Paul I utilized lockdown period practicing photography after uour video...and got quite good results. I do flighting birds photography..since only 6 months. By profession I am a surgeon in India.
I’m a auto ISO kind of guy. Love the control it gives me to set speed and aperture what I want and it takes care of the rest. I can always use exposure compensation if needed but it works really well for me. Thanks for a good and brief video.
Interesting comment on BBF. First time I tried it I knew it was for me, loved it. I can't imagine not using it now. Just goes to show there's more than one way to skin a cat.
Ive been doing wildlife photography for over 35 years. Im always picking up tips from phorographers like you that helps to improve my shots the more tips i adopt into my own photography. I mostly photograph Bald Eagles, Owls , hawks in the USA. im always learning and will always take these tips and adopt them into my style of photography. Thanks.
Wow Paul, what a wonderful, no-nonsense video. Your format for presentation with clear cut examples hammers the information home well. I learned quite a lot in a very short period of time. Thank you for your efforts ... you have a new fan. Cheers ...
Dave - it means a lot to read comments like this. I put a lot of effort into this video so it's great to get such positive feedback. I try to keep things to the point - some videos can waffle on a bit too much I think.! I also believe it's really helpful if you can show examples of images - or even better, show them actually being taken at the time (this is very hard with wildlife!). Glad I have a new fan and I hope you enjoy more of my videos. Cheers.
Hi Paul. just started following you, and just returned to photography after 15 years. All the tips are great really enjoyed them instructions really clear Thank's Tom
Thanks for following me Thomas and great that you are getting back into photography. Glad you found the tips so useful. Flight photography is not an easy thing to get to grips with - particularly the exposure side of things.
a good solid, no nonsense presentation. I found the information to be very much in keeping with own experiences in attempting bird photographs. Well done!
Very nice tutorial Paul, I just got a used 1DX and ironically also went back to use shutter as for focusing also after using back button focus for a long time. Thanks for this video.
Many thanks Peter. That's really interesting as I don't hear of many people going back once they've changed over to BBF. It's really whatever works for you. The main reason I don't like it is I often alter focus points as I'm tracking and if my thumb is on the back button I can't do it! Plus it just feels awkward to me.
Thank you! Your videos are improving my photography habits. I shoot a lot of wild horse photos where there can be action, but not at the speed that birds in flight can produce. I have started shooting birds in motion in just the last couple of weeks and was finding it to be a frustrating experience. Since I have started watching your vids, the frustration has gone to a low moan, and then happy smile. I have subscribed to your channel and will continue to photo birds in flight.
Great Video . I set my camera on auto iso,continuous shooting and shutter speed at least 1000 of sec. I use a Tamron 16-300 mm lens. It is when almost 300mm f 5.6. I was taught never to use the widest opening. So the sweet spot on my lens is f 8 . I have captured humming birds, crows and seagulls. I never use the back button.
Thanks Don. You are absolutely right about the 'sweet spot'. It's best to use around f/8 if you can for best quality. But for beginners I advise keeping aperture fairly wide, just to keep shutter speed high. I hate back button!!
Thank you for the tips. At the moment I am trying to get things like Gulls and pigeons to practise on and with your tips getting better at it. Thank you Paul.
That's great to know my video is helping you. Gulls and pigeons are both pretty fast flying, so if you can nail them you're doing well. Slower birds such as swans and geese are easier - and birds like barn owls if you're lucky enough to find them. The main thing with flight photography is practice!
I have watched most of your videos and most interesting thing about this is you dont bore peoples by just telling instead you tell highly recommended information is short with samples (i.e Pics taken with that idea). You are doing great !! Good luck sir jee ❤
Good sound, nice and snappy info that is well put together. I followed it even though, as you know, I'm a Nikon photographer. Good shots as well to show what you explain. Good job!
Another interesting video, thank you. I normally use my Nikon D500 for BIF and will set it up as follows: 1/2000th, f8, group focus (5 points), auto ISO then compensate for main colour of bird. If I happen to be using my Olympus EM1 mark II, I already have my C1, C2 and C3 presets set up. C1 and C2 will be 1/2000th, f8, 9 segment focus points and auto ISO: but C1 will be +0.3 comp and C2 -0.3 comp. C3 will be 1/2500th, f8, all segment focus points, auto ISO and +0.7 comp. C3 is for smaller, faster birds, which are generally darker in colour. I use a Nikkor 200 - 500mm f5.6 or Nikkor 300mm f4 PF VR + TC14EIII and an Olympus 300mm f4. If I am using Pro Capture for small birds in flight I use my Olympus 12 - 100mm f4. Pro Capture is brilliant for capturing birds as they fly onto or away from feeding stations. Like you, I dislike having commercial feeders in the image.
Sounds like good settings Pete. You've really got your camera set up well with those presets - I'm impressed! Thanks for commenting on the video, much appreciated.
Well Done Paul! I love it and you are so friendly, helpful and informative. I love the way you teach and demonstrate and your photos are spectacular! I'm a NEW FAN as of right NOW!!!!!!
Hi Paul thank you for keeping me sane with your video. I have been very happy with my photography for a while then started watching UA-cam to see if there any tips and techniques to make little adjustments and improve? Sadly all it did was confuse. Your video took me back to what I know best as I shoot pretty much in your style - phew straight talking easy photography tips.
Thank you for your kind comment Craig. Always great to hear this feedback... I agree there can be a lot of confusing stuff on UA-cam. I try my best to keep the information easy to understand.
Thanks for this, as a person completely new to using a dslr, in my case its a Canon 80D and really wanting to take photos of the various birds in my garden and also later have a go at true macro photography informing us of the necessary settings and technique is very welcome. +1 Sub from Australia :D
I shoot with the Sigma 150-600 sport and I’ve been shooting at 1/2000 for birds in flight. As I usually shoot around f7.1 I’m sacrificing heck of a lot of light it seems like I don’t need to. Great tip about putting my focus point in different places, thank you another brilliant video.
