Thank you Jan for the video.I have moved to a bungalow in the UK which means I have now got start again with getting birds into the garden.I am disabled and sometimes struggle to get out so your videos are a life line. I have built a couple of bird boxes and I have a bird feeder all ready to go and will be adjusting my lenses soon. Keep the videos coming look forward to the next ones.
Great tips - a couple I've really never considered before were heat haze and that a doubler works better on fixed focal length lenses. The LensAlign was a new one for me. Suggesting shutter speeds was another enlightening tip. Great video!
Thank you so much, this clears up a lot of things for me. I've just come back from a break where I photographed birds and whales around the Saphire Coast and Green Cape lighthouse ( Ben Boyd NP), I was so disappointed with a lot of my shots but now of course I realise my mistakes and half were the weather and time of day. The fact that I don't get a lot of time behind the camera doesn't help wither. Thanks Jan.
Great tips and excellent quality photography. I mainly shoot bird videos and rarely use a tripod as I'm usually clambering through bushes or need to get the shot really quickly otherwise the bird has gone. If I shoot mid length zoom then the camera stabilisation is pretty good but on full zoom it's more tricky.
I really appreciate your video and have subscribed to your channel. I learned a few things from this one alone. I like how you talk so it is easy to understand
Good as always and is good from a reminder point of view. You can watch and take action next time out but as with a lot of things we tend to forget. So it's a good reminder to keep us on the ball.
Thanks Jan. I've just moved to Fuji system and my 100-400 arrived today. I was disappointed with my first shots and obviously because I have broken lots of these rules! I'll make some changes next time.
Great vid. And fantastic birds. Not sure which is better ! A question. You said high shutter speed and don’t shoot full open. So do you shoot on Manual ? Or is there a clever way to have say 1/1000 plus f8 min and let the camera choose ISO ? I use a 6D and 100-400 4.5 - 5.6 USM II lense. Could do with bracketing, but a bit of a fav.
@@dilanjayawickrama2469 Not necessarily. It helps to use the correct points to keep the focus on the bird's head, but the point themselves don't affect sharpness. The AF Microadjustment I talk about, does though
The direction of light can also add to the perceived sharpness of a photo. For example, quarter light can really add micro-contrast to feathers, as long it is not too harsh :)
Thank Jan, lots of useful info as always, great. I am still struggling with a hand-me-down D7100 and a 55-200mm kit lens, I really enjoy trying to get a picture a day, and look forward to improving. All the best from the Bahamas, cheers mate.
Hey Peter, shooting with a 55-200 kit lens can be very challenging to get similar results to a 600mm. I was in this boat for 3 years. I have a YT vid over on my channel about it. Feel free to go check it out. 😊
Enjoyed this video as per usual. Some excellent reminders, I normally shoot from a tripod, especially as I have an old heavy 600mm lens. Normally i would shoot at f5.6 so I am keen to try your suggestion of F8, with my 7d mk ii I try to keep the ISO to 800 but will go to 1250 at a push. Perhaps I lose a bit of sharpness but generally I am extremely happy with my sharpness. For BiF i shoot with a 300mm F2.8 lens, also an older version. I do have some amazing shots handheld even with an extender (1.4) attached. I may add all my lenses are micro adjusted.Thanks for the promised videos over the next few weeks, I look forward to them.
Wonderful video..... absolutely loved it. I have one query.... Why we should not used a extender to a zoom lens ??? yes, you have said this on your video but i would to improve more knowledge on this. what if am on a 200-500 mm Nikon lens and i am shooting on constant 500 mm with a extender? What will be the effect on the image ?
Hi Jan excellent informative video even for experience photographers, can I ask a vexing question when you have the long lens on the tripod do you also have the image stabilization set ON or Off, I know that some cameras detect the stabilisation and close it, I personally have found that a long lens on a good tripod I can see slight vibration , you comment would be appreciated
Excellent video: really well explained and stunning samples - this clarified a lot! Thank you so much. Question: what Focus Mode (single AF or continuous AF) and AF-Area Mode (pinpoint, single point, dynamic area, wide area, auto-area) do you use?
Great video thanks! I definitely learned some useful info for my bird shots. I’m new to high def bird photography/videography. I use a Sony A6600 with a 100-400mm with a 1.4x converter. I’m seriously considering getting the 200-600mm as well. Do you have any go-to settings for video? I want to get high quality slow motion shots fully zoomed in?
Jan Wegener Great thanks! The Sony A6600 does 120 FPS so I will give it a try and tag you on IG so you can see it. Also the A7S3 is coming out soon - so excited to add that to my camera arsenal in Oct/Dec.
