I was my pleasure and thank you for doing the video. Your wealth of knowledge adds a lot to the discussion. I hope we can put together a podcast in the near future and do more of this type of collaboration.
@@stuartphotography1968 I think it will be fun and hopefully provide some information people will fine useful. Yes, it is a highly customized pontoon boat. Thanks for watching.
Great video Ron. That harness has been a life changer for me with my arm issues I have. I wear that rig everytime I go out as you've seen when you bump into me out there. Great job looking forward to the next video.
Great info thanks. Instead of the pouch and monopod, you can use a tripod with 2 legs (non extended) tucked into either side of your hips/ waist and the other leg central, lifted up away from you (hold it). Try different heads to see which is best. This setup allows you to follow BIF by pivoting your whole body, while the weight is supported down through your legs, a bit like a rucksack with waist belt !
Great video again Ron...a couple of points regarding the lens mount. Since I'm a birder, my standard setup is binoculars, Spotting Scope on a Manrotto fluid head and hide (blind) shelf clamp, R5 with 100-500 and the same manfrotto plate so I can interchange scope and lens quickly if I need to, but I tend to hand hold camera most of the time. Like you, I have the lens mount on top but at 12 o'clock it interferes with the body on release if you ever need to change the lens. Also with the 100-500 you can remove the lens mount but I always find it useful as a handle!
This is a great series. You should do a video on finding your birds. That's where many of us are stuck. Ebird and other forums only go so far. Tell us your secrets...
Great video, guys! Ron, can you do a video giving tips on how to set up a birding boat? I’ve been toying with the idea of getting out on the water to photograph birds. Thanks!
Thanks for the info. I've been dabbling with a lesser monopod and just couldn't quite get it right to make it really useful. Your video and the Wimberly head brought it all together and they are on the way. Your flag pole holder is pure genius, I would have missed that. Thanks again again. By the way tell Mike that John from Reno said Hi!
Don't forget that a tripod works well as a monopod. If we have a tripod, we don't need a monopod. When handholding, it can be a good idea to support the camera on the shoulder. The arm will naturally be supported by the body. In other words, shoot sideways. This also means that one needs the battery back in order to get camera height. I use a tripod a lot of the time, but mainly as a monopod which gives me a lot of flexibility. And I tend to shoot sideways when handholding.
Hi Ron, this is a great video. I went to Japan in 2020 (before Pandemic) to photograph the stellar eagles, etc... all handheld with A9+400mm f2.8 and only occassionally with my travel tripod to mitigate the weight due to waiting game. The body harness is an eye opener! Can't wait to return to FL again.
Hi great insight on options. I have a shoulder injury and could benefit from your harness from my limitations. Can you provide a link to the harness or exact name of it, also the Wimberly model Mount you use and monopod brand and model. I appreciate it.
John, in the description for the video I have links to most of the items you mention. You can find the harness here: www.supplyroom.com/us-military/product/49933/flag-carrier-double-strap-olive-drab-web-with-cloth-pouch
I sell the harnesses. I sell the one you see in the video, which I believe is the best for this application. If you email me at ron@whistlingwingsphotography.com I can give you all the details. Thanks so much for watching and commenting.
Great video is always! I got the flex shooter Pro after watching one of your videos and I really love it also. I use my heavier tripod and gimbal head on my covered deck at home. I have it anchored down so the wind can't knocked over my big lens and Camera combo. The flex shooter and smaller tripod are with me when I'm out in nature. Thanks for the info and best of luck to you guys!
Thanks Ron! I watch all your videos. Maybe do one on tripods? For the times when you do need them. I’ve been researching tripods and trying to find the perfect set of legs. Birds, Nature, landscape. Canon R5 100-500. Sometimes with 1.4 converter. I’m a 5’4” older woman, and new to photography. I’ve got the flexshooter on order now. Any recommendation for minimum leg size for hybrid shooting. I’ve recently been told it’s not so much the weight of the camera and lens as much as the focal distance of the lens to worry about. I do short hikes, but not backpacking any real distance, but want carbon fiber. I’ve been saving for a while now and hope to get one that does everything and lasts for years, I’ve been looking at Gitzo 2545 or 3542/Leofoto LM354 , or Mr Q, PMG TR344, and Sirui W2204. I’m in analysis purgatory right now. I think the center column is a “nice to have too”. Today, I mostly shoot handheld, and have never had a tripod. Thoughts?
