p.1 #1 · Rebel T6s does swallows and pijuns in flight
I have given the new Rebel T6s a fairly good shakedown on stationary and slow targets, as well as on relatively easy BIF. As long as ISO is no higher than 1600 , as a general rule of thumb, the little camera very clearly surpasses 1DX in image quality.
That of course assumes that the operator manages to get the camera to focus right.
My remaining objective is to determine the operating envelope for its Servo AF operation, and what better test objects for that than swallows and pijuns in flight.
Today I did a quick feasibility check, and I believe I should be able to make a go of it, or it is worth investing some time into it.
If you follow this thread for another week or so, the truth will eventually come out: can a camera such as this rebel T6s be used profitably for BIF photography, in a reasonably experienced hands.
For now, I just enclose a few feasibility shots which clearly leave much to be desired, but it's a start. I will also not take pictures of swallows flapping/hovering at their nest, nor will I do zonal prefocusing and start to fire when the bird enters the focus zone. I will use bona fide Servo AF tracking in flight, not in hover.
For now I will not divulge the lens identity, let us just say it is relatively short and fast.
Depending on how the test progresses, I might switch to another lens later on.
p.1 #5 · Rebel T6s does swallows and pijuns in flight
johnctharp wrote:
By your standards Peter, a 600/4 is short and fast
John, you are a funny man.
In this case I need a lens at least f/2.8 in order to try to compensate for the camera's poor low light sensitivity of the AF system (- 0.5 EV). In addition, the AF drive speed has to be very high, otherwise my time would be better spent whistling Dixie.
p.1 #6 · Rebel T6s does swallows and pijuns in flight
Peter, your banking swallows remind me of an A4 Skyhawk, it's a very nimble fighter jet often used in dog-fight training out at Nellis AFB in Nevada. They and F-5's use to run rings around the 'faster' fighter jets like the F-14/15/16/18. A few flew down south at Miramar here in CA where the Marine Air wing was based...lots of cool pijuns be flyin about all over
Keep pushin that T6s, your images are quite pleasing
p.1 #8 · Rebel T6s does swallows and pijuns in flight
Thanx Mark, you are the SIF master, and I will try my best to become your worthy disciple. Right now I have found several barn swallows which are following a somewhat fixed flight pattern, and I hope they will remain there for a few more days.
p.1 #13 · Rebel T6s does swallows and pijuns in flight
Stoffer wrote:
Hi Peter....
Yes, swallows can indeed be very fast, so great catch!
Why did you go for the Rebel T6 instead of the 7D Mark II? Lower cost, higher resolution? Looks like a nice camera, I was just wondering.
Nils, yes, that is correct: lower cost and higher resolution were the key factors. Also, reports on 7DMkII AF problems have turned me away from the camera. I'd much rather take inferior AF performance by design intent (T6) than inferior AF performance by design omission (7DII).
p.1 #15 · Rebel T6s does swallows and pijuns in flight
KKFung wrote:
From the image perspective my guess the lens is 100-400L II or a 400/5.6L
KK, the images above have been crop-enlarged a lot, and that tends to fool people into believing that a longer lens was used.
However, I did that initial test with 135mm f/2L, and will continue with it. If 135L turns out to be too short, then I plan to switch to 200 f/2 IS which is another monster focusing lens.
p.1 #17 · Rebel T6s does swallows and pijuns in flight
PetKal wrote:
KK, the images above have been crop-enlarged a lot, and that tends to fool people into believing that a longer lens was used.
However, I did that initial test with 135mm f/2L, and will continue with it. If 135L turns out to be too short, then I plan to switch to 200 f/2 IS which is another monster focusing lens.
Wow ... 135mm is not short but it is a wide angle on this kind of BIF
p.1 #19 · Rebel T6s does swallows and pijuns in flight
No progress has been made this morning. The setup used was still T6s + 135L.
Those birds flew all around me, and one might believe that such proximity would make it very easy to capture them in flight with the 135mm lens. However, exactly opposite is the case. Imagine watching a championship table tennis match, say China vs. South Korea, by sitting at a side of the net, your face a foot from it.
p.1 #20 · Rebel T6s does swallows and pijuns in flight
Peter, did you try using All 19pt mode for the SIF? That mode worked the best for me with the 7D2 +300f/2.8ISII. Of course I had 65 points that would dance across the display as I tried to keep the swallow in the viewfinder. The nice thing on the 7D2 is the points cover the entire display. I tried the same on the 1DX and the problem was there was so much outer area that the points don't cover. The T6s should have coverage same as original 7D I would guess that is fairly good. Of course this all point mode only worked against sky and not against such water backgrounds like you have.