Hi Jan , many thanks for a great video. with regards to shutter speed you say use a higher speed on a tripod with flying birds than hand held? surely it would be the opposite ? thanks
What I was referring to is the pre-focusing method I sometimes use. Where I pre-focus on a spot and then just fire away, when the bird shoots through the viewfinder. Because my camera is stationary and the bird moving fast, I need really high SS to freeze the action. When I am handholding on the other hand, I am panning with the bird. Because the bird and me are moving in the same direction at a similar speed, my shutter speed can be lower to achieve a sharp shot. I am talking about this in detail in my latest video. ua-cam.com/video/ne-vkwitp9k/v-deo.html
John Bishop thanks! Interesting point. I am using different ones, but I am not sure how much it influences sharpness. It certainly helps you to stay on the subject better
Beautiful shots. I noticed you use a flash extender of some kind but made no mention of it in these tips. Maybe do a vid about how and when you use it?
Jan I like to tell people that if you're using any stabilized lenses number 1 mode id for sitting still Birds , number 2 mode is used for moving birds like birds in flight , you might want to add that to your next videos for doing sharp images .
I almost never go out of mode 1. Generally I feel like when i track birds I still have a lot of up and down movement as well, where Mode one overall has given me at least similar results to mode 2, so I usually leave it in mode 1.
Thanks for the tips Jan another excellent video. I use a software tool called Reikan FoCal Pro to do my lens calibration as I find it easier. A bit expensive but does the job well.
Another great video Jan, I really do look forward to your uploads as I am a keen photographer who does a little Wildlife work. I doubt if I will ever get images to match yours, but the advice you offer should increase my chances of getting better images. Thanks again ......Joe
Great video and thanks for the tips. I'm brand new to bird photographer. Today was my forth day. Lovin' it. The one tip you gave is to use a tripod which I would love to do. If I'm on a hike, though, and all of a sudden a bird shows up how do you use the tripod. How do you keep up or do you just get to a spot and wait for the birds to come your way? Thanks.
Hey, Glad it was helpful! That's the one time a tripod can be a bit of a hindrance, but it also depends on the lens you are using. A smaller lighter lens, requires less of a tripod than the big guns. Personally, I like to set up and have the birds come to me, that less stressful for both parties. When I stalk birds, I sometimes ditch the tripod as well, for ease of use, however, the moment the birds stays in one spot for a bit longer, I instantly regret not having one.
Brief and concise ...no beating about the Bush..👍👍👍
Hemant Kharkongor that’s how I like it 😆
Hemant Kharkongor that’s how I like it
Thank you Jan for the video.I have moved to a bungalow in the UK which means I have now got start again with getting birds into the garden.I am disabled and sometimes struggle to get out so your videos are a life line. I have built a couple of bird boxes and I have a bird feeder all ready to go and will be adjusting my lenses soon. Keep the videos coming look forward to the next ones.
Great to hear Bob, I hope you will get birds coming in soon! I will push hard to pump the vids out faster
I love that you showed examples for everything you spoke about. Thank you!
Amanda Kay thanks! Trying to keep it easy to understand
No.1 photography. 👌👍👍🙏
Bhalchandra Kapatkar 😊😊
Beautiful photos and nice basic tips. Thanks.
Dr. Siddharth Lakhotia thank you
So good Jan.
Thanks :)
Thank you a lot, Jan!
I will have lots of time to watch again all your videos...
I hope everybody stays well!
thank you, stay safe
Top tips, Jan, thanks so much for sharing!
thanks Steve
Awesome tips. Very helpful. Thank you.
thank you!
Well done. Lots of great tips.
thanks mate
Fantastic Jan you answered everything that had been puzzling me just of late. Cheer's :)
great to hear
Great video and tips. Thank You...
Thanks, much appreciated!
Outstanding pictures you taking love the way you teach you make lots of sense
Thanks, much appreciated!
Thanks Jan. Great video. Always learn a bucket load of excellence from your videos. Keep ‘em coming.
Simon Ashfield-Smith thanks Simon, will do!
Thanks for sharing Jan !
My pleasure!
Thank you for the suggestions tips. Great photos too
Thanks for watching!
Another excellent video. Thank's Jan. Love your easy relaxed style and you don't talk down to us mere mortals.
Colin Huon great to hear. We all learn our whole life and I started at some stage not knowing how to use a camera....
Great video Jan thanks
thanks Kim
Great tips - a couple I've really never considered before were heat haze and that a doubler works better on fixed focal length lenses. The LensAlign was a new one for me. Suggesting shutter speeds was another enlightening tip. Great video!