Here is my philosophy on tripods. For bird stills (not video) photography you are generally not needing a tripod for stability, but more for holding the weight in scenarios where you would have to hold your combination up for a long time and cannot do so. This is because you are generally using a gimbal head and panning around with the birds anyway. For landscapes you need stability, but you don't need as large of a tripod as you might think to get the stability you need. I have been shooting birds, landscapes, and Milky Way for years using a Gitzo travel series tripod. These tripods have held my Canon 1DxII with 600mm f/4 IS II lens no problem, and you likely are never going to shoot with anything heavier than that. I have abused my Gitzo over many years and it just keeps working just like it was new, so Gitzo is def recommended by me. With the travel type tripods you can always add weight to gain stability if you need it for landscapes or astro. The center column is great to have if you get into situations where you need to fine tune the height of your camera a lot and you are on uneven ground. Much easier and quicker to adjust one center column than three tripod legs. The lightness and portability of the travel size tripods is awesome. So, I would def recommend the Gitzo tripod Traveler, series 2, 4 section tripod. It is basically the one I have used for years, but of course they have changed it a bit over the years. These are just my thoughts, so take them for what they are. Cheers,
Hey Ron, another great informative video. I notice you had camouflage lens covers for your Canon 100-500 rf lens, could you tell me where I could purchase this? Cheers and thanks, Rich.
Some really good advice. I built a chestpod for a bit more mobility than a monopod but the chest brace was a really nice improvement on the concept. Where can you purchase such a brace?
If you are using eye detect with tracking try zone instead. Ripples/waves/water drops and spray can look like eyes to the AF system and it will often grab the water. I have had better luck using Zone as it seems to track the bird's wing movement. Also, if the bird is small in the frame the AF will tend to have trouble especially with eye detect. Don't expect awesome results if the bird is small in the frame against a background like water with waves or ripples. Another thing I have found that really helps is to keep the bird near the center of the frame when tracking it. If you let the bird stray too far toward the edges of the frame or are "all over the place" with your tracking the AF is going to struggle against tough competing backgrounds. Under certain circumstances I use just a center AF point and it is up to me to keep on the bird. For me, this is always a fall back I can go to. The AF system in the R5 is very good, but sometimes you just need to do more of the work yourself and not rely so heavily on the tracking. I hope this helps. If you have not watched my updated set up video for the R5 you might find some settings for the AF that will help. Link to video: ua-cam.com/video/JFZ0J27zSI4/v-deo.html
@@whistlingwingsphotography I hope to come down to go flying ultralight trikes at Zephyrhills FL with my brother this winter. I usually take pictures from the back seat for fun:)
Great video, good job explaining everything. However, unless you got a good or best lens for this type of photography, you can forget about sharp shots with no vignetting, CA and bokeh. What I've found to be the biggest problem when trying to shoot birds in flight is lack of focal range, and if you're using a cheap or old tele or super telephoto lens is that if you crop in, your final image is gonna look like crap. This is why I guess you need to invest in a 10 000 dollar lens(preferably a prime) with low f number and a good TCON.
You talk about acquiring a target I find that you find the target with your eye keep your eye on it and put the camera in front of your eye 99% of time on target using muscle memory.
Hey Ron, thanks for having me. It was a blast.
I was my pleasure and thank you for doing the video. Your wealth of knowledge adds a lot to the discussion. I hope we can put together a podcast in the near future and do more of this type of collaboration.
@@stuartphotography1968 I think it will be fun and hopefully provide some information people will fine useful. Yes, it is a highly customized pontoon boat. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the honest tips that best technique is handheld and learning all others to prepare oneself for all kind of situations.
Thank you gentlemen. Very informative and useful. That flag pole harness is mighty tempting. All the best.
Our pleasure! I am working on a modification to the harness to make a more complete system. I am excited about the prospects.
Some great advice. Thanks guys.
Our pleasure!
Great video Ron, always so interesting to learn with you and your friend.
Great series, very useful tips. Look forward to more
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. Cheers, Ron
Great video Ron. That harness has been a life changer for me with my arm issues I have. I wear that rig everytime I go out as you've seen when you bump into me out there. Great job looking forward to the next video.
Thanks so much, Bill. Yep, I love the harness as well. I use it a lot when shooting video. Take care and see you out there.
Great info thanks.
Instead of the pouch and monopod, you can use a tripod with 2 legs (non extended) tucked into either side of your hips/ waist and the other leg central, lifted up away from you (hold it).
Try different heads to see which is best.
This setup allows you to follow BIF by pivoting your whole body, while the weight is supported down through your legs, a bit like a rucksack with waist belt !
Thanks for the info!
