My bird shots are just horrible! I need some help!
- Thread starter Mike D90
- Start date
Scott Murray
Senior Member
Still working on this project; getting nice sharp images of flying birds. While I don't think my bird shots to be horrible anymore I sure see room for lots of improvement.
What I am struggling with now is getting foo sharp focus on the head/eyes of a flying bird. I have taken my aperture down to f/8 as advised. Auto focus set to center point AFS continuous.
Is it still my aperture giving me too shallow DOF? How is DOF affected on a zoom lens as it is actually zoomed? Is f/8 at 150mm the same as f/8 at 300mm zoom as to DOF?
What I am struggling with now is getting foo sharp focus on the head/eyes of a flying bird. I have taken my aperture down to f/8 as advised. Auto focus set to center point AFS continuous.
Is it still my aperture giving me too shallow DOF? How is DOF affected on a zoom lens as it is actually zoomed? Is f/8 at 150mm the same as f/8 at 300mm zoom as to DOF?
Mike i feel your pain and frustration.for me i find it nearly impossible to focus on the eye with a bird in flight.could be if i had more larger birds to aim at it would be easier but with the average size of my subjects and the distance they are away ime lucky if i can keep the focus point on the neck.
If I were you, I'd experiment a little using a still subject at varying zoom. Adjusting your aperture a little to test what will give you the shot your after. Then See how it affects your shot at different zoom levels.
It might give you an idea if the zoom does affect the aperture needs, as I think it does.
I think the longer the zoom the bigger the aperture needed to give you the same amount of light. But you likely know more than I do at my current level in photography my friend! Lol
It might give you an idea if the zoom does affect the aperture needs, as I think it does.
I think the longer the zoom the bigger the aperture needed to give you the same amount of light. But you likely know more than I do at my current level in photography my friend! Lol
A video showing how DOF changes with zooming,whilst keeping the same distance and aperture
Change in Depth of Field with Focal Length
Change in Depth of Field with Focal Length
I just stumbled upon this thread, so I apologize for posting in it so late.
Anyway, I just read through 17 pages non stop, and I have to say that the short time I have been here, it is the most informative and inspiring read I have come across.
Kudos to you Mike for not giving up and sticking with it.
Your photos show a great deal of improvement from the date of your first post in this thread.
Anyway, I just read through 17 pages non stop, and I have to say that the short time I have been here, it is the most informative and inspiring read I have come across.
Kudos to you Mike for not giving up and sticking with it.
Your photos show a great deal of improvement from the date of your first post in this thread.
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And I am still working on it. Some of my BIF shots are still bad. Most of my static bird shots are pretty good now as long as I have good light and don't try to "push" a shot that just shouldn't be attampted with the equipment I have.
I hear you. I tried this bird shooting once. I set up a bird feeder, then set up my tripod about 20 feet from it on the front porch. I set up my focus where I thought the birds will be landing, took test shots with a remote shutter thingie.
Then I sat down to wait for the birds. I spent all my Saturday waiting for birds to come by. You think they showed up? No!.. Do you know when they showed up? Right after I packed up all my stuff and brought it in the house.
I got pissed and emptied the bird feeder. That'll show these rat bastards whats what!!:beaten:
Then I sat down to wait for the birds. I spent all my Saturday waiting for birds to come by. You think they showed up? No!.. Do you know when they showed up? Right after I packed up all my stuff and brought it in the house.
I got pissed and emptied the bird feeder. That'll show these rat bastards whats what!!:beaten:
I am going to kind of finish up this thread and not post much more, if any, to this one and continue my learning with the Bird In Flight shots in another area.
So, for those that are following, or will read this one day, here are some of the shots I have achieved lately because of the wonderful help received here!
Some of my best:
So, for those that are following, or will read this one day, here are some of the shots I have achieved lately because of the wonderful help received here!
Some of my best:
I am going to kind of finish up this thread and not post much more, if any, to this one and continue my learning with the Bird In Flight shots in another area.
So, for those that are following, or will read this one day, here are some of the shots I have achieved lately because of the wonderful help received here!
Some of my best:
View attachment 82858
Love the Jay shot too!
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Scott Murray
Senior Member
Yes you can move on from shitty bird shots to excellent bird shots
Yes you can move on from shitty bird shots to excellent bird shots
Well, as we all know, I still get shitty shots too! Just less of them!