Thanks! Glad I could give you some pointers
!! Your tips are really really very nice, thank you for your time !!
My pleasure!
Another great video mate, plenty of good advice there. 👍
Duade Paton thanks mate
Thank you so much, this clears up a lot of things for me. I've just come back from a break where I photographed birds and whales around the Saphire Coast and Green Cape lighthouse ( Ben Boyd NP), I was so disappointed with a lot of my shots but now of course I realise my mistakes and half were the weather and time of day. The fact that I don't get a lot of time behind the camera doesn't help wither. Thanks Jan.
Glad it was helpful!
Absolutely to the point....thanks...
thank you!
Great tips and excellent quality photography. I mainly shoot bird videos and rarely use a tripod as I'm usually clambering through bushes or need to get the shot really quickly otherwise the bird has gone. If I shoot mid length zoom then the camera stabilisation is pretty good but on full zoom it's more tricky.
yes, the longer your focal length the more the movement shows up.
Great tips that we tend to forget .. especially the time of day shots depending where you are. Thank you for continuing this ..
David Sigafoos yes, especially it hot places the window for good shots can be minimal
@@jan_wegener I find the heat waves a hard thing to remember as you cant always see them. Thanks again
Excellent tips, thank you 👍
Glad it was helpful!
I really appreciate your video and have subscribed to your channel. I learned a few things from this one alone. I like how you talk so it is easy to understand
Thanks for the sub! Glad I could give you some helpful tips. I try to keep it real and relevant, and not very technical.
Good as always and is good from a reminder point of view. You can watch and take action next time out but as with a lot of things we tend to forget. So it's a good reminder to keep us on the ball.
yes mate, it's often the little things that can make a big difference.
Thanks Jan. I've just moved to Fuji system and my 100-400 arrived today.
I was disappointed with my first shots and obviously because I have broken lots of these rules! I'll make some changes next time.
Yes, there's many things that go into it and are important to get sharp shots. Glad I could help
Good tips my friend 👌👍
thanks a lot!
I really appreciated that you provided example photos along the way. Thanks!
Mike Lynds trying my best to keep it visual and easy to understand. Thanks!
Another great video Jan. Thank you so much for taking the time and effort.
much appreciate your comment Neil
Great video. Inspiring and spurs me on to try harder. Needed that. Thanks.
great to hear!
Useful tips and beautiful birds
Many many thanks
Amazing Advice... straight to the point and very good at the same time .. keep up the good work ...
Great you liked it, thanks!
Brilliant tips, that I REALLY needed! Thanks for sharing.
Adrienne West that’s great to hear Adrienne
Lovely imagss, great tips thanks
Glad you enjoyed it
Thanks Jan, planning a birding trip over the weekend, and looking forward to shooting at F8.
Good Luck!
Great vid. And fantastic birds. Not sure which is better !
A question. You said high shutter speed and don’t shoot full open.
So do you shoot on Manual ?
Or is there a clever way to have say 1/1000 plus f8 min and let the camera choose ISO ?
I use a 6D and 100-400 4.5 - 5.6 USM II lense.
Could do with bracketing, but a bit of a fav.
I always shoot manual
ua-cam.com/video/yxm7HQ37kXY/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/dicPTGRL45E/v-deo.html
Many thanks Jan for the great informative video, I follow your work since the BPN times!
wow, that's a long time back. Good to hear!
Thank you again for more great tips. stay safe .
cheers Chris. You too
thank you for those great tips. thumbs up brother.
thank you!
I’m new to bird photography so all this was great info. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
This is the first video am watching. Subscribed. Period.
great :) There's a lot more good ones :D
Awesome Video,
Doing Bird Photography recently,
Very Helpful,
Many Thanks
Great to hear!
Thanks,very well done, and great pictures!
Thanks, much appreciated
Excellent advice, as always. Thank you.
thanks John!
Excellent tutorial thank you!
glad you liked it Tony
Great tips，thanks
cheers :)
Great video. Thanks for it!
glad you enjoyed it
Brill and spot on, thanks!
Glad you liked it!
Thank you Jan. Lots of good info in a very professionally produced video. The audio is also superb.
Thanks a lot :) Was definitely worth it to invest into better audio gear!
Good advice Jan. . .
glad you liked it Bruce
Very useful tips!
Glad you think so!
Thanks Jan, that was very helpful. Attempting some bird photography today so that’s tips especially aperture was very handy to know!
Great!
Great video, very helpful and some truly stunning photos...wish I had your skills as well as your prime lens!
flotinaway hehe, no one starts like that, me included. It’s a long process of continuous learning
Very informative, thank you.
