more →
You go where the birds are. Check out your local bird clubs. Check out e-bird. Find the listservers in your area where the birders tell where the birds are. You will get used to it and find the local resources.
Dawn and dusk are cherished by photographers for their golden hours, when the sun gives a golden glow, vice noon when the light is harsh. Remember ... it's all about the light.
With a 7D and 100-400, you are not setting up anything, You are walking around.
Find out where the lakes are and where the migrating ducks are. Walk around and you will see them. Then you know where to go. Its all a matter of doing some homework.
You sit and wait for the ducks and geese. They will come to you. Become part of nature. Songbirds you need to find. They go where they go.
sumtiw wrote:
I know many of you have 1Ds and 500 or 600 mm and 7D is not that good of a camera and neither a 100-400 is. But this was all that I could afford being a student (even this was wayyy too much for me). And I didn't go for 400 prime as I use this 100-400 at some points to take pictures of fishes.
It's wayy too much for me to!!! Don't worry about gear. Some people get way hung up on technical stuff and forget about taking pictures. You got a L lens. Great start. Don't let anyone tell you the 7D can't take great pictures. At low ISOs, it has better resolution than all the 1D whatevers ... Resolution matters. People will talk a lot about pixels on the duck. In high ISOs, not so good. Then again, its much cheaper. You get what you pay for. OTH, great glass is forever. Cameras come and go. The 1DX will be in the junk heap in a couple of years when the 1DX2 (whatever) comes out. Meanwhile, that L glass is forever. Invest in glass. Don't worry to much about bodies.
You can rest assured that with practice, you will be able to throw up a 7D picture with your lens and put it up on the web side by side with other cameras and no one will be able to tell which one took the picture at equivalent focal lengths and the same lens. Printing large is a different issue. Sensor size does matter.
sumtiw wrote:
I am also not sure if this was a good place to ask these questions or not coz I have never seen anyone posting such questions here. So I will also add a few photos that I have taken in past. Wont be as good as you guys haha..
Ask whatever you want. Someone will help you. Don't let anyone tell you not to ask questions. That is how we all learn. When you stop learning, its time to pack it up ... Ask away. There are many wonderful and great photographers here that I know are more than willing to help people. They do it all the time. Ask anything you want.
sumtiw wroteComments and criticism is always most welcome. I would love to hear what you all think about my photos.
Great start. Dial down the flash. Crank up the shutter speeds. Find the birders. Find the local bird clubs and try e-bird. Go where the birders go.
Regards
Acjd
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