There's something really going wrong here. 7D

[Paulstw]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

Spot AF if for something like a small bird in amongst the branches. It will concentrate focus on that one thing you place the AF point on. That's what I was taught.

[AndyMulhearn]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

I've also been using the slow setting. When it comes to little birds perched what worries me is if you focus down on the wrong area e.g. their feathers instead of the eye then I'm not sure the 7D will then focus on the eye without defocusing and trying again. Do you think I'm right about that? And if so would spot AF help here?

All of the perched small birds I photograph are shot with spot AF so I'd say yes. I also don't use Servo mode for perched birds, I use one-shot so I know the shot is focussed when the shutter is released.

In the refocus situation you describe, I've found taking my thumb off the AF button and pressing it again will refocus but without excessive defocusing so no slow hunting.

[Paulstw]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

I found busy foregrounds and backgrounds to be a problem for many cameras. Lots of contrasting edges at different focal planes to the sensor tends to confuse it. You'll hit AF-ON to get focus it'll focus on the branches in the foreground then you try again, it might get the bird this time, and then the bird will move, you think you need to get focus again but it then focuses on the foreground branches again.

I often had to tell myself that the camera doesn't know what your trying to take a picture of. It could be the nice distracting branches or it could be the bird. That's when I started to notice all the pros with their perfect flight shots of birds against a clear blue sky. I thought that, in order to get a sharp and fast focus, I need to eliminate all distracting objects in the shot. Not just for composition but to save my camera AF getting confused about what the shot is in the first place.

I'd often put my subject in an area where the BG was so far away that the lens would need to be at infinity to catch it. I also removed where necessary any distracting foreground elements. I learned all this through shooting Kingfishers. You never know where they are going to land, and when they do you can't have the lens hunting about.

The upshot of all that was that I started to just leave birds in the trees where they belong. It very rarely amounts to a pleasing image and having the bird/subject isolated with a thrown out back ground makes for such a nice picture. Your AF and your battery will thank you for it too :)

[Riggers]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

Completely agree Paul and for that reason I don't struggle so much with locking on, it's more a case of locking on to the right place and getting in tight if you know what I mean.

I'll set up my C1 and C2 on the 7D and try these suggestions for perched birds, maybe leaving C3 for BIF.

[Paulstw]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

Must admit to never using the C modes. I'd just go out to shoot a particular thing that day and have the camera set up for it. Props to you for doing it right though lol

I'm no really an expert at birding or the finer details of AF. There was times where it would hunt so bad I nearly threw it in the river, and other times it snapped onto the subject and didn't let go.

[the black fox]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

hmmmm back to basics ere lads ,i think i have enough knowledge to clear this up though someone will surely argue .

1st. metering : most of us use avg metering for most of our wildlife shots ,however if the bird or animal is in the bright or dark its better to change to spot metering .you don't always get the chance but don't forget its there as well as partial metering for other tricky subjects,please remember that the metering system on your camera only see's things as "gulp" 50 shades of grey LOL so if your shooting against a messy background and its a camouflaged type bird your not going to get a perfectly exposed shot .
unfortunately canon are far worse than nikon for this ,nikons metering system is superior .

2nd; focussing by the look of the replies this still baffles some of you ,i always leave my camera set on single point focus 95% of the time ,when shooting birds you should try to achieve focus on the eye where possible ,remember you can move the point up /down/sideways etc to achieve this and get the whole bird in frame .no use getting close to the bird then cutting off the tail due to centre focus point .
the multiple points of a/f work to a degree i.e the expanded point types 4 or 6 points etc for jumpy birds .
don't forget digital is free and practise makes perfect try hanging a target in a bush /tree and practise focussing on it till you can nail the same spot time after time .
seagulls like bread ,find a open green somewhere .throw out a few bits of bread (broken up ) you'll soon have a seagull over you calling in all its friends .these are really good birds for in flight target practise make use of them. i do often

3rd ,bait ; your shooting birds make a habit of carrying around a small bag of seed and a small bag of peanuts in your pocket .try to use it to attract birds to where you want them rather than where they naturally want to be .also in dry weather keep your eyes open for puddles birds have to drink frequently they also like to wash .a flock of waxwings washing in a puddle is a sight to behold .