I like to shoot above 1/1000 as much as possible. Just all comes down to equipment and what you can get away with. Sounds like you're using good settings Mark. I'd stick to shooting around f7.1 or f8 with that lens, if possible, as I reckon the images will be a bit sharper for you
Great tips and stunning shots Paul, I'll give manual a try sometime at the moment I use aperture priority single or 15 focus points on continuous focus with the image stabilisation switched off, still a way to go to get my success rate up.
I want full control of both shutter speed and aperture when shooting sports and wildlife. I use Manual shooting mode with ISO Auto. I set an upper limit to ISO Auto in the menus, so noise from high ISO is not a major concern. Many shooters believe automatic exposure compensation is not available in Manual shooting mode. It becomes available only when ISO is set to Auto.. I program the rear rotary dial to be Aperture control. I program the [SET] button so that when it is held down, I can turn the main wheel to adjust AEC.
Thanks! I save those settings as a custom shooting mode, which does not overwrite itself. Default exposure is 1/1600, f1.8, ISO Auto. I use the wide aperture setting so that I can effectively get maximum aperture with any telephoto lens, prime or zoom.
Excellent video. I shoot with a Canon 550D and a Tamron 150-600. Like you, I also shoot manual and set my aperture at about 7.1. Exposure has been tricky for me, but I have finally settled on setting my ISO first (since noise is high on this old camera body), and then adjusting my shutter speed so that the exposure meter is roughly +1 when shooting at 100% sky, and between -1 and -2 when shooting against the trees (counting on the light on the bird) I'm looking forward to getting a better body so that I can implement your continuous mode and focus point tips! Thanks!
Very sensible idea with your exposure adjustment. Keep working on technique then when you do come to have a better camera body you will be even better!
Great informative video, wonderful examples and you did not put me to sleep. You’ve got your self a sub. My set up is using my kit lens and sneeking up on birds...not very successfully, planning on renting or buying a bigger lens come spring
Hey, great that I didn't put you to sleep - I'll consider that a success! Thanks for subscribing Tomas. Hiring a big lens is actually a good idea as it's important to know the weight. Hope you enjoy my future videos and thanks for taking the time to comment.
Helpful video Paul, which is pretty informative for almost any make of DSLR camera. It might be worth mentioning (if you do an update at any time) that these settings are a good starting point but it is worth checking out the camera manual in relation to the Auto Focus options available within the menu. Many of the Canon cameras (probably other makes too) have options to choose what sort of focusing tracking you want to use, how quickly that AF point/s responds to movement, e.g. stick with the subject and ignore potential obstacles etc or conversely respond immediately to something entering the AF point/s. I appreciate that there is a danger of covering too much in a short video as it could be overwhelming (information overload), but maybe in a future video or follow up, you could share with us what settings you use? You ask what viewers use - well I tend to use AV most of the time. I do use back button focus so that I can focus and recompose if the bird lands on something then quickly re-engage focus by using the thumb on the AF button should the bird then take flight again. I generally favour AF mode 2 in the AF menu and use a single AF point supported by four surrounding points. This works well for most scenarios but especially if the bird might fly against trees or bushes in the background. Really enjoy your relaxed style style of presenting and inclusion of example photos to illustrate the point. Keep them coming!
Hi Dave. Thanks very much for the feedback. Yes there are so many things when it comes to auto-focus options. I decided not to include the different 'case' settings in this video for the reason you mention, that it would probably have been a bit too much. Also I wanted it to apply to most DSLRs and not just Canon. I think I will definitely do a further video at some point which will include extra info. Your set up sounds good to me and as long as it's comfortable and works for you that's all that matters. I tend to use one single focus point a lot - I just find it better for me. Thanks for your comment on my presenting by the way. It doesn't come easily so I'll take the compliment! I hope you enjoy my future videos. Thanks again.
@@PaulMiguelPhotography Agree with Dave, I think it is the one thing missing from the video. I would love to know how you set the focus tracking as I too have a higher end Canon (5D3).
Very nice video Paul and a really good summary of the key points. I go out at least once a week in varying conditions and although I originally used to play around with the ISO setting I found that this became an unwanted interruption. I must say that Auto ISO (95% of the time) is a godsend and gives me very decent results. In wooded or shaded areas, I often find that ISO reaches 6400, but I've learned to work with this in Lightroom/Photoshop. Mostly I shoot at around 1/2000th and as high as 1/5000th for the small, fast birds. Nevertheless, I'd still 'crave' for a camera that has a better dynamic range! I use the excellent 7D MkII + the 100-400mm MkII handheld for all my shots and dislike the restrictions that tripods and even monopods can impose. This will change I'm sure as I'm getting older! I felt confident to set up a Birds in Flight Photography website in 2016 (rogerhunt.photography) and would welcome any feedback etc. If you have an Instagram or 500px account could you let me know please. Thanks!
Thanks Roger. Glad you enjoyed it. Auto ISO can be very useful but I still use manual mostly - perhaps I am a bit of a control freak! 1/2000th is a good shutter speed to use and will safely stop the majority of movement, particularly with larger birds. Had a quick look at your site - cracking opening image..! and really enjoyed the heron flights shots - you clearly have good technique. I don't currently use instagram or 500px but do use Flickr (and Facebook, Twitter). Thanks again for commenting Roger. Hope you enjoy my future videos.
Great little tutorial Paul. Nicely edited and in terms of content, of massive value to anyone getting to grips with shooting birds in flight. It's AV for me all the way! Now then, that reminds me; I must get to those pink foots near to me!