Great video again Ron...a couple of points regarding the lens mount. Since I'm a birder, my standard setup is binoculars, Spotting Scope on a Manrotto fluid head and hide (blind) shelf clamp, R5 with 100-500 and the same manfrotto plate so I can interchange scope and lens quickly if I need to, but I tend to hand hold camera most of the time. Like you, I have the lens mount on top but at 12 o'clock it interferes with the body on release if you ever need to change the lens. Also with the 100-500 you can remove the lens mount but I always find it useful as a handle!
Andy, thanks for the input. Always good to add to the conversation. Cheers, Ron
Thank you Ron, wonderful video as always:)
Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment.
Superb series and yet another useful tutorial, thank you both!
Our pleasure! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment.
Another great video Ron send
Glad you enjoyed it
This is a great series. You should do a video on finding your birds. That's where many of us are stuck. Ebird and other forums only go so far. Tell us your secrets...
Great video, guys! Ron, can you do a video giving tips on how to set up a birding boat? I’ve been toying with the idea of getting out on the water to photograph birds. Thanks!
Great suggestion! I will add that to my to do video list. Thanks for watching and commenting. Always appreciated.
Great advice as usual, it was also nice to hear you mentioning the Pyrenees, that's where I live !
So cool! I hope to get back there some day soon. It is such a wonderful place.
Great video Mike and Ron! I am looking forward to the kingfisher!
Hey, thanks. Me too!
Thanks for the info. I've been dabbling with a lesser monopod and just couldn't quite get it right to make it really useful. Your video and the Wimberly head brought it all together and they are on the way. Your flag pole holder is pure genius, I would have missed that. Thanks again again. By the way tell Mike that John from Reno said Hi!
Hey, thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. I am glad you found something useful in the video. I will tell Mike.
Don't forget that a tripod works well as a monopod. If we have a tripod, we don't need a monopod.
When handholding, it can be a good idea to support the camera on the shoulder. The arm will naturally be supported by the body. In other words, shoot sideways. This also means that one needs the battery back in order to get camera height.
I use a tripod a lot of the time, but mainly as a monopod which gives me a lot of flexibility. And I tend to shoot sideways when handholding.
Hi Ron, this is a great video. I went to Japan in 2020 (before Pandemic) to photograph the stellar eagles, etc... all handheld with A9+400mm f2.8 and only occassionally with my travel tripod to mitigate the weight due to waiting game. The body harness is an eye opener! Can't wait to return to FL again.
Great to hear from you. Thanks for watching and commenting on my video. Always appreciated.
Hi great insight on options. I have a shoulder injury and could benefit from your harness from my limitations. Can you provide a link to the harness or exact name of it, also the Wimberly model Mount you use and monopod brand and model. I appreciate it.
John, in the description for the video I have links to most of the items you mention. You can find the harness here: www.supplyroom.com/us-military/product/49933/flag-carrier-double-strap-olive-drab-web-with-cloth-pouch
Very informative. Could you kindly provide the link to buy the flagpole harness you mentioned in the video?
I sell the harnesses. I sell the one you see in the video, which I believe is the best for this application. If you email me at ron@whistlingwingsphotography.com I can give you all the details. Thanks so much for watching and commenting.
Great tips.
Glad it was helpful!
@@whistlingwingsphotography I am ordering that flag carrier. With the 400mm f2.8 IS version 1… you know I need that. Lol
Great video is always! I got the flex shooter Pro after watching one of your videos and I really love it also. I use my heavier tripod and gimbal head on my covered deck at home. I have it anchored down so the wind can't knocked over my big lens and Camera combo. The flex shooter and smaller tripod are with me when I'm out in nature. Thanks for the info and best of luck to you guys!
Hey, thanks so much for taking the time to comment. It is always appreciated.
Thanks Ron! I watch all your videos. Maybe do one on tripods? For the times when you do need them. I’ve been researching tripods and trying to find the perfect set of legs. Birds, Nature, landscape. Canon R5 100-500. Sometimes with 1.4 converter. I’m a 5’4” older woman, and new to photography. I’ve got the flexshooter on order now. Any recommendation for minimum leg size for hybrid shooting. I’ve recently been told it’s not so much the weight of the camera and lens as much as the focal distance of the lens to worry about. I do short hikes, but not backpacking any real distance, but want carbon fiber. I’ve been saving for a while now and hope to get one that does everything and lasts for years, I’ve been looking at Gitzo 2545 or 3542/Leofoto LM354 , or Mr Q, PMG TR344, and Sirui W2204. I’m in analysis purgatory right now. I think the center column is a “nice to have too”. Today, I mostly shoot handheld, and have never had a tripod. Thoughts?
