First trip to Conowingo this season. The A1 did pick out the water instead of the eagle occasionally when the eagle was diving in. Great to finally meet an old time FMer in person!
Douglas L wrote:
First trip to Conowingo this season. The A1 did pick out the water instead of the eagle occasionally when the eagle was diving in. Great to finally meet an old time FMer in person!
Love the last picture
What AF mode did you use most? Which mode grabbed water the most?
My hunch is that because eagles aren't going way into the water like an Osprey does that a RTT AF mode would be less likely to grab the water. Usually I don't use RTT for BIF but something tells me the A1 would do better with it for eagle skimming the water as it should still have the shape, size, color info of the eagle that should be way different than some water splashes.
Also I'd use Tracking Sensitivity set to 1 (I never change mine off of 1 for A9, A9II nor A1).
What AF mode did you use most? Which mode grabbed water the most?
My hunch is that because eagles aren't going way into the water like an Osprey does that a RTT AF mode would be less likely to grab the water. Usually I don't use RTT for BIF but something tells me the A1 would do better with it for eagle skimming the water as it should still have the shape, size, color info of the eagle that should be way different than some water splashes.
Also I'd use Tracking Sensitivity set to 1 (I never change mine off of 1 for A9, A9II nor A1)....Show more →
Thank you Geoff. I think I just used "wide" AF mode. I have several veteran birders using A1+600GM at Conowingo who could help me out. One of whom is a big time FMer. I get plenty of time to experiment at Conowingo as I am going there for quite a few more times.
What AF mode did you use most? Which mode grabbed water the most?
My hunch is that because eagles aren't going way into the water like an Osprey does that a RTT AF mode would be less likely to grab the water. Usually I don't use RTT for BIF but something tells me the A1 would do better with it for eagle skimming the water as it should still have the shape, size, color info of the eagle that should be way different than some water splashes.
Also I'd use Tracking Sensitivity set to 1 (I never change mine off of 1 for A9, A9II nor A1)....Show more →
Mark Smith is having a workshop there now, I may stop by to ask for his thoughts. I know he is more an osprey guy than a bald eagle guy. but he knows his craft.
When the A1 locks onto a subject it relentlessly locks on! That is great. The downside is the blackout time...I cannot follow the bird across my field of view looking through the camera - blackout!
Verdict: camera is an improvement - but still a work in progress on a basic level...blackout time is frustrating (my wife hates it and prefers her 7D2 for birds in flight); and processing time (for writing images to card) take much too long...
Is it worth $6500 USD or so? If you have disposable income yes. If you have to skimp on other things (like money to repair your car or feed your kids) NO.
It is really really wonderful for shooting pelagic birds that can drop behind [and out of sight of] waves sometimes for several seconds...the A1 will pick right up on the bird once it reappears. And birds coming right at the camera - the A! can nail that shot pretty consistently (the first camera I have used that can do that). So there are certain situations where the A1 can get you the shot...but flying raptors, flamingos (anything big flying across the frame)...the A7R4 can handle these just as well.
Sacred Ibis (symbol of the God of Wisdom to BC Egyptians; now extirpated in Egypt)
Yellow Billed Kite - Stronfontein Sewage Treatment Plant near Fish Hoek
Black-browed Albatross (juvenile) in False Bay (Atlantic Ocean)
rdcny wrote:
When the A1 locks onto a subject it relentlessly locks on! That is great. The downside is the blackout time...I cannot follow the bird across my field of view looking through the camera - blackout!
WT beep are you talking about? Are you shooting with the mechanical shutter?
Happily sitting here at the National Botanical Garden in Cape Town after photographing nesting African Paradise Flycatchers and Cape Sugarbirds
Anyway yes using electronic shutter and silent shooting as well
By the way is it okay to criticize Sony cameras and lenses? When I shot Nikon and Canon I could…and did and will. I’ll also point out the positives of the gear in question too.
Regards from South Africa - what an amazing place
The Bob
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OK! I see what the problem was...I was trying to shoot at 20FPS and the blackout occurred/occurs because the camera is writing to the 2000x 128GB card. I suppose if had one of the superfast 160GB cards (the $450 ones) I would have zero blackout...but I'll stick with the 2000x speed ones for now.
Thank You everyone! I solved my problem. Great camera but in the coming years they will sort out the glitches (wake from sleep takes way too long!)
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