750d - check, 400mm f5.6 - check, new skills to work on - check (unfortunately Paul will not fit in my bag :D)......Martin Mere here I come. On a serious note, I need to have more confidence in my cameras ability to handle higher iso's, I seem to have this built in fear of going over iso 800. Thanks for the great video Paul
Thank you Paul for all the information you gave us about flight photography. I just did buy the Canon F400, f5.6. I own a canon 70 D. I know it's not as sharp as a full frame but I have an advantage because it boosts the lens to a 640 mm. I didn't have a chance to try it yet because we've been having very bad weather here and I know this lens is nt so good in low light. I think I will still enjoy this combination.
Thanks for commenting on the video Ray. It's a good value lens. Yes, I find it can struggle in low light which is my main issue with it. You'll learn how to get the most out of it. Just get out there and enjoy it!
Thanks Paul - just trying to get the settings on my Canon 80D and 100-400 Zoom working - thanks you've certainly covered lots here in a very short video and some cracking photos - i have been struggling to get the Red Kites i am tacking photos of a) in focus and b) correctly exposed and you have given me lots to go on here. Thanks for taking time out to put some of your top tips on video and on UA-cam for others like me to gain much needed time saving tips - here's to some razor sharp images hopefully over the next few days ;-)
Thanks so much John. Really appreciate you taking the time to comment.This video has actually received some of the best feedback in terms of useful advice. Flight photography is never easy and you have to expect to take a lot of images. Experiment with different focus point settings, i.e. clusters and if you can give manual exposure a try. Just be careful with the white on the wings.
Hi Paul, it would have been more comprehensive if you touched upon the AI servo Auto Focus options and what works best for you while shooting birds in flight. Your videos are great 👍🏼
Awesome video. I can see why you wouldn't get on with BBF on a 1dx - it's huge and challenging to wrap your thumb around all the way. It's a lovely deal on the A9, however. Cheers!
Thank you very much Jake. If it works for you great. For me, I don't like it full stop. Good point about the DX - it does feel pretty uncomfortable if I try!
I really enjoyed your video. I like capturing birds in flight too. I have a Canon 7d mk 2 camera and the Canon 400mm lens like yours. I have been getting some good results with this system. It would be excellent if you showed how to go about capturing different birds in a range of habitats. For example, birds found in wetlands.
That's a good combination Pauline. The 400mm f5.6 has limitations but coupled with a decent camera body it really is a great value lens. I have a few ideas for videos - it just has to work in terms of creating good content, so that's a limiting factor in where I can go. But yes, working in different habitats would be good to shoot.
Another Great & super helpful video Paul :) i've thinking of upgrading from 600D to a Canon EOS 1D X or a 5DIII as they are not so badly priced used . which one would you suggest ???
Thank Paula. I think you could use a smaller gimbal. The one in this video is a cheap option but it's not that light really. I haven't experienced much with gimbals myself. Check out Jobu too.
Hi Paul Enjoyed the video, I have been lucky to see quite a few Redkites of late and a number of my photos have been reasonable during good light conditions. Of late we have had some really dull days with grey skies what settings would you use in these conditions for birds in flight. Thanks in advance
@@Richard_Hoekstra Hi Richard. This lense is very sharp, an older but stil very good one. The lens is affordable related to 500-600mm primes. Second hand about € 750,00. And it's not to heavy. You can easy cary it aroud for hours. I don't use a tripod or monopod till now. Yesterday I shooted radio controlled airplanes in the sky. The results are very good. It was a sunny day, so there was light enough: 1/1600 and f6.3 and Iso 400 gave even to much light. Today we visit a bird park Avifauna in the Netherlands. I hope this will help you. Feel free to share your experiences. Kind regards, Wil
Very good advice Wil. More expensive lenses are faster and sharper but there's a big trade off in price and weight too. It does work best in good light. Good luck with whatever lens you purchase Richard.
Hi Paul, Thank you for your video; I learned a lot and have appreciated very much your personnel comment about the back autofocus button! I will try to use it and see the results. Regards.
Thank you very much Luiz. I’m actually going to do a video about back button focusing and an alternative method, but please give it a try.. most people seem to prefer it!
I've heard something similar before, but never looked into it. To be honest I use high speed less and less now, although I do tend to use it still for fast birds in flight.
I tried the back button focus after alot of people were raving about using it.. i dont see the point of having to cover another button to focus.. The basic way does the job exactly the same and you are not looking or feeling for two buttons when something unexpectedly flies past or pops up like a weasel or or somewthing that moves quick.. i am currently experimenting with the sigma 150-600 and loving it on my DX body. nikon D7200.. great video BTW. Manchester area here
Hi Paul, Many thanks for the shutter speed pointer. It is brilliant. Done this and a big thank you. (1) Is it better to use AUTO ISO setting or a manually chosen setting? i.e ISO 100 (depending on the ambient lighting conditions of course) I want to avoid dull appearances. (2) Do you use AUTO WHITE BALANCE (AWB) or manually chosen settings, such as Sunny & Cloudy etc? I appreciate your input. So sorry, I am getting critical about the sharpness and the details of my images
Hi Pat. It's really personal preference. Auto ISO can make things easier at times, but setting ISO yourself means you can keep it lower and control the quality more. White balance - I actually keep mine manually set at 5300K - works well for me!
Here is a tip for you. Try mounting your lens the other way so the gimbal doesn't interfere with the focus knob on the lens! You are using it backwards actually! And back button focus is the absolute only way to fly when it comes to birds and birds in flight, their are so many advantages it's silly not to...
i don't think there's a proper way to orientate the gimbal. I've seen people mount it both ways. The wimberley instructions actually show you to mount it this way. I disagree with BBF. The advantages can be achieved in other ways.
