Best Camera Settings for Birds in Flight.
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- Опубліковано 28 сер 2024
- In this video, I advise on the best settings for capturing birds in flight. I'm using the new "bird-eye detect" feature recently introduced to the Nikon Z8. WOW!
Last week, I visited Bempton Cliffs to try out my Nikon Z8 on birds in flight. It was my first time trying out the "bird-eye detect" recently introduced to Nikon's menu.
Focusing: When photographing fast-moving military aircraft flying through the Welsh mountains known as the Mach Loop, I tend to mix the focus settings. I combine Nikon's incredible 3D mode and aircraft detect mode. Shooting birds, on the other hand, seems to be much easier.
I was expecting to be dithering around trying to find the best combination of focus modes when, in fact, the best mode was precisely what it said on the tin! Camera to AFC (Constant focusing) and then selecting the "bird-eye-detect".
Disclaimer: My channel is sponsored by Nikon, so I can understand why you would think this is nothing but PR for Nikon, but it really isn't. The Bird Detect was pretty much faultless.
Every now and again, the focus would jump from one bird to another when the focus area became busy with birds, but that happened rarely.
My biggest headache from the trip was the amount of sharp images I had to trawl through. But that's not a bad problem to have, I guess!
I hope you enjoy the video.
Gary
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Some gorgeous shots and b-roll there Gary.
Cheers Gav xx
Wat can’t you do with a camera? Stunning images and another reason you are my favorite photographer on UA-cam! Your Nikon gear is awesome, but it helps to have a pro standing behind it! Thanks for taking me along!
Heart fluttering with those shots and brings back some memories of the place -I need to go back. I can recommend a campsite not far away, one field away from the cliffs. Walking turn left for Bempton on day one, turn right day 2 for Flamborough and more Puffins and landscapes. Icing on the cake were Bran Owls and Hares from the Tent door. I'm sure you'd enjoy it if you havent already. Great video Gary.
Always nice to see your wildlife videos. I for one appreciate the advice on camera settings, and have applied them to some of my efforts
As always Gary, great vlog and beautiful sights along with video and stills. I, as an inexperienced photographer would appreciate it if you could do a short tutorial sometime about "Back Button Focusing". Thank you.
Stunning video work Gary, and amazing images, Thanks for sharing.
Fantastic video Gary. Only been there once, but was blown away with the place and the birds just riding the wind on the cliffs was magical. More wildlife / bird videos from you please.
Gary, an absolutely wonderful video full of great information! Thanks for allowing us to join you in your adventure.
I was a Nikon user for 25 years and moved to a mirrorless Canon R5 and also to a Fuji GFX 100s. I guess I should have stayed with Nikon!
Love the Gannets and your shots were perfect! We have Gannets here in Canada, but not close by. You have a couple of days travel, and then you have to take a boat, but it is well worth it, even though the smell and flies were something else!!! I wish I had my Z9 and 100-400 back then when I went to Gaspe to see the Gannets. I am glad you are enjoying your Z8! Gannets make lovely black and white pics as well. Thanks for taking us along with you!!
I really admire how you put yourself into new challenges. Bird photography (especially with those in flight) is very demanding both in technique but also perseverance. You mastered both greatly on this afternoon at this lovely spot. The panning shots are second to none and the music presenting them could not be any better. Well done 😊❤😊
Fantastic photos, Gary. They take me back to my experience at Cape St. Mary’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. My longest lens on that trips was 300 mm, but I got some photos I treasure, though not as good as yours. I’d love to go back with my 100-400.
Stunning work. Without being cheeky how much you how much the camera and lens. Don’t think I would get that quality with my R7 and 100-4
The R7 & 100/400 combo will be more than adequate 👍👍
I'm a Canon guy too, and I tried, and decided against the R7 for birds in flight (also shooting w/ 100-400). I'm no BiF expert, but I found the CAF struggled to stick, particularly with busy backgrounds. Even in still photos, it tended to jump from shot to shot in bursts. Secondly the highest speed drive is useless due to rolling shutter when shooting motion. It warps and wobbles like crazy! Even on a tripod high speed burst images seemed to jump and warp. That was my deal killer.
That said, If you're not looking to capture high shutter speed action, the R7 is awesome! Solid camera with crop sensor reach!
Even though I sacrificed the crop reach, I opted for the R6 Mark II. NO COMPLAINTS! AF is sticky, dependable and sharp. I think that's the trick for moving wildlife.
