Bird Photography Settings For most of your Cameras

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Dappertime

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The camera settings below are designed specifically for bird photography using long lenses (400mm or more) and hand held technique. The settings were designed to allow all types of bird photography without sacrificing anything and without having to change settings other than exposure while in the field. This means you can always be ready for any situation without having to waste time adjusting camera settings. These settings are for a Canon 1D Mark IV, but there are equivilant settings in most camera bodies.

Camera Settings:

1. Manual exposure mode. This is almost a requirement for BIF when you have changing bgs. There are many other reasons as well.

2. AI Servo AF - To allow AF tracking of moving subjects.

3. High speed continous drive. This allows me to shoot in controlled bursts to capture the peak action shots.

4. Center AF point only for BIF against very busy and or close varied bgs. Center AF point plus surrounding AF point expansion for BIF against distant varied bgs or BIF against smooth sky or water bgs. When a variety of bgs are possible, I use center AF point only.

5. Tracking sensitivity set to SLOW. This should be used with bump focus technique.

6. * button set to AF Lock. I use this when shooting still subjects. It allows me to remain in AI Servo AF and center AF point, but still be able to compose images of still subjects in camera. This way I am always ready for action without compromising my ability to compose images of perched birds. I use the shutter button to focus.

7. Contrast set to -2 - this only affects the jpeg used in the camera display. It does not affect the RAW file. This allows you to expose to the right a little tighter. It doesn't affect the RAW file, but does affect the decisions we make about exposure that are based on the LCD image, histogram, and flashing highlight alerts.

Lens Settings:
1. Lens focus limiter switch set to the longest near focus distance. This helps speed up AF in many situations.

2. IS ON - Mode 2
 
I would (do) vary those settings slightly.

1. Manual exposure with Auto ISO - less for my poor little brain to cope with!

2. IS off under any and all circumstances - just do not use IS for BIF. I have experienced failure rates of up to 100% for BIF. using IS - If your shutter speed is high enough for a flying bird then IS is of no use and it slows/impairs AF lock and tracking (confirmed by Canon). If you want to use slow shutter speeds to give a blurred effect on the wings then still turn IS off so that you can get reliable focus on the eye/head. Also IS Mode 2 works for horizontal panning - what if the bird is flying at 45 degrees to you?

I fully agree with most of your suggestions - but IS has cost me far too many shots and washed out a number of trips! About 3 months ago I was at a Canon Expose at my local'ish camera shop (Carmarthen Cameras - great retailer) and the Canon rep was babbling on about how great their latest IS systems were. Unfortunately I didn't have my 800mm with me so we had to make do with a Canon 500 F4 L IS Mk2 (it was the longest lens to hand) - so you cannot use a lens like that hand held without IS! It is just impossible?!? Within a minute or two he was getting sharper shots at 1/160 sec, hand held, with IS off than he could with IS on. He also agreed that the AF was quicker and locked better too.

Sorry - I am not having a go - it is just that my wildlife photography improved dramatically when I used the 3rd IS mode, namely OFF. It works really well and drains your battery less too:)
 
image2.jpg
 
Dappertime said:
The camera settings below are designed specifically for bird photography using long lenses (400mm or more) and hand held technique. The settings were designed to allow all types of bird photography without sacrificing anything and without having to change settings other than exposure while in the field. This means you can always be ready for any situation without having to waste time adjusting camera settings. These settings are for a Canon 1D Mark IV, but there are equivilant settings in most camera bodies.

Camera Settings:

1. Manual exposure mode. This is almost a requirement for BIF when you have changing bgs. There are many other reasons as well.

2. AI Servo AF - To allow AF tracking of moving subjects.

3. High speed continous drive. This allows me to shoot in controlled bursts to capture the peak action shots.

4. Center AF point only for BIF against very busy and or close varied bgs. Center AF point plus surrounding AF point expansion for BIF against distant varied bgs or BIF against smooth sky or water bgs. When a variety of bgs are possible, I use center AF point only.

5. Tracking sensitivity set to SLOW. This should be used with bump focus technique.

6. * button set to AF Lock. I use this when shooting still subjects. It allows me to remain in AI Servo AF and center AF point, but still be able to compose images of still subjects in camera. This way I am always ready for action without compromising my ability to compose images of perched birds. I use the shutter button to focus.

7. Contrast set to -2 - this only affects the jpeg used in the camera display. It does not affect the RAW file. This allows you to expose to the right a little tighter. It doesn't affect the RAW file, but does affect the decisions we make about exposure that are based on the LCD image, histogram, and flashing highlight alerts.