@@PaulMiguelPhotography Go watch Steve Perry's video on BBF, the advantages are not even comparable. ua-cam.com/video/FzqQskGoURE/v-deo.html and the Gimbal video as well and you will clearly agree, especially when using a Wlimberly flash extender because it would otherwise be in the way of the focus knob on my Nikon 600 E FLED or anyone elses right? Almost every great bird photographer uses BBF because of the advantages, maybe you know something they don't but I doubt it... Some of my work is here...500px.com/zeppestrator
Hey Paul. Have you compared the 1Dx to the Mark II? I currently own the 1D mark IV and I love it but it’s showing its age. I am considering making the giant leap to the Mark III, but was curious how your mark I compares to the II? It would save me a lot of money to go with the II or even a clean mark I version. Have you compared yours to the II? Is the AF that much better? Thanks.
I have never compared. The truth is everything just gets a little bit better, but rarely a huge leap. Bonus of a mark ii if you use video it will autofocus properly, the mark i won't. I don't think there's much between 1D mark iv and 1DX mark i. Personally I think use the extra money to put you in better places and opportunities, but that's just my take on it.!
Hi Paul, This is one of the most honest videos I have seen. I relearned so much now need to put into practice. Your images are brilliantly crisp I wish I could do that. Thinking of using a combination of 5D MK III & Sigma 150-600mm (S) for Redkites. They are abundant and quite tame. I like razor-sharp images please could you tell me how I can achieve this, Thank you.
Hi Pat. I very much appreciate the positive comment! That sounds like a good combination you have. I really think the best flight shots come from using great light - try to shoot within 2 hours of sunrise or sunset. Get a shutter speed of at least 1/1000 and keep the aperture around f/8. If you can do this at a reasonable ISO you'll get great quality. Above all it just takes lots of practice to get the best results.
Thank you Ed. Having used 5D MK III & Sigma 150-600mm (S) it becomes a heavy combination. To make it easier, it is better to be mounted on a gimbal head as Paul Miguel says. For a faster FPS, Canon EOS 7D MK II (10fps) is a choice and it is a lot cheaper than 5D MK III or 5D MK IV. Best of luck with your adventures Ed.
Hi HugoH Wilson , :) Just had a look at the prices and here is what I found: see whether you can afford it.... New Canon 600 mm / F 4,0 L IS USM II Lens £1,161.00 + £4.38 Delivery from JYC online . .... so it says on AMAZON.
Paul I utilized lockdown period practicing photography after uour video...and got quite good results.
I do flighting birds photography..since only 6 months.
By profession I am a surgeon in India.
I’m a auto ISO kind of guy. Love the control it gives me to set speed and aperture what I want and it takes care of the rest. I can always use exposure compensation if needed but it works really well for me. Thanks for a good and brief video.
Interesting comment on BBF. First time I tried it I knew it was for me, loved it. I can't imagine not using it now. Just goes to show there's more than one way to skin a cat.
Ive been doing wildlife photography for over 35 years. Im always picking up tips from phorographers like you that helps to improve my shots the more tips i adopt into my own photography. I mostly photograph Bald Eagles, Owls , hawks in the USA. im always learning and will always take these tips and adopt them into my style of photography. Thanks.
Thanks Eric. Keep enjoying it.
Where do you find Bald Eagles? I’m also in America but idk where to find those
Keep these tutorials coming I’m enjoying them and they are helping me get better shots
Thanks Mike! Really appreciate the support and very glad that they are helping you too.
Manual with auto-ISO for the win over here. Great videos and work. Thank you for sharing 🙏
Thanks Paul, great video on birds in flight.
Short and bang-on! Thank You.
Wow Paul, what a wonderful, no-nonsense video. Your format for presentation with clear cut examples hammers the information home well. I learned quite a lot in a very short period of time. Thank you for your efforts ... you have a new fan.
Cheers ...
Dave - it means a lot to read comments like this. I put a lot of effort into this video so it's great to get such positive feedback. I try to keep things to the point - some videos can waffle on a bit too much I think.! I also believe it's really helpful if you can show examples of images - or even better, show them actually being taken at the time (this is very hard with wildlife!). Glad I have a new fan and I hope you enjoy more of my videos. Cheers.
Hi Paul. just started following you, and just returned to photography after 15 years. All the tips are great really enjoyed them instructions really clear Thank's Tom
Thanks for following me Thomas and great that you are getting back into photography. Glad you found the tips so useful. Flight photography is not an easy thing to get to grips with - particularly the exposure side of things.
a good solid, no nonsense presentation. I found the information to be very much in keeping with own experiences in attempting bird photographs. Well done!
Thanks John. I try! Glad it rings true with you. Thanks for commenting.
Very nice tutorial Paul, I just got a used 1DX and ironically also went back to use shutter as for focusing also after using back button focus for a long time. Thanks for this video.
Many thanks Peter. That's really interesting as I don't hear of many people going back once they've changed over to BBF. It's really whatever works for you. The main reason I don't like it is I often alter focus points as I'm tracking and if my thumb is on the back button I can't do it! Plus it just feels awkward to me.
I wanted a video about BIF and started the search with your channeland voila! A perfect video on the subject! Thanks!
Perfect! Thanks for watching Barry - and for taking the time to comment.
Thank you! Your videos are improving my photography habits. I shoot a lot of wild horse photos where there can be action, but not at the speed that birds in flight can produce. I have started shooting birds in motion in just the last couple of weeks and was finding it to be a frustrating experience. Since I have started watching your vids, the frustration has gone to a low moan, and then happy smile. I have subscribed to your channel and will continue to photo birds in flight.
Thanks for subscribing Gary. Really glad the videos are able to help you. All the best.
Great Video . I set my camera on auto iso,continuous shooting and shutter speed at least 1000 of sec. I use a Tamron 16-300 mm lens. It is when almost 300mm f 5.6. I was taught never to use the widest opening. So the sweet spot on my lens is f 8 . I have captured humming birds, crows and seagulls. I never use the back button.
Thanks Don. You are absolutely right about the 'sweet spot'. It's best to use around f/8 if you can for best quality. But for beginners I advise keeping aperture fairly wide, just to keep shutter speed high. I hate back button!!