No knock on the R7. I would love one for a second body; just not BiF.
Fantastic images😀Also nice to see you at the show last week
Cheers Peter 👍👍
Nice work Gary. The photos are amazing. You did a great job.
ive been there when i stayed at thornwick bay and seen the puffins, its a lovely coast to walk along and photograph
Hello Gary absolutely stunning photos thanks for sharing David bolton
Superb pics again Gary, the Gannets really are stunning birds - ironic how the Fleet Air Arm named one of their ugliest aeroplanes after such a beautiful creature! 😅 Cracking video, thanks for brightening up a Sunday night (missus is watching the flippin' Antiques Roadshow again!! 😂)
Outstanding photography as always GG. Those shots and details were incredible!
Hi Gary 🙏🏼 please could you do a similar video for tracking aircraft in the Machloop??? Would love to see the aviation tracking in action. This bird tracking and capturing the eye in the middle of the shot each time’s incredible . Thanks
Great video! Super nice touch on the panning shots! Thanks!
Great vlog Gary.. Same here I have never missed a video of yours... As you know I love wildlife photography I post plenty on your facebook page..
As aways keep up the great work..
My vertigo kept kicking in for some reason. Thanks for the heads up!! Great video as always
Great to see you mention @SteveMattheis. His videos and photography is great. He deserves far more recognition on his channel.
Brilliant video Gary, this is our favourite place to go on the east coast for bird photography, i also now have 120fps video capability now i have gone mirrorless and i am really looking forward to trying it out soon.
Brilliant video Gary. The autofocus in that camera is nothing short of incredible but for now I'm sticking to the Z7. I can't believe you were leaning over that railing without a strap especially after already smashing a Z8.
Nice one Gary, love the panning shots
Loved the video Gary - I was at Bempton on a scorching day last August and had a fabulous day. The Z9 performed flawlessly (and that was before the bird detect function was added). Can I thoroughly recommend (if you haven’t already checked it out) Gigrin Farm in Wales. The Red Kite feeding session is mental - when I was there a few weeks ago there must have been 200 to 300 birds in the air and they are just stunning (including a rare leucistic red kite that seems to love posing for the camera). Hope to catch up with you at some stage this year. Take care and keep the videos coming.
As usual Gary, a great informative video with fantastic shots.
As always great video and photos. It is a pleasure to watch!
Cracking video, have been to Bempton Cliffs a couple of times, really glad you mentioned Farne Islands because we are going to Northumberland in 3 weeks time, will add that to my list, hopefully see a few Puffins
Have only just started with wildlife photography after purchasing my Sigma 150-600mm lens
Excellent video, nice to see you do some bird photography! By the way, I believe Steve’s last name is pronounced “Math-is”
Hi Gary, great vlog and stills as usual.
Ive been there too in my power chair, a few years ago. Great vantage points! Alas i didnt see any Puffins either. I had a d500 with 150-600 attached via a black rapid, and yes its darn difficult to capture birds in flight. I think my mistake was tracking and focus point, but settings +bbf i had were about the same.
I didnt go right to the edge, as yes its a loooonnngggg way down.
Kind regards
Graham
Amazing video thanks for posting
So few people use 3D Focus Tracking. I use it for most of what I do, from Manhattan to Long Island. From model portfolios to scenic, wedding and creature photos. Using my ‘old’ D700 and D3 bodies with their great sensors.
I use it for weddings too. It’s superb. Cheers 👍
Thoroughly recommend the Farne Isles.
Fabulous & very much enjoyed❤
Gary, I was there on Saturday morning - in a 40mph off shore gale - with my Z9 and 100-400, so your video made me smile. Probably be another year before I’m back. Puffins can be hard to see at Bempton as they nest in crevices in the cliff face. Agree, Farne Islands is better.
Hi Gary great video and welcome to the Nikon Brand
Cheers Chris 👍
Gary… try setting your shutter half press to auto area and your AF back button to 3D tracking so once the auto area has identified the bird you can pick up and override with the 3D on the back button. It completely transformed my photography and upped my keeper rat e by 75%
Welcome to the Nikon family 😂 I now want a z8 I love my Nikon z7II but that Z8 is different gravy 👌
Great video Gary as always , very helpful as just finding my way around my new z8 ready to make a trip to see the Puffins on Skomer island at the end of May . May I ask what range do you set your auto ISO at ? I have mine set to 64 - 12800 at the moment minimum shutter speed at auto. Also a great fan of Steve's channel . Best wishes Rich.