Lens Settings:
1. Lens focus limiter switch set to the longest near focus distance. This helps speed up AF in many situations.

2. IS ON - Mode 2
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are you telling us or asking us?
 
simon ess said:
Just curious - what's your opinion of this photo?
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unfortunately is fails in every respect - it is terrible - even for a non bird, bird image if you see what I mean

Had he not posted the intro to the thread I would not have commented as I would have been accused of being too hard

maybe he is just taking the p1ss
 
That Dove could be a Laughing Dove (Spilopelia senegalensis), I think it is although I have not seen that colouring ... so the OP may not be from Europe unless it is captive, the Bird that is

so your guess is as good as mine .... having a laugh?
 
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I think that his opening post may have been lost in translation ............ he is saying that those are the settings that he uses for Bird photography
 
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Milad

Critique - The Dove .. I think that it is a Laughing Dove

Composition - this is not good, as has been said you have cut the tail off - the perch is not a good one at all, it is not attractive, and the Dove in the background distract the eye - even though you have left space on the left for the bird to look into - it would have been good to leave some space on the right

Camera settings etc., the image is soft, (not a sharpe image) . and it is not clear where the focus point is - the image is also "noisy"

Processing: I'll leave that to others

Have a look at the "Bird" forum - post some images on there, ask for Critique but post your camera settings and says what you think about the image and what you did

Good luck
 
You ask people to restrict the images they post to your facebook page to their own work, but you post other peoples work in this forum? That's a little bit hypocritical. I think you should probably only use your own photographs when asking for critique.
 
Dappertime said:
hornbill.jpg


Well Upclose from my Opening Settings Above
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Your (toco) Toucan ........... the image still lacks sharpness ........ what were your camera settings?

Bit confusing here, if the birds are wild the Toco is S America .... but the Dove is Africa or Asia

Toco must be captive
 
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could have tampered with
BillN_33 said:
Can1D Mk IV is your camera NOT your camera settings
I'm outta here
Click to expand...
Camera Settings:

1. Manual exposure mode. This is almost a requirement for BIF when you have changing bgs. There are many other reasons as well.

2. AI Servo AF - To allow AF tracking of moving subjects.

3. High speed continous drive. This allows me to shoot in controlled bursts to capture the peak action shots.

4. Center AF point only for BIF against very busy and or close varied bgs. Center AF point plus surrounding AF point expansion for BIF against distant varied bgs or BIF against smooth sky or water bgs. When a variety of bgs are possible, I use center AF point only.

5. Tracking sensitivity set to SLOW. This should be used with bump focus technique.

6. * button set to AF Lock. I use this when shooting still subjects. It allows me to remain in AI Servo AF and center AF point, but still be able to compose images of still subjects in camera. This way I am always ready for action without compromising my ability to compose images of perched birds. I use the shutter button to focus.

7. Contrast set to -2 - this only affects the jpeg used in the camera display. It does not affect the RAW file. This allows you to expose to the right a little tighter. It doesn't affect the RAW file, but does affect the decisions we make about exposure that are based on the LCD image, histogram, and flashing highlight alerts.

Lens Settings:
1. Lens focus limiter switch set to the longest near focus distance. This helps speed up AF in many situations.

2. IS ON - Mode 2
 
Dappertime said:
Both Water Marks are for members of my Facebook and WhatsApp Group so its allowed..trying to get your opinions
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No it's not.

Posting other photographers work for critique isn't just against the rules, it's just bad form.

These photographers or their work don't belong to you! Frankly I find your lack of respect for others work abhorrent.
 
Dappertime said:
as I said it's under their consent I did ask first..
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To be honest, I don't know you from Adam, so why would I believe you?

And as you've broken the rules of this site; having you say you have permission to do so really doesn't alter my opinion.
 
Dappertime said:
you can Join https://www.facebook.com/groups/1799747970353959/ i'll accept you then you can ask
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So, the rules of that group prohibit you sharing their images, and the rules here say you shouldn't post others images.

No amount of 'I have permission' is helping you here. Morally and legally you're on shaky ground, and the 'victims' are photographers I don't know but I clearly have more respect for than you do.
 
Phil V said:
So, the rules of that group prohibit you sharing their images, and the rules here say you shouldn't post others images.

No amount of 'I have permission' is helping you here. Morally and legally you're on shaky ground, and the 'victims' are photographers I don't know but I clearly have more respect for than you do.
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my bad then..I'll keep that in mind next time Phil
 
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