Thank you for the tips. At the moment I am trying to get things like Gulls and pigeons to practise on and with your tips getting better at it. Thank you Paul.
That's great to know my video is helping you. Gulls and pigeons are both pretty fast flying, so if you can nail them you're doing well. Slower birds such as swans and geese are easier - and birds like barn owls if you're lucky enough to find them. The main thing with flight photography is practice!
Very helpful. I always review the info on my photos to see what settings seemed to work; eventually, it becomes 2nd nature.
Thanks Steven. That's good advice - certainly helps when we can do this. In the days of film, you'd have to write it down!
Easy to understand and what i like is showing the settings on the cam , by doing so everyone understands > great explanation
Great to hear!
Great video paul
Nice to see your video.
Excellent video Paul, as usual, keep them coming!
Cheers Simon! Appreciate that. Looking forward to 2018 and if you have any suggestions for videos - feel free to let me know.!!
Really very helpful video Paul. Excellent narration with reasons and results. Nice Bro
JaffarSupari I appreciate your kind comments. Thank you very much! hope its helped you.
Hi Paul, it's an amazing practical demonstration tutorial packed with details and I appreciate your confidence in teaching. Thanks
Thanks so much, that's very kind.
4:46 when his slow speed is the same as your high speed
When his slow speed is more as your high speed :(
Very good video with concise information suitable for a beginner like me. Thank you very much
Hi Charlie. Really appreciate that. Always happy to provide something for beginners. Thanks for the comment.
Straight forward information and some good advice . Great vid thank you
Cheers Shayne. I try to keep it to the point. Really glad you found this video useful.
I have watched most of your videos and most interesting thing about this is you dont bore peoples by just telling instead you tell highly recommended information is short with samples (i.e Pics taken with that idea).
You are doing great !!
Good luck sir jee ❤
Thank you so much. I try hard to use photos that illustrate the point as much as possible. Thank you for your support!
Nice little video. I am just getting into bird photography, just bought a canon 90D and dying to get out and take some shots
Lots of great guidance and suggestions, I can't wait to try some of these out.
Thanks Henry, appreciate that.
Thank you Paul, easy to follow and very helpful - cheers.
oasisswimming you're welcome. glad you enjoyed it.
Loved it! I have the same 400 mm which can be bought second hand for a modest price now. It's very sharp.
Thanks Henri. Yes, secondhand, very good price indeed.
Good sound, nice and snappy info that is well put together. I followed it even though, as you know, I'm a Nikon photographer. Good shots as well to show what you explain. Good job!
Thanks for the feedback, always appreciated. The majority of points in the video certainly apply regardless of what camera you are shooting with.
Thanks for tips. Going to try them at San Diego Safari Park ,lots of birds
Great video, very helpful, clear explanation with some brilliant images. Keep up the good work!
Thank you very much, that was a very kind comment. Cheers!
Another interesting video, thank you. I normally use my Nikon D500 for BIF and will set it up as follows: 1/2000th, f8, group focus (5 points), auto ISO then compensate for main colour of bird. If I happen to be using my Olympus EM1 mark II, I already have my C1, C2 and C3 presets set up. C1 and C2 will be 1/2000th, f8, 9 segment focus points and auto ISO: but C1 will be +0.3 comp and C2 -0.3 comp. C3 will be 1/2500th, f8, all segment focus points, auto ISO and +0.7 comp. C3 is for smaller, faster birds, which are generally darker in colour. I use a Nikkor 200 - 500mm f5.6 or Nikkor 300mm f4 PF VR + TC14EIII and an Olympus 300mm f4. If I am using Pro Capture for small birds in flight I use my Olympus 12 - 100mm f4. Pro Capture is brilliant for capturing birds as they fly onto or away from feeding stations. Like you, I dislike having commercial feeders in the image.
Sounds like good settings Pete. You've really got your camera set up well with those presets - I'm impressed! Thanks for commenting on the video, much appreciated.
I'm new to photography and your videos have been so helpful
Thank you very much. I hope you enjoy my future videos.
Well Done Paul! I love it and you are so friendly, helpful and informative. I love the way you teach and demonstrate and your photos are spectacular! I'm a NEW FAN as of right NOW!!!!!!
I generally use auto ISO in the daytime as the noise is very minimal with all the light.
I have understood about your tutorial and tips. I learn about your camera settings, f, speed, Iso etc...., Thank! Paul.
Thank you for watching. Glad this tutorial video was helpful to you. Thanks.!
I know this tutorial was so helpful
Hi Paul thank you for keeping me sane with your video. I have been very happy with my photography for a while then started watching UA-cam to see if there any tips and techniques to make little adjustments and improve? Sadly all it did was confuse. Your video took me back to what I know best as I shoot pretty much in your style - phew straight talking easy photography tips.
Thank you for your kind comment Craig. Always great to hear this feedback... I agree there can be a lot of confusing stuff on UA-cam. I try my best to keep the information easy to understand.
Tks a lot , very good n useful tips, cheers
Thanks for this, as a person completely new to using a dslr, in my case its a Canon 80D and really wanting to take photos of the various birds in my garden and also later have a go at true macro photography informing us of the necessary settings and technique is very welcome. +1 Sub from Australia :D
You're welcome. Like anything, there is no better way to learn that getting out there and trying it. That's how I learnt!
You're doing pretty good work. Well done. I'm looking forward to your next video.
I shoot with the Sigma 150-600 sport and I’ve been shooting at 1/2000 for birds in flight. As I usually shoot around f7.1 I’m sacrificing heck of a lot of light it seems like I don’t need to. Great tip about putting my focus point in different places, thank you another brilliant video.