Here is my philosophy on tripods. For bird stills (not video) photography you are generally not needing a tripod for stability, but more for holding the weight in scenarios where you would have to hold your combination up for a long time and cannot do so. This is because you are generally using a gimbal head and panning around with the birds anyway. For landscapes you need stability, but you don't need as large of a tripod as you might think to get the stability you need. I have been shooting birds, landscapes, and Milky Way for years using a Gitzo travel series tripod. These tripods have held my Canon 1DxII with 600mm f/4 IS II lens no problem, and you likely are never going to shoot with anything heavier than that. I have abused my Gitzo over many years and it just keeps working just like it was new, so Gitzo is def recommended by me. With the travel type tripods you can always add weight to gain stability if you need it for landscapes or astro. The center column is great to have if you get into situations where you need to fine tune the height of your camera a lot and you are on uneven ground. Much easier and quicker to adjust one center column than three tripod legs. The lightness and portability of the travel size tripods is awesome. So, I would def recommend the Gitzo tripod Traveler, series 2, 4 section tripod. It is basically the one I have used for years, but of course they have changed it a bit over the years. These are just my thoughts, so take them for what they are. Cheers,
Excellent, but I do not use battery grip with extra weight , the battery one in my pocket just in case and able to handheld for more time my gear
Yep, the grip does add weight. Nice to have the option to use it or not. Cheers, Ron
Hey Ron, another great informative video. I notice you had camouflage lens covers for your Canon 100-500 rf lens, could you tell me where I could purchase this? Cheers and thanks, Rich.
Richard, this video should answer your questions. Thanks for watching. Link to video: ua-cam.com/video/iM2I-Le_VYU/v-deo.html
Some really good advice. I built a chestpod for a bit more mobility than a monopod but the chest brace was a really nice improvement on the concept. Where can you purchase such a brace?
You can find the harness here: www.supplyroom.com/us-military/product/49933/flag-carrier-double-strap-olive-drab-web-with-cloth-pouch
Just wondering if you have a link for the flagpole holder
www.supplyroom.com/us-military/product/49933/flag-carrier-double-strap-olive-drab-web-with-cloth-pouch
Hey Ron, the R5 with the 100-500 seems to get confused when an osprey dives in the water. It looses focus. Any ideas as how to fix this?
If you are using eye detect with tracking try zone instead. Ripples/waves/water drops and spray can look like eyes to the AF system and it will often grab the water. I have had better luck using Zone as it seems to track the bird's wing movement. Also, if the bird is small in the frame the AF will tend to have trouble especially with eye detect. Don't expect awesome results if the bird is small in the frame against a background like water with waves or ripples. Another thing I have found that really helps is to keep the bird near the center of the frame when tracking it. If you let the bird stray too far toward the edges of the frame or are "all over the place" with your tracking the AF is going to struggle against tough competing backgrounds. Under certain circumstances I use just a center AF point and it is up to me to keep on the bird. For me, this is always a fall back I can go to. The AF system in the R5 is very good, but sometimes you just need to do more of the work yourself and not rely so heavily on the tracking. I hope this helps. If you have not watched my updated set up video for the R5 you might find some settings for the AF that will help. Link to video: ua-cam.com/video/JFZ0J27zSI4/v-deo.html
Where are you guys located and if I’m ever in your area can I meet up with you guys for a lesson?
We are in Florida, near Sebastian. Let me know if you are ever nearby and we can set up some training if you like. Cheers, Ron
@@whistlingwingsphotography I hope to come down to go flying ultralight trikes at Zephyrhills FL with my brother this winter. I usually take pictures from the back seat for fun:)
Nice video
Thanks
@@whistlingwingsphotography I wonder what the R3 will bring.
thank you!
You're welcome!
Great video, good job explaining everything. However, unless you got a good or best lens for this type of photography, you can forget about sharp shots with no vignetting, CA and bokeh. What I've found to be the biggest problem when trying to shoot birds in flight is lack of focal range, and if you're using a cheap or old tele or super telephoto lens is that if you crop in, your final image is gonna look like crap. This is why I guess you need to invest in a 10 000 dollar lens(preferably a prime) with low f number and a good TCON.
You talk about acquiring a target I find that you find the target with your eye keep your eye on it and put the camera in front of your eye 99% of time on target using muscle memory.
My question is are you Dave Ramsies twin brother. Hahaha
Not that I am aware of.