Show your Bird Portraits
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Not the best loon picture ever, but this is the untouched image (center crop only) of a shot taken with an SX-50 p/s camera from a kayak while being bounced around in whitecaps. I am very surprised that it came out as good as it did. I'll have to play with the RAW file when I get home....
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Went out today to try and practice/learn BIF. Tried the suggestions made by this forum and I'm starting to improve and get some keepers (I hope).Best 3 out of about 60 tries (in some shots, the bird wasn't even in the frame 
). 7D, 70-200L/2.8 @100,130mm ISO100, TV 1/800s, Aperture 2.8-4.0, hand held, cropped, DPP. Comments to help me improve are welcome. Thanks. 
). 7D, 70-200L/2.8 @100,130mm ISO100, TV 1/800s, Aperture 2.8-4.0, hand held, cropped, DPP. Comments to help me improve are welcome. Thanks. Attachments
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Nice Job! With my 7D I rarely shoot BIF under 1/1600th sec. You may try that for even sharper imagery and ISO 200.serendipidy said:Went out today to try and practice/learn BIF. Tried the suggestions made by this forum and I'm starting to improve and get some keepers (I hope).Best 3 out of about 60 tries (in some shots, the bird wasn't even in the frame
Have you tried changing your AF to the back button instead of the shutter button? Also, just wondering what AF mode you're using? Once I got used to panning and getting the bird in the image more often, I found the single AF point worked better for me than the expansion point... Expansion seems to capture a few more images but I found the single AF point will give me better, sharper images when I do get them in the viewfinder... Spot AF is very difficult to use for BIF on the 7D but great for static shots...
Looking forward to seeing more of your BIF work and the progress you're making. Looks like you're off to a wonderful start! Congratulations!
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Well I think you are getting there. Keep it up. And I'm jealous that you have a pet Heron!serendipidy said:Went out today to try and practice/learn BIF. Tried the suggestions made by this forum and I'm starting to improve and get some keepers (I hope).Best 3 out of about 60 tries (in some shots, the bird wasn't even in the frame
Cheers Brian
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Krob78 said:Nice Job! With my 7D I rarely shoot BIF under 1/1600th sec. You may try that for even sharper imagery and ISO 200.serendipidy said:Went out today to try and practice/learn BIF. Tried the suggestions made by this forum and I'm starting to improve and get some keepers (I hope).Best 3 out of about 60 tries (in some shots, the bird wasn't even in the frame
Have you tried changing your AF to the back button instead of the shutter button? Also, just wondering what AF mode you're using? Once I got used to panning and getting the bird in the image more often, I found the single AF point worked better for me than the expansion point... Expansion seems to capture a few more images but I found the single AF point will give me better, sharper images when I do get them in the viewfinder... Spot AF is very difficult to use for BIF on the 7D but great for static shots...
Looking forward to seeing more of your BIF work and the progress you're making. Looks like you're off to a wonderful start! Congratulations!
Thanks Ken.
I have been trying different settings. Those were TV priority @1/800 (I lowered the speed trying to get higher aperture for deeper DOF). Had auto ISO (thought it would get higher than 100). AI servo with manual select AF:zone AF (center zone). I was missing so many shots on expanded point that I switched to zone. Need to practice more on panning so I can do single point AF. Had partial metering set for exposure.
I have never tried back button focus, but recently read on CR how useful it is. I will try to set my camera for that and learn how to do it. Thanks again for your advice.
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bjd said:Well I think you are getting there. Keep it up. And I'm jealous that you have a pet Heron!serendipidy said:Went out today to try and practice/learn BIF. Tried the suggestions made by this forum and I'm starting to improve and get some keepers (I hope).Best 3 out of about 60 tries (in some shots, the bird wasn't even in the frame
Cheers Brian
Thanks Brian. I just found out my heron is two timing me with a homeowner several houses away :'(
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I guess this thread has developed from a 'portrait only' to include BIF. I'm stoked to be able to contribute, up until now 95% of my shots have been in the Denver Zoo, but this month I got a 7D primarily for shooting kids sports.
It may be the most expensive $850 I've ever spent because the 70-200 f4 IS is the longest lens I have. The last 3 were with a 1.4TC.
First one was taken a couple of years ago from a bedroom window. The others recently at Ferril lake in Downtown Denver.
#1. hawk? sorry my expertise is still minimal (EDIT: just found a picture, I think it might be a Young-ish Cooper's Hawk). T1i, 70-200 f4 IS @ 200mm f4 1/30s ISO400 (got lots of blurry shots)
#2 BCN Heron. 7D 70-200 f4 IS + 1.4TC I @ 280mm f5.6 1/6400s ISO:800
#3 American White Pelican f5.6 1/2500s ISO:400
#4 Snowy Egrets jostling for the prime spot, f5.6 1/1000s ISO:800 (probably had a polarizer on)
Still trying to figure out the best combination of shutter speed and ISO for BIF shots, but tending towards ISO:800 because with NR the noise is manageable and my tracking needs work.
It may be the most expensive $850 I've ever spent because the 70-200 f4 IS is the longest lens I have. The last 3 were with a 1.4TC.
First one was taken a couple of years ago from a bedroom window. The others recently at Ferril lake in Downtown Denver.
#1. hawk? sorry my expertise is still minimal (EDIT: just found a picture, I think it might be a Young-ish Cooper's Hawk). T1i, 70-200 f4 IS @ 200mm f4 1/30s ISO400 (got lots of blurry shots)
#2 BCN Heron. 7D 70-200 f4 IS + 1.4TC I @ 280mm f5.6 1/6400s ISO:800
#3 American White Pelican f5.6 1/2500s ISO:400
#4 Snowy Egrets jostling for the prime spot, f5.6 1/1000s ISO:800 (probably had a polarizer on)
Still trying to figure out the best combination of shutter speed and ISO for BIF shots, but tending towards ISO:800 because with NR the noise is manageable and my tracking needs work.
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