I like to shoot above 1/1000 as much as possible. Just all comes down to equipment and what you can get away with. Sounds like you're using good settings Mark. I'd stick to shooting around f7.1 or f8 with that lens, if possible, as I reckon the images will be a bit sharper for you
Paul Miguel Photography Thanks Paul.
Great video Paul. Thanks!!
You're welcome John. Thanks for watching!
thanks for the suggestion! i can't wait tomorrow mornign to go for testing! =)
Great, hope it goes well Luca!
very useful thanks a lot
Very Helpful! Thank you so much ! Well explained for beginners like me! Just subscribed your channel! Cheers!!
Thanks Aaron. Thank you for subscribing!
Great tips and stunning shots Paul, I'll give manual a try sometime at the moment I use aperture priority single or 15 focus points on continuous focus with the image stabilisation switched off, still a way to go to get my success rate up.
Thanks John. Manual is great where you have consistent light, e.g. clear sky and bright sun. Flight photography rally does take practice though.
I want full control of both shutter speed and aperture when shooting sports and wildlife. I use Manual shooting mode with ISO Auto. I set an upper limit to ISO Auto in the menus, so noise from high ISO is not a major concern.
Many shooters believe automatic exposure compensation is not available in Manual shooting mode. It becomes available only when ISO is set to Auto.. I program the rear rotary dial to be Aperture control. I program the [SET] button so that when it is held down, I can turn the main wheel to adjust AEC.
Thanks for sharing that. You have a very good understanding of your camera and exposure. Manual with auto ISO is a good choice for may photographers.
Thanks! I save those settings as a custom shooting mode, which does not overwrite itself. Default exposure is 1/1600, f1.8, ISO Auto. I use the wide aperture setting so that I can effectively get maximum aperture with any telephoto lens, prime or zoom.
Excellent video. I shoot with a Canon 550D and a Tamron 150-600. Like you, I also shoot manual and set my aperture at about 7.1. Exposure has been tricky for me, but I have finally settled on setting my ISO first (since noise is high on this old camera body), and then adjusting my shutter speed so that the exposure meter is roughly +1 when shooting at 100% sky, and between -1 and -2 when shooting against the trees (counting on the light on the bird)
I'm looking forward to getting a better body so that I can implement your continuous mode and focus point tips! Thanks!
Very sensible idea with your exposure adjustment. Keep working on technique then when you do come to have a better camera body you will be even better!
Nice video ! I am training on photographing flying birds :o)
Excellent tutorial with great tips.
Thank you! Very kind of you to say. Glad you found it useful.
Thank you. 😃👍
Very good video, I've learned a lot out of it. Thank you!
Really appreciate that feedback. Thanks very much indeed!
Great informative video, wonderful examples and you did not put me to sleep. You’ve got your self a sub. My set up is using my kit lens and sneeking up on birds...not very successfully, planning on renting or buying a bigger lens come spring
Hey, great that I didn't put you to sleep - I'll consider that a success! Thanks for subscribing Tomas. Hiring a big lens is actually a good idea as it's important to know the weight. Hope you enjoy my future videos and thanks for taking the time to comment.
this has been a great help to me thank you ROY
You are very welcome Roy. Thanks for the kind comment
Nice video sir........ & ........thanks for sharing knowledge.
Helpful video Paul, which is pretty informative for almost any make of DSLR camera. It might be worth mentioning (if you do an update at any time) that these settings are a good starting point but it is worth checking out the camera manual in relation to the Auto Focus options available within the menu. Many of the Canon cameras (probably other makes too) have options to choose what sort of focusing tracking you want to use, how quickly that AF point/s responds to movement, e.g. stick with the subject and ignore potential obstacles etc or conversely respond immediately to something entering the AF point/s.
I appreciate that there is a danger of covering too much in a short video as it could be overwhelming (information overload), but maybe in a future video or follow up, you could share with us what settings you use?
You ask what viewers use - well I tend to use AV most of the time. I do use back button focus so that I can focus and recompose if the bird lands on something then quickly re-engage focus by using the thumb on the AF button should the bird then take flight again.
I generally favour AF mode 2 in the AF menu and use a single AF point supported by four surrounding points. This works well for most scenarios but especially if the bird might fly against trees or bushes in the background.
Really enjoy your relaxed style style of presenting and inclusion of example photos to illustrate the point. Keep them coming!
Hi Dave. Thanks very much for the feedback. Yes there are so many things when it comes to auto-focus options. I decided not to include the different 'case' settings in this video for the reason you mention, that it would probably have been a bit too much. Also I wanted it to apply to most DSLRs and not just Canon. I think I will definitely do a further video at some point which will include extra info.
Your set up sounds good to me and as long as it's comfortable and works for you that's all that matters. I tend to use one single focus point a lot - I just find it better for me.
Thanks for your comment on my presenting by the way. It doesn't come easily so I'll take the compliment! I hope you enjoy my future videos. Thanks again.
@@PaulMiguelPhotography Agree with Dave, I think it is the one thing missing from the video. I would love to know how you set the focus tracking as I too have a higher end Canon (5D3).
@@jfranciskay I did this advanced tutorial ua-cam.com/video/FizSlOHNxZQ/v-deo.html
Great video Paul. Enjoyed it.
Thanks so much Colin. It really does mean a lot to hear that. Hope you keep enjoying my videos.
thank you paul on your good advise
You're welcome. Thanks for watching.
Beautiful....fantastic explanation
Thank you. Much appreciated!
Thank you. Now to try out your suggestions. My main thing is Macro to wit some of your suggestions do apply.
You're welcome Henry. Glad this video was of help to you. Good luck with the macro shots.
Great vid and teaching.... Thumbs up👍
Very kind. Thank you!
