Live view for wildlife/action photography?

[sk66]

I've seen a lot of comments about how a flippy screen can be a major benefit for wildlife photography... and I can see the benefit if it minimizes the need for me to lay on the ground in muck/mud/etc.
Because I am old and battered, it takes me 4x as long to get back up and it hurts like hell sometimes. So I thought I would try it using an external monitor. I also tried it in LiveView without the external monitor thinking I might upgrade to a camera w/ a flippy screen if it helps/works.

However, it seems that my Nikons abandon AF/tracking during the exposure(s) while the LCD/monitor is blacked out... makes sense that CDAF would be lost. To me this makes LiveView photography about useless with most wildlife/action subjects. But I just want to check with others in case I am missing something... there's not much in the manuals or on the web that I could find about this. Is there a setting or something I might have wrong?

I do realize I can record reduced resolution stills (video frames) to avoid this AF issue, is there anything else?

 

[gramps]

LiveView AF is poor with my D850 and I never even bothered to try it with my D500.
For me it is totally unnatural and I always end up moving in the wrong direction, I can't imagine what I would be like trying to use it for tracking a bird in flight.

 

[Kodiak Qc]

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LiveView? Very cool for shots at ground level
or overhead, anything but sports and wildlife
where one has to follow, hunt a subject, Sure,
action shots that are in a fixed position is ok!

 

[Nostromo]

I would have thought (but could be wrong of course) that a mirrorless, such as an A7iii or A9, would overcome this issue, because aren't you looking at exactly what you see in the evf?
But having never used one I wouldn't know if af tracking is still available.

 

[Nod]

For static wildlife, the flippy screen on the Fujis I mainly use is great - as you say, it lets you get the camera down low without the worry (and pain!) of returning to full height. BiF is a different matter though - possible but not easy, although it might improve with practise. Not tried with the D750 - only got 300mm on that so don't use it for wildlife. DO prefer the Nikon for motorsport (over the Fujis) which is the main reason I've kept them as well as the Fujis.

 

[myotis]

I
However, it seems that my Nikons abandon AF/tracking during the exposure(s) while the LCD/monitor is blacked out... makes sense that CDAF would be lost. To me this makes LiveView photography about useless with most wildlife/action subjects. But I just want to check with others in case I am missing something... there's not much in the manuals or on the web that I could find about this. Is there a setting or something I might have wrong?/QUOTE]

I'm not sure how useful this might be, but Mark Smith https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyGYUrC2IvaHWoX6dwEsrMA uses his D850 for wildlife video, (and his D500), and there is the occasional video where he discusses the mechanics of it, and the settings he uses. My hesitance about how useful it might be, is that I haven't paid all that much attention, and I'm not sure how much of the video is really what you would call "action" such as birds in flight, even though a lot of his stills are of BIF.

 

[sk66]

For static wildlife, the flippy screen on the Fujis I mainly use is great - as you say, it lets you get the camera down low without the worry (and pain!) of returning to full height.

I'm not even talking high speed action like BIF... just swimming/splashing ducks, swimming muskrats/mink. Things where multi release and some AF is useful... single shot could be used, but at a major hindrance (IMO).

 

[sk66]

I'm not sure how useful this might be, but Mark Smith https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyGYUrC2IvaHWoX6dwEsrMA uses his D850 for wildlife video, (and his D500), and there is the occasional video where he discusses the mechanics of it, and the settings he uses. My hesitance about how useful it might be, is that I haven't paid all that much attention, and I'm not sure how much of the video is really what you would call "action" such as birds in flight, even though a lot of his stills are of BIF.

Yeah, I am aware of being able to use CDAF with video output (*or 30fps stills!). But that is 1/2 resolution at best... probably enough for web use stills if you fill the frame. *It's also silent, which can be a big benefit for wildlife. That might be something I should play with more, but it's hard for me to accept the loss of resolution.

* "silent live view photography" with the latest generation of Nikons.

 

[sk66]

I would have thought (but could be wrong of course) that a mirrorless, such as an A7iii or A9, would overcome this issue, because aren't you looking at exactly what you see in the evf?
But having never used one I wouldn't know if af tracking is still available.

You're right, an A9 might be a better choice for this, but I don't think I'll switch systems over it though. I normally use an inexpensive right angle viewfinder which helps a lot... I was just hoping an external/flippy screen might be even better.

 

[HoppyUK]

You're right, an A9 might be a better choice for this, but I don't think I'll switch systems over it though. I normally use an inexpensive right angle viewfinder which helps a lot... I was just hoping an external/flippy screen might be even better.

We'll all be using mirrorless one day, the only question is sooner (Sony) or later (Canikon).

IMHO the mirrorless vs DSLR technology is around the tipping point right now. FWIW I've shelved (overdue) plans to replace my current 5D2, pending imminent announcements (at Photokina this autumn?).