Having used both the A9 and now the A1 to photograph small birds like this I've found there is virtually no scenario when the camera will accurately track a bird flying towards you if (as in this scenario) the bird is a similar color to the background, the background is very busy, and the lens is not fast enough to be able to blur most of that background (or if camera movement does not blur the background via panning).
In other words, I'm not surprised the OP was not able to get this shot. Heck, my A1 sometimes struggles to even focus on a stationary bird against a busy, similarly-colored background! The only solution is often to get skilled enough to be able to keep the small spot focus area on the moving bird, although even then I've occasionally seen focus jump somewhere else.
Maybe the A7R5's AI autofocus can do better. Isn't that what AI is supposed to be for?!
Having used both the A9 and now the A1 to photography small birds like this I've found there is virtually no scenario when the camera will accurately track a bird flying towards you if (as in this scenario) the bird is a similar color to the background and the background is very busy and the lens is not fast enough to be able to blur most of the background (or if camera movement does not blur the background, which occurs when panning).
In other words, I'm not surprised the OP was not able to get this shot. Heck, my A1 sometimes struggles to even focus on a stationary bird against a busy, similarly-colored background! The only solution is often to get skilled enough to be able to keep the small spot focus area on the moving bird, although even then I've occasionally seen focus jump somewhere else.
Maybe the A7R5's AI autofocus can do better. Isn't that what AI is supposed to be for?!
Maybe the
Dec 16, 2023 at 03:51 PM
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