Techniques for Capturing Birds in Flight

snakebunk

@Coastalconn: Thank you! It is a good thing to have a monopod that is easy to take of.

Msmoto

@Parke1953

A bit late on my experience with the Induro gimbal head GHB2, the one I have. To maneuver the lens/camera over head requires one to be far below the height of the head and have the tripod legs extended to accomplish this. And, if a bird is swooping near the water/ground, then one has to stand on a stool to get the lens/camera pointed down. It is just easier to be able to bring the camera up without any weight attached, even a monopod, and then back down to cover all the unpredictable movement of BIF.

On the other hand, for vehicles, which presumably will be close to the ground, I like the gimbal head so i can let go of the weight and not have to put it on the ground, e.g., in between races, etc. And, a monopod requires placing the camera/lens on the ground with the monopod pointing up in order to take a rest.

The subject movement pattern determines my choice of gimbal, monopod, or handholding. One interesting shoot coming up will be in the city with the 400mm doing street photos of sort. In this case, i may decide to use an 80-400mm rather than the 400m f/2.8 simply to avoid too much attention. My old 80-400 has worked well for me in these situations.

Vipmediastar_JZ

Here is my 4th attempt at BIF it was done 3 month ago with my "Crippled" Df and 70-200 with and without the tc-17 ii

I learned plenty from this thread. If it wasn't for all of your advice I probably wouldn't have succeeded in getting the photos.

Basically what I think helped me was timing. AUTO ISO on the DF and the FPS and quick AF combo with the DF and 70-200.

I'll start working on my other attempts.

scoobysmak

I was just reading older threads so when I return to the US I can put some of the hints and tips to good use. I ran across someone using a "gun quality red dot sight." Anyone else use this or heard of it?

This should be a link to a picture of what I am talking about:
http://4.static.img-dpreview.com/files/w/TS560x560?url=http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/4623/fz50tcon17rds191du9.jpg&signature=hvbQM7OWL/GUOqkMHS8T3cQDbPA=

haroldp

My usual kit is D810 / 400/2.8 with tc-20eiii on an RRS gimbal head , and in a 'holster', or around my neck, a D3x with 80-400G and 1.4 extender (currently tc-14eii, I am tuning up the eiii) for when things get close or overhead.

I rarely get better than a DX crop filled, but shoot FX frame because the image area is not always centered and I hate to cut things off.

What works best for me in most conditions is simple center point continuous.

3D focus is a great concept, but is sometimes fooled by terrain or wave tops.

Using the center point with FX frame, I can follow focus and let the image get slightly de-centered.

... H

Photobug

@haroldp - assume you use "AF button" on the back of the camera for tracking the bird with the shutter menu set to "release"?

[Deleted User]

That's what I use, with a3-focus tracking on 5 (Long), this was a tip from @Coastalconn and AF on C with D9, works great.

haroldp

@photobug

I do not use the AF button, that is more fingers than I can coordinate. I depress the shutter halfway to track focus, then completely to shoot.

I am usually hooting against cluttered backgrounds, either vegetation or water with wave tops, which is why I use single point AF.

I will try the longer AF tracking lock as suggested by some on this forum, always a place for good ideas.

Regards ... H

sevencrossing

Techniques for Capturing Birds in Flight
I know. The pot should not call the kettle black

I am usually hooting )

Photobug

That's what I use, with a3-focus tracking on 5 (Long), this was a tip from @Coastalconn and AF on C with D9, works great.

Thanks @Ton. Just wanted to confirm. Yea I reamember reading Coastaconn's suggestion to use 5 Long.

@haroldp - Thanks. I used the AF on most of the time with the D300 but not on the D7100. I am going to try it from now to the holidays to see which is better for me. Understand your comment about coordination of fingers.

@sevencrossing - you mean you don'[t "hoot" when shooting BIF to attract them. )

PB_PM

I do not use the AF button, that is more fingers than I can coordinate. I depress the shutter halfway to track focus, then completely to shoot.

I am usually hooting against cluttered backgrounds, either vegetation or water with wave tops, which is why I use single point AF.

Hooting? You're an owl and you cannot track birds in flight... come on!

On a more serious note, using AF-ON takes getting used to, but it really helps with tracking moving subjects.