2 different Heron pics from today

[Steve S]

Once again, I continue to struggle with getting critically sharp flight shots with my 500 f4 +TC 1.4. Every time I lay my hands on the lens barrel, or get ready to press the shutter, I can actually see the shake I'm inducing. These 2 are the best of the bunch, and still not that great. I also dicovered that AF-C/Dynamic focusing isn't working for crap. Only single area fouc was working at all. They were shot @300 & 400 ft respectively, & cropped heavily. Any shooting tips, besides lay off the coffee? This is frustrating.

In for a landing:

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Model NIKON D2X
Flash Used No
Focal Length 700 mm
Exposure Time 1/1000 sec
Aperture f/6.3
ISO Equivalent 800
Exposure Bias
White Balance
Metering Mode matrix (5)
JPEG Quality (6)
Exposure Program aperture priority

"Lightening the load":
Model NIKON D2X
Flash Used No
Focal Length 700 mm
Exposure Time 1/1000 sec
Aperture f/6.3
ISO Equivalent 800
Exposure Bias
White Balance
Metering Mode matrix (5)
JPEG Quality (6)
Exposure Program aperture priority

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Model NIKON D2X
Flash Used No
Focal Length 700 mm
Exposure Time 1/1000 sec
Aperture f/6.3
ISO Equivalent 800
Exposure Bias
White Balance
Metering Mode matrix (5)
JPEG Quality (6)
Exposure Program aperture priority

 

[Gale]

Pretty darn tough to catch a flying Greenie.....Little Green Heron.

 

[Flew]

Steve,

I agree with Gale. You are trying to shoot some of the most difficult targets using a lens that has a total angle of view of about 3 degrees. I get my best flight shots with my 300 2.8 and no TC. I have a few decent ones with the 1.4 and a few less than that with the 1.7. To get anything decent with the 500 + 1.4 is going to take lots and lots of practice.

I mean, I have almost 50K shots on my D2H and I still ain't all that good. Ron R admitted to having over 500K. 8)

Don't be so hard on yourself. :wink:

 

[mike mac]

Love the inflight shot of the greenie, the best way to get better at flight shots is to possibly scale down to a shorter focla lenthg it makes these easier to track. A ton of practice will be needed to start gettign consistent results with the 500 and a tele

 

[Steve S]

Thnx Gail, Flew, & Mike,

Boy, I tell you, it really IS hard to shoot well w/700mm focal length! Practice, and More practice is needed!
Suprized no one said anything about the giant poop trail coming off the GBH!

 

[Flew]

Re: Thnx Gail, Flew, & Mike,

Suprized no one said anything about the giant poop trail coming off the GBH!

Steve,

We were trying to pretend we didn't see it. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Good captures BTW (meant to say that in my last reply).

 

[dmwphoto]

Steve he saw what you had pointed at him and I did notice it, just did not want to say that I did. Thought it could be a vapor trail :^)
Patience with that long lens and lots of practice and you will be fine.

 

[jfenton]

Steve

I agree with your assessment of dynamic (full idiot mode). It takes all of the control away from you...is supposed to lock on the closest subject (a default that you CANNOT over ride) and instead...it grabs the background every fri**ing time on my X.

I will use group once in a while when I'm shooting birds int he sky with no background. There are 2 problems with this mode; one is that again, it grabs the background even though it doesn't default to closest subject...the other is that with all of those sensors active, it doesn't always grab the portion of the subject that you want it to,.....if it grabs the closest wing to you on a large bits, the other half is gonna be OOF unless you've got great DOF.

I've found single area dynamic to work best for me (2nd option up).

Now...please tell me that you've gone to custom menu option a4 and turned it to OFF??????????????????????????????????????????????/

 

[Steve S]

Single Area Dynamic is what I meant to say

Yes, Jim, the 2nd option up from the bottom is the 1 I couldn't get it to work at all with my flight shots on Sun. I misstated it's name earlier. And yes, option a4 is turned off! Getting 1st body back today, after Nikon said in their work order they adjusted the focus and the mirror. Am going to send this 2nd body in too, just to see if they can find anything that's out of spec.