Nikon 200-500/5.6 VR Lens....... post your photos!

Fortkentdad

Senior Member
birding at camp st louis -0006-DSC_8175.jpg

Shot handheld in the late evening sun
 

Fortkentdad

Senior Member
Birding with 1.4 TC-0011-DSC_8475.jpg

Shot with the Kenko T.C. attached - I expected the birds to be much further out than they were - come ready to shot long and they are all gathered by the shore - go figure.
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
It's odd your EXIF isn't showing up. Not even the prompt to indicate no exif. I even changed pages and came back to try again.
Not my fault as I just used the "My photos" button in the left bottom corner of the text box. The original image is in the "Post your birds" sub forum. Maybe this will get you the image with the exif.
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
Not my fault as I just used the "My photos" button in the left bottom corner of the text box. The original image is in the "Post your birds" sub forum. Maybe this will get you the image with the exif.

Yes, I can see the EXIF in the other thread. Thanks for letting me know. It's the first time I ever remember seeing an image that displays absolutely nothing. I've never used that feature. Usually I go into the Manage My Attachments section and add them inline.
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
View attachment 292950


love how I can get focus even on a small bird in the midst of the thicket

Not sure if you are set for using AF-C, but use AF-S with a single point. Focus on the bird and while keeping the button pressed partway, you can recompose if necessary.

If you are in AF-C, the point might focus elsewhere. Or if you are using AF-C with multiple focus points, it might focus in front or behind the bird. The other problem with AF-C is if it is set for release priority rather than focus priority, the shutter will actuate even if the image isn't in focus. AF-S is set to focus priority by default. AF-C is set to release priority by default. These setting can also be changed in your menu but means you might miss more shots in focus priority. The camera won't fire if it doesn't think an image is in focus. AF-C allows faster actuations but not all will be in focus.

Birds in trees is definitely a difficult situation because of all the branches. It's one of the most difficult things to photograph because the opportunity is so limited. But even if you are in AF-C, I'd suggest single point over the options of multiple points. I don't like using multiple points because of the possibility of front or back focusing if one of the points falls on something nearby.

So my suggestions are either:

AF-S with single point in Focus Priority - camera won't fire unless the subject under the point is in focus.
AF-C with single point in Focus Priority - camera won't fire unless the subject under the point is in focus.
AF-C with single point in Release Priority - if you are currently using AF-C with multiple points, this one might be the best choice. The camera might still yield some out of focus images, but you can fire continuously and the fastest until your buffer fills.
 

Fortkentdad

Senior Member
Not sure if you are set for using AF-C, but use AF-S with a single point. Focus on the bird and while keeping the button pressed partway, you can recompose if necessary. ,,,,,

I'm using back button focus(es) on the D500. So if I press the AF-ON button I'm in single point focus - if I just use the shutter I'm in AF-C, and if I press the centre of the joy stick it recentres the focus to the centre focus point.

When in AF-C it is focus then release, in AF-S it is release.

Shutter release button AE-L is "off"

This D500 has a lot more shooting options than my D610 or D7100 has and learning what works best for me is taking some time - still in year one with this baby.

For sure shooting birds in the bush, especially small ones that are similar in colour to the branches, is tricky and I do get as many hits as misses ( have it on CL for burst of shots just to be sure - makes for lots of "deletes" but then you get that one shot where the bird looks right at you (or you grand kids give that precious smile for a fleeting second).

Having gone to BBF with my D610 I don't see myself not using BBF

I also play around with the number of focus points to be used - 25 - 72 or all 153? Have not played with 3D focus much. Still lots to learn about this camera

As for recomposing with shooting tiny birds in a bush at 500 mm - I'm happy when the bird is in the frame - these are seriously cropped images - this is a screen snipe of the image (no processing at all)

0445 house wren full frame in camera.jpg
 

Davoxt

Senior Member
Contributor
My first outing to a wetland area with my new lens, seems sharp straight out of the box all hand held and the stink where the storks where nesting was unbelievably bad.
Black Bird-2.jpgNesting Birds.jpg
Nesting Grounds.jpgDuck Bird.jpg
Swan Chick's Closer.jpg

Cheers
Davoxt
 
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