4th; exposure compensation .the canon has one of the easiest exposure compensation adjusters on the market ,just roll the big rear wheel without taking your eye off the viewfinder .don't forget its there to be used play with it get used to it .ESPECIALLY if your shooting birds against a blue or grey sky you will need lots of positive + exp comp. this stops the sky blowing out the feather details in the bird .the one thing i could not get used to on the 7d was how much it needed ,far more than any previous camera i have owned be aware of it learn it and use it (seagulls /bread again)

hope this helps ,don't be put off by birds in bushes if there hopping around they will always get into a position to get a clear view of you take advantage of that moment .

[Paulstw]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

Yeah I have to agree that Spot metering is thee go to method for exposure of small birds. You've always got great light to work with Jeff anyway ;)

What I will add is that I never found a set rule for anything. It was always about learning what your camera can do and then adopting and changing to suit the subject/environment. There's certain wee rules that I'd use on my walks at work. They didn't apply on any walks at the river at home, and I'd then get lost trying to get other stuff, purely because I didn't spend the time on it.

If a Kingfisher flew by me anyday of the week and I had a camera, I have great confidence in catching it. However, ask me to catch a Mallard in flight and I'll be all over the place. That's just because I've been watching Kingfishers for ages now so I learned their habits. Paul Raybould is great at catching mallards in action, but I'm a total baffoon at it lol.

Determination helps. It forces you to think correctly. Why am I not getting this shot? I want this shot, and you eat sleep and breath the corrections until one day it just flows. I think we're all different that way and that's what is so amazing about it.

[paulr5604]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

. Paul Raybould is great at catching mallards in action, but I'm a total baffoon at it lol.

Thanks Paul, but you should see my recycle bin it's chocker

[Paulstw]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

Isn't everyones? lol

Although I hear Jeff's keeper rate is such a higher number now. Good news for my sanity, and bad news for my hard drive lol

[Riggers]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

I have still never seen a Kingfisher except in a photograph

[the black fox]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

Isn't everyones? lol

Although I hear Jeff's keeper rate is such a higher number now. Good news for my sanity, and bad news for my hard drive lol

(1)you will soon be in the realm of smaller files .

(2) bet you hardly slept weds night

(3) waiting for the post is demoralising

(4) was it worth it !!!!!!!!!

p.s just looked at all 10 of my kingfisher shots ,none worth talking about and wondering if these days i could do better .a rare bird in my neck of the woods must try harder

kingfisher by blackfox wildlife and nature imaging, on Flickr

[the black fox]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

see what i mean ,taken at the start of my wildlife photography ,my main lens then was a canon 55-250is my camera was a 40d and i had virtually no p/p skills .

[Paulstw]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

A different perspective to the 'usual' Kingfisher pose there Jeff. Yeah couldn't sleep last night at all. Today is the day though :) Must thank Dannyd a fellow forum member for offering to sell me his 1D III. I'd truly be sitting here with nothing and end up with a really scruffy one if he hadn't got in contact :)

Can't pretend I'm not a little nervous at the prospect of using a pro body when I've only been shooting for just under two years. However, it's been a natural progression from my first DSLR (600D in June 2012) to the 1D. In fact lol this time last year I was still using the 600D. I never got the 7D till Aug 2013. Some would argue I've not spent enough time with the same camera to gell with it, but time will tell I guess on this one :)

[Cyberman]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

Today is the day though :) Must thank Dannyd a fellow forum member for offering to sell me his 1D III. I'd truly be sitting here with nothing and end up with a really scruffy one if he hadn't got in contact :)

I hope with new camera body you are able to get back to enjoying your photography and not worrying about the kit.

[Jock]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

Paul, you do realise there are several people sitting here, holding their breath, waiting on the first batch of photographs from you with the new camera! :-)