Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda

New fredmiranda.com Mobile Site

New Feature: SMS Notification alert

New Feature: Buy & Sell Watchlist

FM Forums | Canon Forum | Join Upload & Sell

Need help shooting Sandpiper flocks in flight with R5 + RF100-500 L

Rudy Pohl
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Need help shooting Sandpiper flocks in flight with R5 + RF100-500 L

I've been shooting Shorebirds for the last week here in Ottawa and I'm having trouble when it comes to shooting these birds when they're flying synchronized in super-fast flocks of a hundred or so.

After several tries I still have not got a single shot where even one bird is sharply in focus. None of the birds are even close to being in focus, but the ducks sitting on the beach below them Shorebirds are.

When they swing around and fly straight at me they're almost but not quite in focus, but as soon as the flock banks to the left or right they go way out of focus.

I'm using the e-shutter at 1/2500 secs and 1/3200 secs and Wide Area autofocus mode and pumping the AF-ON button repeatedly. This method works wonderfully with other bigger, slower moving flock like Geese, but not for Sandpipers.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Rudy

Edited on Sep 02, 2023 at 05:46 PM · View previous versions

Sep 02, 2023 at 04:39 PM

Abbott Schindl
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Need help shooting Sandpiper flocks in flight with R5 + RF100-500 L

What shutter speed are you using? 1/2000 or faster? The ducks will work at slower speeds, but fast moving birds will need a much faster shutter.

Sep 02, 2023 at 04:46 PM

armd
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Need help shooting Sandpiper flocks in flight with R5 + RF100-500 L

Perhaps you could provide a bit of clarity as to what it is you’re trying to accomplish? Shooting “flocks” of birds would rarely deliver a significant proportion in focus because of the DOF and other factors. Frequently, some people aim for pleasant blurs in this scenario, alternatively if you are trying to capture some birds in focus, it might be more successful if you turned off AED and left tracking on, assuming that your other settings (Av, Tv, etc.) are also correct.

Sep 02, 2023 at 04:51 PM

EB-1
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Need help shooting Sandpiper flocks in flight with R5 + RF100-500 L

Rudy Pohl wrote:
I've been shooting Shorebirds for the last week here in Ottawa and I'm having trouble when it comes to shooting these birds when they're flying synchronized in super-fast flocks of a hundred or so.

After several tries I still have not got a single shot where even one bird is sharply in focus. None of the birds are even close to being in focus, but the ducks sitting on the beach below them Shorebirds are.

When they swing around and fly straight at me they're almost but not quite in focus, but as soon as the flock banks to the...Show more →

Why are you "pumping" the AF button? Is it not in AF-Servo?

EBH

Sep 02, 2023 at 04:51 PM

Rudy Pohl
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Need help shooting Sandpiper flocks in flight with R5 + RF100-500 L

Abbott Schindl wrote:
What shutter speed are you using? 1/2000 or faster? The ducks will work at slower speeds, but fast moving birds will need a much faster shutter.

Sorry about that. I've tried 1/2500 secs and 1/3200 secs.

Sep 02, 2023 at 05:45 PM

Rudy Pohl
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Need help shooting Sandpiper flocks in flight with R5 + RF100-500 L

armd wrote:
Perhaps you could provide a bit of clarity as to what it is you’re trying to accomplish? Shooting “flocks” of birds would rarely deliver a significant proportion in focus because of the DOF and other factors. Frequently, some people aim for pleasant blurs in this scenario, alternatively if you are trying to capture some birds in focus, it might be more successful if you turned off AED and left tracking on, assuming that your other settings (Av, Tv, etc.) are also correct.

Sorry, what is AED? I'm sure I know it but the designation escapes me at the moment. Thanks.

Sep 02, 2023 at 05:47 PM

Rudy Pohl
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Need help shooting Sandpiper flocks in flight with R5 + RF100-500 L

EB-1 wrote:
Why are you "pumping" the AF button? Is it not in AF-Servo?

EBH

I'm pumping because under normal circumstances when to focus looses sharpness hitting the AF-On button snaps it back when in area or point modes. Also, this is what Ron at Whistling Wings Photography advises in a video on videoing birds in flight.

Sep 02, 2023 at 05:50 PM

Rudy Pohl
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Need help shooting Sandpiper flocks in flight with R5 + RF100-500 L

armd wrote:
Perhaps you could provide a bit of clarity as to what it is you’re trying to accomplish? Shooting “flocks” of birds would rarely deliver a significant proportion in focus because of the DOF and other factors. Frequently, some people aim for pleasant blurs in this scenario, alternatively if you are trying to capture some birds in focus, it might be more successful if you turned off AED and left tracking on, assuming that your other settings (Av, Tv, etc.) are also correct.

I used to shoot these same flocks for a number of years with my Nikon D500 DSLR with the same kind of settings and the shots always worked. The birds closest to me were always razor sharp and then the sharpness lessened as the birds were further back determined by the aperture/depth of field.

Sep 02, 2023 at 05:53 PM

downhillonwater
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Need help shooting Sandpiper flocks in flight with R5 + RF100-500 L

I've had success in this situation using either the horizontal or medium size square zones, Servo AF. As mentioned you will have only the lead birds in sharp focus.

Sep 02, 2023 at 06:00 PM

flash
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Need help shooting Sandpiper flocks in flight with R5 + RF100-500 L

I would have thought that ES would work against you with fast moving birds. The R5 readout isn't real quick and you'll get some distortion. I've always defaulted to EFCS for fast moving birds/animals and accepted the lower frame rate.

Maybe case 3 or 4 for tracking settings. Zone or wide zone and I'd try holding AF on to enable continuous tracking.

Gordon

Sep 02, 2023 at 06:27 PM

Rudy Pohl
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Need help shooting Sandpiper flocks in flight with R5 + RF100-500 L

downhillonwater wrote:
I've had success in this situation using either the horizontal or medium size square zones, Servo AF. As mentioned you will have only the lead birds in sharp focus.

Thanks for your reply. This is exactly what I am doing (Area wide = horizontal square zone) and servo AF, but it's just not locking. I will keep trying.

Sep 02, 2023 at 06:28 PM

Imagemaster
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Need help shooting Sandpiper flocks in flight with R5 + RF100-500 L

Post EXAMPLES with EXIF included.

Sep 02, 2023 at 07:08 PM


FM Forums \| Canon Forum \| Join Upload & Sell

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.