Superb shots Gary and so sharp 👌🏽
I love birds, but hardly ever photographed them before visiting Bempton. Only had a 210mm kit lens, but still came away with lots of images - even puffins! Not quite in the numbers of the Farne Islands where they were nesting in thir hundreds, almost under foot in places. Skomer is good too!
I love Bempton Cliffs too Gary, but sadly only get there once a year. This year (May) I'll have to try the slow shutter panning shots as they looked awesome.👍
Amazing quality shots 😊 well done m8
Thanks for sharing. I prefer the ones you shot at 1/2000. I sometimes even go up to 1/3200. I like wing detail.
Awesome timing this vid! Be there in just over a week. Cheers Gaz great vid
Another awesome video my good man
For your panning shots I highly suggest
A red dot hot shoe
Because as you are panning even though in the 1/60 of a second now I don't know on your Nikon if your viewfinder goes black but I Pentax they do and so do a lot of others camera brands
Again I highly suggest a red dot hot shoe to keep the subjects in the center of your square with an open eyeball for better panting shots
Your images are stunning!
We have a local Gannet colony in Auckland, NZ and they are just amazing birds to photograph and I have spent many hours photographing them. Next time I'm there I will try the panning method. Looks fantastic. Your images are stunning as always. I use Nikon D500 so no eye detection or anything like that but the detail you can get with such birds at a colony is amazing.
I enjoyed the video as usual Gary.
Looks like a really good place to photograph the birds.
You captured some fantastic image's of the birds.
Look forward to the next one.
great video,very informative, love this
Hi Gary, great vlog & what a place Bempton Cliffs is! I usually go out of season at the crack of dawn & I’m gone by 11am. I did a dawn till dusk trip there last May (vlogged it too) & it was just a fantastic day. I know you’re a long term Canon user switched to Nikon; but can you honestly say that the Z8 is an R6ii or R5/R3 beater? I have the R6ii, & for me it’s just an insanely brilliant bit of kit. It’s lightning fast, excellent AF & tracking & I really can’t see that a Z8 is better…
Look forward to your response on this.
Keep on keeping on!
Best,
Nick
Hi Nick, I can’t say which is better, I’ve never used the R6ii. Having said that, I know the R6 is an incredible bit of kit. If you don’t feel you’re missing out on anything, then don’t even contemplate a change. I’m sure that’ll last you for a long time 👍👍
@@GaryGough I've only just got it, and deliberated a LONG time before I made the switch to the dark side of mirrorless from DSLR & SLR before that. I'm loving the R6ii, and wondered if you had tried it out....
I've enquired about joining you at the mach loop in JUly; so maybe we can put the Z8 head to head with my R6ii then 🙂
Cool, looking forward to it
The best place for puffins has got to be Skomer Island in West Wales, the puffins aren't fazed by people, they will come right up to you so there's no real need to lug round your large lens.
Awesome video
Can I ask a question please should I use all my focus point or just the center on
Enjoyed that, thank you
Great well explained video. Having gone through the setup on the Nikon Z8 quite enthusiastically, would you go back to Canon cameras?
Brilliant!
Hi Gary good show may l ask why u switched to nikon
From canon.
The difference in autofocus after the firmware update 2.0 is amazing.
Have you finally made the switch to Nikon
Still have to take my Canon R10 out with its auto bird tracking and I can get 23 fps with e-shutter but it creates warping.
That Nikon Z8 --- its cheating LOL
Mmm think I need a z8
How do I take photos like that with a d5600 because I can’t afford a z8
Pretty much the same settings, single point continuous af setup with back button focus, manual mode, shutter speed of at least 1/1000sec, f5.6, auto iso with a max setting of 3200, high speed continuous shooting (which i believe is around 5fps on the 5600). you wont get as many keeps as Gary but you will get plenty of good shots.
Do you need to pay for the parking there? And if yes you must to pre book?
No parking charge has far as I know.. RSPB members have free entrance to the cliffs.
I defy anyone to go to Bempton and not fall in love with the Gannets
Kind dolphin
Alive advocat 58
🎉😍🙏
Short friend 57
Enthusiastic man 05
If you get your gear free from Nikon then you are very lucky.
It might a little bit down to hard work too!
I wish I had found your channel earlier. Amazing! 😃