John Lewis great to hear 😊
Cheers Jan! Some awesome tips in here.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks!
Excellent video - Thank you.
Glad you liked it!
Thank you this was a great help.
that's fantastic to hear, thanks
Excellent video Jan.
Thank you very much!
@@jan_wegener I am glad that came across your work and I will be sharing your work with a few other budding novice bird photographers.
@@djpodesta awesome. Great to hear, much appreciated
Perfect tips.... I was struggling with this sharpnes ... now I can try again 👍🙂
Glad I could help! Thanks for your comment
@@jan_wegener I remembered you didn't mention anything about focus points , I trust they also play a key roll to get a very sharp shot, isnt' it ?
@@dilanjayawickrama2469 Not necessarily. It helps to use the correct points to keep the focus on the bird's head, but the point themselves don't affect sharpness. The AF Microadjustment I talk about, does though
Ok tks for the info. I tried n couldn't find how to do sharpnes test on Cannon 5D mark iv, my lens is Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM
- thank you.
Interesting that 20 years ago we did very well with a manual camera and Kodachrome 64 on a good sunny day. Good job.
Well, once upon a time a horse was also good enough to get us from A to B :D
Wow great pictures. So glad I bought the 400 mm Nikon prime 4.5. Isn't the focus tool only for DSLR not Mirrorless
The direction of light can also add to the perceived sharpness of a photo. For example, quarter light can really add micro-contrast to feathers, as long it is not too harsh :)
Jay19876 👍
Thanks Jan. Liked and subscribed mate.
Awesome, thank you!
Do you have video on what setting use for Canon 5D Mark IV for bird in flight or general for bird photography? Thank you
there are some about back button focus and birds in flights from a few years ago
So helpful and well said. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for sharing. Learnt s lot
Glad to hear that, thanks a lot Greg
Great tips as always, thanks!
René Schmitz thanks!!
Great tips Jan. I'd love to take a bird photo as good as yours one day
thanks! With lots of hard work I am sure you will be able to
Thank Jan, lots of useful info as always, great. I am still struggling with a hand-me-down D7100 and a 55-200mm kit lens, I really enjoy trying to get a picture a day, and look forward to improving. All the best from the Bahamas, cheers mate.
Peter Kemp thanks Peter. That’s the most important thing,though, use what you have an get out there. This the best way to improve
Hey Peter, shooting with a 55-200 kit lens can be very challenging to get similar results to a 600mm. I was in this boat for 3 years. I have a YT vid over on my channel about it. Feel free to go check it out. 😊
Enjoyed this video as per usual. Some excellent reminders, I normally shoot from a tripod, especially as I have an old heavy 600mm lens. Normally i would shoot at f5.6 so I am keen to try your suggestion of F8, with my 7d mk ii I try to keep the ISO to 800 but will go to 1250 at a push. Perhaps I lose a bit of sharpness but generally I am extremely happy with my sharpness. For BiF i shoot with a 300mm F2.8 lens, also an older version. I do have some amazing shots handheld even with an extender (1.4) attached. I may add all my lenses are micro adjusted.Thanks for the promised videos over the next few weeks, I look forward to them.
Kirk West thanks Kirk 😊
Wonderful video..... absolutely loved it. I have one query.... Why we should not used a extender to a zoom lens ??? yes, you have said this on your video but i would to improve more knowledge on this. what if am on a 200-500 mm Nikon lens and i am shooting on constant 500 mm with a extender? What will be the effect on the image ?
Hey, thanks. I am recommending against the use of extenders on zoom lenses, because usability and image quality suffer too much
Great video!
thank you
Hi Jan excellent informative video even for experience photographers, can I ask a vexing question when you have the long lens on the tripod do you also have the image stabilization set ON or Off, I know that some cameras detect the stabilisation and close it, I personally have found that a long lens on a good tripod I can see slight vibration , you comment would be appreciated
Hey,
I always leave it on and it makes a big difference. You just have to turn it off, if you ever do long exposure stuff
Ok I'm waiting Next video 🥰🥰🥰
There are lots to come. I am just working on a big video that has taken up all my time. Next week I will post a new video here!
interesting video
Glad you think so!
Fantastic, thank you.
Steve Ransome you’re welcome Steve 😊
Excellent video: really well explained and stunning samples - this clarified a lot! Thank you so much.
Question: what Focus Mode (single AF or continuous AF) and AF-Area Mode (pinpoint, single point, dynamic area, wide area, auto-area) do you use?
