For all you bird in flight masters, I am requesting your help. I cannot seem to get tack sharp BIF photos....not like the ones I see posted here. First let me list what I'm shooting with. 1D Mark III, 400mmL f/2.8 IS, 1.4X TC, 580EX II. My questions are:
1. How should I focus. One shot, AI Servo, or Manual?
2. What should my shutter speed be?
3. Should I use flash?
4. I usually shoot wide open. Should I stop down to a smaller aperture?
2. Nothing under 1/1000 unless you want some wing blur, that is depending on the size of bird of course.
3. If you use flash, you will want a better beamer to use, if so, only use a small amount of flash as fill.
4. I shoot my 500mm f4 with the 1.4x most of the time, I'm shooting at f7.1 or f8 you should do the same, if you need faster shutter increase your ISO, with a Mark III you can shoot with 800 ISO with no problems at all, that should give you plenty of SS.
5. Shoot in manual mode, set your exposure to be about 1 1/2 to 2 stops overexposing the sky.
Hope this helps you get started, your biggest challenge will be tracking birds when they are filling the frame.
Wish I had that rig to learn with Will, maybe someone can recommend the focus point selection, multiple or single or what other variables there is with the MKIII. I think the above shot posted by Anthony is a 1000% crop, still looks pretty good Good luck, hope you get dialed in quickly.
Karl Witt wrote:
I think the above shot posted by Anthony is a 1000% crop, still looks pretty good
Karl
Ya Karl, not bad for him, believe me I tried to teach him a thing or two... It was like kissing your sister.. I'm sure Anthony has worse shots than the one he dug up and posted, but hey, I always told him to post only his best work
Focus selection: I use center point almost 90% of the time, I also have expanded turned off in the CF. If you find the birds are filing the frame and want to toggle your selection point to the head it is the best place to get focus.
mbaumser wrote:
Just curious, shooting with flash and shutter speed 1/1000s seem mutually exclusive to me?
explain
Thanks
Marc
Hi Marc, thats why I said "if you use flash" you set your shutter to 1/1000 and the flash will still fill, but you need to have "high speed sync" turned on in order to do this.
I did a few the other day using flash, it was middle of the day and the light was harsh, the flash willl help fill in some shadows even at 1/1000 shutter.
Hope this helps explain it for you.
Chad
Jun 30, 2008 at 10:10 AM
anthony whitmo Offline • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
Out of curiosity have you tried some BIF without the 1.4x?
And are you hand holding or using a wimberley?
Center point focus and you can use the joystick to change Focus Point on the fly. Definitely have expansion off. I agree with all that Chad states above.
72chevelle454 wrote:
Hi Marc, thats why I said "if you use flash" you set your shutter to 1/1000 and the flash will still fill, but you need to have "high speed sync" turned on in order to do this.
I did a few the other day using flash, it was middle of the day and the light was harsh, the flash willl help fill in some shadows even at 1/1000 shutter.
Hope this helps explain it for you.
Chad
Chad
thanks. high speed sync was the puzzle piece I was missing. I was thinking 1/250 sync speed.
Agree with whats been said so far with one caveat. I took a workshop earlier in the year and the instructor kept his shutter speed on 1/2000 for all flight shots. He believed that anything less got you less keepers.
jakita33 wrote:
Agree with whats been said so far with one caveat. I took a workshop earlier in the year and the instructor kept his shutter speed on 1/2000 for all flight shots. He believed that anything less got you less keepers.
J
That depends on the focal length of the lens, you should double your focal length in shutter speed (not a perfect assumption but a easy one to remember)
Anthony said: "Definitely have expansion off" What "expansion" are you referring to?
No, I do not hand hold any this setup. We're talking almost 13 lbs just for the lens itself. I have a Wimberley on a tripod or monopod. I usually keep the 1.4x TC on for the extra reach. I don't have any issues with sharpness with it. I shoot sports ith this setup too. http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2291/2215261627_d5b466d173_o.jpg
You can have AF expansion on or off. This will hand the focal point off to surrounding AF Points on the Mark III > For BIF it's best to have off.
Chad and Myself included have found the Wimberly mount to be pretty useless when doing BIF. Chad and I have the same setup
Mark III
EF 500 IS
1.4x
= 700mm for BIF. Can be tough at first but you get used to finding the bird eventually
I would recommend going without the Wimberly. You are only going to hold the lens up long enough to take a series of 20 or so shots if your at 10fps. Your only at 560mm (Which is plenty) with the 400 and 1.4x.
Most of the guys for BIF are using the 400 f/5.6 and feel it's plenty for BIF > I would say try it awhile with just the 400 and see if your photos improve > Then ad the 1.4x and see how it goes.
I was having an issue with my 500 with 1.4x........ It just wouldn't focus right for some reason or another >> It wound up being a corrupt file in the personal settings menu. I loaded chads settings and SHABAM it took off like it was without the 1.4x........... It performed flawless with the 500 > But as soon as the 1.4x was added it started acting all screwey.............
HOpe that all makes sense and helps....................
I don't have a whole to add to the above, it is all great advice, but there is one thing missing here. Practice, practice, practice. You have the setup and then some. Starting on bigger and slower birds just to get the technique down. It isn't just pointing and shooting, you have acquire the bird in the AF and hold it there. Easier said than done. Once you can keep focus work on framing, another aspect that is harder than it would seem.
As far as holding the camera some of us use BushHawks and love them, others don't. I am lost without mine. That said some of the best IF's on this site are hand held.
anthony whitmo wrote:
Chad and Myself included have found the...........to be pretty useless.....
Chad and I have the same setup........ Can be tough at first but you get used........eventually
HOpe that all makes sense and helps....................
you have the 2 and the 4 swapped around... 
its 72 Chevy 454 I know, I know... it was intentional..