Thanks. Nice video. Good info. :-)
Very nice video Paul and a really good summary of the key points. I go out at least once a week in varying conditions and although I originally used to play around with the ISO setting I found that this became an unwanted interruption. I must say that Auto ISO (95% of the time) is a godsend and gives me very decent results. In wooded or shaded areas, I often find that ISO reaches 6400, but I've learned to work with this in Lightroom/Photoshop. Mostly I shoot at around 1/2000th and as high as 1/5000th for the small, fast birds. Nevertheless, I'd still 'crave' for a camera that has a better dynamic range! I use the excellent 7D MkII + the 100-400mm MkII handheld for all my shots and dislike the restrictions that tripods and even monopods can impose. This will change I'm sure as I'm getting older! I felt confident to set up a Birds in Flight Photography website in 2016 (rogerhunt.photography) and would welcome any feedback etc. If you have an Instagram or 500px account could you let me know please. Thanks!
Thanks Roger. Glad you enjoyed it. Auto ISO can be very useful but I still use manual mostly - perhaps I am a bit of a control freak! 1/2000th is a good shutter speed to use and will safely stop the majority of movement, particularly with larger birds. Had a quick look at your site - cracking opening image..! and really enjoyed the heron flights shots - you clearly have good technique. I don't currently use instagram or 500px but do use Flickr (and Facebook, Twitter). Thanks again for commenting Roger. Hope you enjoy my future videos.
Thanks a lot Paul!
Great little tutorial Paul. Nicely edited and in terms of content, of massive value to anyone getting to grips with shooting birds in flight. It's AV for me all the way! Now then, that reminds me; I must get to those pink foots near to me!
Thanks Simon. Appreciate your thoughts. Yeah, those pink foots are often tempting. think this is the first year in ages I haven't been to Martin Mere!
750d - check, 400mm f5.6 - check, new skills to work on - check (unfortunately Paul will not fit in my bag :D)......Martin Mere here I come. On a serious note, I need to have more confidence in my cameras ability to handle higher iso's, I seem to have this built in fear of going over iso 800. Thanks for the great video Paul
Paul Miguel Photography pp
Thank you Paul for all the information you gave us about flight photography. I just did buy the Canon F400, f5.6. I own a canon 70 D. I know it's not as sharp as a full frame but I have an advantage because it boosts the lens to a 640 mm. I didn't have a chance to try it yet because we've been having very bad weather here and I know this lens is nt so good in low light. I think I will still enjoy this combination.
Thanks for commenting on the video Ray. It's a good value lens. Yes, I find it can struggle in low light which is my main issue with it. You'll learn how to get the most out of it. Just get out there and enjoy it!
Thank you Paul.
Thanks Paul - just trying to get the settings on my Canon 80D and 100-400 Zoom working - thanks you've certainly covered lots here in a very short video and some cracking photos - i have been struggling to get the Red Kites i am tacking photos of a) in focus and b) correctly exposed and you have given me lots to go on here.
Thanks for taking time out to put some of your top tips on video and on UA-cam for others like me to gain much needed time saving tips - here's to some razor sharp images hopefully over the next few days ;-)
Thanks so much John. Really appreciate you taking the time to comment.This video has actually received some of the best feedback in terms of useful advice. Flight photography is never easy and you have to expect to take a lot of images. Experiment with different focus point settings, i.e. clusters and if you can give manual exposure a try. Just be careful with the white on the wings.
Very helpful Tutorial Paul Tank you
Hi Paul, it would have been more comprehensive if you touched upon the AI servo Auto Focus options and what works best for you while shooting birds in flight. Your videos are great 👍🏼
Thanks for that feedback Kishore and thanks for commenting too.
Awesome video. I can see why you wouldn't get on with BBF on a 1dx - it's huge and challenging to wrap your thumb around all the way. It's a lovely deal on the A9, however. Cheers!
Thank you very much Jake. If it works for you great. For me, I don't like it full stop. Good point about the DX - it does feel pretty uncomfortable if I try!
Thanks for that will try it out this weekend
Enjoy Sarah!
Some good tips, thanks.
Cheers Ian.
Really helpful video, thanks for taking the time to make it and share with us
You're welcome Graeme. Very glad you found it helpful.
So helpful right!
I really enjoyed your video. I like capturing birds in flight too. I have a Canon 7d mk 2 camera and the Canon 400mm lens like yours. I have been getting some good results with this system. It would be excellent if you showed how to go about capturing different birds in a range of habitats. For example, birds found in wetlands.
That's a good combination Pauline. The 400mm f5.6 has limitations but coupled with a decent camera body it really is a great value lens. I have a few ideas for videos - it just has to work in terms of creating good content, so that's a limiting factor in where I can go. But yes, working in different habitats would be good to shoot.
Gracias
Another Great & super helpful video Paul :) i've thinking of upgrading from 600D to a Canon EOS 1D X or a 5DIII as they are not so badly priced used . which one would you suggest ???
If you can I'd go for the 1DX. Also I would consider 1D Mark iv.
Absolutely brilliant. Thanks.
Amazing Excellent
great video Paul with super tips. Which gimbal do you recommend for a Nikkor 500mm pf. its light but i have a bad shoulder. Thanks
Thank Paula. I think you could use a smaller gimbal. The one in this video is a cheap option but it's not that light really. I haven't experienced much with gimbals myself. Check out Jobu too.
Thanks for that some great tips on there.
You're welcome, thanks very much Timothy.
Hi Paul Enjoyed the video, I have been lucky to see quite a few Redkites of late and a number of my photos have been reasonable during good light conditions. Of late we have had some really dull days with grey skies what settings would you use in these conditions for birds in flight. Thanks in advance
Cheesr Steven. I don't really do flight shots on grey days. All you can do is bump up ISO.. or try some deliberate movement blur.
Fantastic video. Thanks a lot. I have also the Canon 400mm on my 5D Mark 2.
Very kind of you, many thanks. It's a great lens although can struggle with very fast subjects.
Hi Wil, what is your view on this lense? I‘m considering buying the 400mm 5.6 for my 6D , mainly for bird/wildlife photography.