Always continuous and with mirrorless usually eye tracking
Great video thanks! I definitely learned some useful info for my bird shots. I’m new to high def bird photography/videography. I use a Sony A6600 with a 100-400mm with a 1.4x converter. I’m seriously considering getting the 200-600mm as well. Do you have any go-to settings for video? I want to get high quality slow motion shots fully zoomed in?
Thank you.
It depends on your camera, to get nice slow-mo you will need a cam that does at least 50/60 fps or better 100/120 fps
Jan Wegener Great thanks! The Sony A6600 does 120 FPS so I will give it a try and tag you on IG so you can see it. Also the A7S3 is coming out soon - so excited to add that to my camera arsenal in Oct/Dec.
Man so good to see nature from you! I am a bird photographer.. but too much to learn from you! God bless you!
So nice of you
Hi Jan , many thanks for a great video. with regards to shutter speed you say use a higher speed on a tripod with flying birds than hand held? surely it would be the opposite ? thanks
What I was referring to is the pre-focusing method I sometimes use. Where I pre-focus on a spot and then just fire away, when the bird shoots through the viewfinder. Because my camera is stationary and the bird moving fast, I need really high SS to freeze the action. When I am handholding on the other hand, I am panning with the bird. Because the bird and me are moving in the same direction at a similar speed, my shutter speed can be lower to achieve a sharp shot.
I am talking about this in detail in my latest video.
ua-cam.com/video/ne-vkwitp9k/v-deo.html
@@jan_wegener Hi Jan thanks for your quick reply and your explanation I understand now and thanks for another great video :]
@@johnwright619 thanks!
You are an inspiration! Love your work. What about selecting the right AF points for sharp images?
John Bishop thanks! Interesting point. I am using different ones, but I am not sure how much it influences sharpness. It certainly helps you to stay on the subject better
Beautiful shots. I noticed you use a flash extender of some kind but made no mention of it in these tips. Maybe do a vid about how and when you use it?
Chris Hare it’s your lucky day 😁
ua-cam.com/video/Gb7e2cfgrPg/v-deo.html
@@jan_wegener Thanks! Got my sub.
I do like this tips thanks for sharing
Glad you like them!
Not a single second wasted watching your video;) Cheers from A.P.
great to hear :)
Perfect advice.
thanks mate
Do you use single auto focus point? Or cluster? Thanks.
Single,, but often with the few points around is activated
Good one thank you sir
Most welcome
Jan I like to tell people that if you're using any stabilized lenses number 1 mode id for sitting still Birds , number 2 mode is used for moving birds like birds in flight , you might want to add that to your next videos for doing sharp images .
I almost never go out of mode 1. Generally I feel like when i track birds I still have a lot of up and down movement as well, where Mode one overall has given me at least similar results to mode 2, so I usually leave it in mode 1.
Great Tips Jan. Thank you . Can you explain about the flash details ? How bird is perching on a tree branch even after you fire the flash ?
most birds don't care about the flash. I made a video about it. ua-cam.com/video/Gb7e2cfgrPg/v-deo.html
Thanks for the tips Jan another excellent video. I use a software tool called Reikan FoCal Pro to do my lens calibration as I find it easier. A bit expensive but does the job well.
David Woolcock interesting, i will check it out
Great tips ! I have subscribed to your channel. Keep these tips on bird photography coming please ! Gino
Thanks! I will. At least one per week :)
Another great video Jan, I really do look forward to your uploads as I am a keen photographer who does a little Wildlife work. I doubt if I will ever get images to match yours, but the advice you offer should increase my chances of getting better images. Thanks again ......Joe
Thanks for your comment Joe. It's great to hear that my videos help people.
lots of good info! thank you!!
Glad it was helpful!
Brilliant! Thank You : )
You're very welcome!
amazing video 😍 thanks a lot 🤝 i have problem is in my Country the weather is very bad all the time 🤪💔🤣
nader fahd hehe yes, in some places the window of opportunity is quite small
Ned Delic thanks Ned 🌺
very useful, i like it.
Glad it was helpful!
Great video and thanks for the tips. I'm brand new to bird photographer. Today was my forth day. Lovin' it. The one tip you gave is to use a tripod which I would love to do. If I'm on a hike, though, and all of a sudden a bird shows up how do you use the tripod. How do you keep up or do you just get to a spot and wait for the birds to come your way? Thanks.
Hey,
Glad it was helpful! That's the one time a tripod can be a bit of a hindrance, but it also depends on the lens you are using. A smaller lighter lens, requires less of a tripod than the big guns. Personally, I like to set up and have the birds come to me, that less stressful for both parties. When I stalk birds, I sometimes ditch the tripod as well, for ease of use, however, the moment the birds stays in one spot for a bit longer, I instantly regret not having one.