400 f/5.6 + 600RT + ST-E3-RT + SB-E2

[Sabaki]

Hey everybody

I've been rather keen to use fill flash for birding ever since seeing Glenn Bartley's tutorial. It will most definitely be a plus for birds under tree canopies or those that are backlit.

I own the ST-E3-RT & 600RT and can pick up the flash bracket (sans cable) for dirt cheap but wondering if this will be practical.

So the flash unit will obviously sit to the right of the camera and I'm wondering if the position, along with the length of the 400mm will cause shadows on my images.

Would this work or should I look at another setup?

Thanks everyone

 

[Loswr]

I'd skip the Canon bracket. Not only is it ungainly, it places the flash very close to the lens axis...and that means a high chance of steel eye (the avian equivalent of red eye).

There are good options from RRS, Wimberley, etc.

 

[privatebydesign]

Agree there, the SB-E2 has to be one of the most overpriced under performing things Canon sell, it is the only thing on earth with the right threaded knob to screw into the threaded hole on the side of the Canon Speedlites though!

There are much better options from third parties.

 

[Sabaki]

Thank you gents!

My search continues!

 

[NancyP]

If you aren't putting your FILL flash on axis (-2 stop FEC, let's say), how do you manage to aim the flash on a mobile subject? I get it about steel-eye problems, but shooting fill in the field, as opposed to a feeder set-up or a pre-set point on a lake (waiting for duck to go past), would be hard if you had to adjust flash positioning and line up the wandering bird at teh same time.

 

[Loswr]

If you aren't putting your FILL flash on axis (-2 stop FEC, let's say), how do you manage to aim the flash on a mobile subject? I get it about steel-eye problems, but shooting fill in the field, as opposed to a feeder set-up or a pre-set point on a lake (waiting for duck to go past), would be hard if you had to adjust flash positioning and line up the wandering bird at teh same time.

The key is to get it as far off-axis as possible. A pop-up flash is very close to the axis and causes red eye whereas a larger Speedlite in the hotshoe often won't. I put my 600EX + Better Beamer on an RRS ring bracket with a 10" extension, so the flash head is ~18" above the lens axis.

 

[NancyP]

Thanks.

 

[Ozarker]

Hey everybody

I've been rather keen to use fill flash for birding ever since seeing Glenn Bartley's tutorial. It will most definitely be a plus for birds under tree canopies or those that are backlit.

I own the ST-E3-RT & 600RT and can pick up the flash bracket (sans cable) for dirt cheap but wondering if this will be practical.

So the flash unit will obviously sit to the right of the camera and I'm wondering if the position, along with the length of the 400mm will cause shadows on my images.

Would this work or should I look at another setup?

Thanks everyone

Many birds use a regular "perches" as they make their rounds through their territory. I set up a 600EX-RT on a Manfrotto Nano stand close to the perch, put my camera on the tripod (ST-E3-RT attached), and then use a second 600EX-RT as the shutter release while I am many yards away from the perch. Just be sure and put a dummy bird on the perch and manual focus it first, then remove the dummy bird before you head into your concealed location. The flash doesn't seem to bother the birds at all. On my end the photos look like crap unless I click on them. If they look weird, give them a click.

These were shot with a Canon 70D, EF 400mm f/5.6L, 600EX-RT x2, and an ST-E3-RT.