@@Richard_Hoekstra Hi Richard. This lense is very sharp, an older but stil very good one. The lens is affordable related to 500-600mm primes. Second hand about € 750,00. And it's not to heavy. You can easy cary it aroud for hours. I don't use a tripod or monopod till now. Yesterday I shooted radio controlled airplanes in the sky. The results are very good. It was a sunny day, so there was light enough: 1/1600 and f6.3 and Iso 400 gave even to much light. Today we visit a bird park Avifauna in the Netherlands. I hope this will help you. Feel free to share your experiences. Kind regards, Wil
Very good advice Wil. More expensive lenses are faster and sharper but there's a big trade off in price and weight too. It does work best in good light. Good luck with whatever lens you purchase Richard.
Very good and to the point.
Thanks Sanjeev.
Hi Paul, Thank you for your video; I learned a lot and have appreciated very much your personnel comment about the back autofocus button!
I will try to use it and see the results.
Regards.
Thank you very much Luiz. I’m actually going to do a video about back button focusing and an alternative method, but please give it a try.. most people seem to prefer it!
Excellent, thank you
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching Tim.
Like it! Thanks... As something to work on... I do think the audio is saturated in some parts of the video. Regards!
Thank you. Yes.. old video, audio much better these days.
Thanks for share with us!
Very useful. Thanks a lot
elamurugan
many thanks!
Very helpful video, thank you!
I use continues low, because it gives your camera more time to focus as it cannot focus while the mirror is up
I've heard something similar before, but never looked into it. To be honest I use high speed less and less now, although I do tend to use it still for fast birds in flight.
I tried the back button focus after alot of people were raving about using it.. i dont see the point of having to cover another button to focus.. The basic way does the job exactly the same and you are not looking or feeling for two buttons when something unexpectedly flies past or pops up like a weasel or or somewthing that moves quick.. i am currently experimenting with the sigma 150-600 and loving it on my DX body. nikon D7200.. great video BTW. Manchester area here
Totally agree!
Hi Paul, Many thanks for the shutter speed pointer. It is brilliant. Done this and a big thank you.
(1) Is it better to use AUTO ISO setting or a manually chosen setting? i.e ISO 100 (depending on the ambient lighting conditions of course) I want to avoid dull appearances.
(2) Do you use AUTO WHITE BALANCE (AWB) or manually chosen settings, such as Sunny & Cloudy etc? I appreciate your input.
So sorry, I am getting critical about the sharpness and the details of my images
Hi Pat. It's really personal preference. Auto ISO can make things easier at times, but setting ISO yourself means you can keep it lower and control the quality more. White balance - I actually keep mine manually set at 5300K - works well for me!
Hi Paul, Many thanks. I will try this.
Great video mate! 👍
Thank u for complement sir
Here is a tip for you. Try mounting your lens the other way so the gimbal doesn't interfere with the focus knob on the lens! You are using it backwards actually!
And back button focus is the absolute only way to fly when it comes to birds and birds in flight, their are so many advantages it's silly not to...
i don't think there's a proper way to orientate the gimbal. I've seen people mount it both ways. The wimberley instructions actually show you to mount it this way. I disagree with BBF. The advantages can be achieved in other ways.
@@PaulMiguelPhotography Go watch Steve Perry's video on BBF, the advantages are not even comparable. ua-cam.com/video/FzqQskGoURE/v-deo.html and the Gimbal video as well and you will clearly agree, especially when using a Wlimberly flash extender because it would otherwise be in the way of the focus knob on my Nikon 600 E FLED or anyone elses right? Almost every great bird photographer uses BBF because of the advantages, maybe you know something they don't but I doubt it...
Some of my work is here...500px.com/zeppestrator
Hey Paul. Have you compared the 1Dx to the Mark II? I currently own the 1D mark IV and I love it but it’s showing its age. I am considering making the giant leap to the Mark III, but was curious how your mark I compares to the II? It would save me a lot of money to go with the II or even a clean mark I version. Have you compared yours to the II? Is the AF that much better? Thanks.
I have never compared. The truth is everything just gets a little bit better, but rarely a huge leap. Bonus of a mark ii if you use video it will autofocus properly, the mark i won't. I don't think there's much between 1D mark iv and 1DX mark i. Personally I think use the extra money to put you in better places and opportunities, but that's just my take on it.!
Nice one Paul. Good to know I am doing most things right.... lol
Cheers. And thanks for commenting.
Hi Paul, This is one of the most honest videos I have seen. I relearned so much now need to put into practice. Your images are brilliantly crisp I wish I could do that. Thinking of using a combination of 5D MK III & Sigma 150-600mm (S) for Redkites. They are abundant and quite tame. I like razor-sharp images please could you tell me how I can achieve this, Thank you.
Hi Pat. I very much appreciate the positive comment! That sounds like a good combination you have. I really think the best flight shots come from using great light - try to shoot within 2 hours of sunrise or sunset. Get a shutter speed of at least 1/1000 and keep the aperture around f/8. If you can do this at a reasonable ISO you'll get great quality. Above all it just takes lots of practice to get the best results.
I like the sound of the combination you want to use!
Thank you Ed. Having used 5D MK III & Sigma 150-600mm (S) it becomes a heavy combination. To make it easier, it is better to be mounted on a gimbal head as Paul Miguel says.
For a faster FPS, Canon EOS 7D MK II (10fps) is a choice and it is a lot cheaper than 5D MK III or 5D MK IV. Best of luck with your adventures Ed.
Buy a canon 600mm. (We wish😂)
Hi HugoH Wilson
, :) Just had a look at the prices and here is what I found: see whether you can afford it....
New Canon 600 mm / F 4,0 L IS USM II Lens
£1,161.00
+ £4.38 Delivery
from JYC online
. .... so it says on AMAZON.