Moderator: E.J. Peiker

All times are UTC-05:00

  
« Previous topic | Next topic »  
Reply to topic  
 First unread post  | 18 posts | 
by Jim Neiger on Thu Feb 18, 2010 10:52 am
User avatar
Jim Neiger
Lifetime Member
Posts: 4342
Joined: 25 Aug 2003
Location: Kissimmee, Florida, USA
Member #:00113
I have received a number of PMs and emails from folks asking me for my Mark IV settings for birds in flight. Here are my settings along with a brief explanation of why I use each setting. These settings are meant to be used with effective focal lengths of 400mm or longer and hand held techniques. The settings are also meant to be used with the techniques and skills I have developed, so I have included some info about that as well. If you want to see samples of my work, see my recent BIF posts here or in my website galleries. I will try to answer any questions you may have.

1. Manual exposure mode. This is almost a requirement for BIF when you have changing bgs. There are many other reasons as well.

2. AI Servo AF - To allow AF tracking of moving subjects.

3. High speed continous drive. This allows me to shoot in controlled bursts to cature the peak action shots.

4. Center AF point only for BIF against very busy and or close varied bgs. Center AF point plus surrounding AF point expansion for BIF against distant varied bgs or BIF against smoot sky or water bgs. When a variety of bgs are possible, I use center AF point only.

5. Tracking sensitivity set to SLOW. This should be used with bump focus technique #2 below.

6. * button set to AF Lock. I use this when shooting still subjects. It allows me to remain in AI Servo AF and center AF point, but still be able to compose images of still subjects in camera. This way I am always ready for action without compromising my ability to compose images of perched birds. I use the shutter button to focus.

7. Lens focus limiter switch set to the longest near focus distance. This helps speed up AF in many situations.

8. Focus Search ON - prevents situations where the camera won't foucs without bumping.

Bump Focus Technique: To quickly focus or left off and refocus. There are three uses for the bump focus technique:

1. The first reason to bump the focus is to prefocus. The first task when photographing a BIF is to aquire it in the viewfinder and focus on it. It is beneficial to be able to do this as quickly as possible. When using long focal lengths, the bird may be so out of focus that you can't see it in the viewfinder even if it's there. Then when you do get it in the viewfinder it may take much longer to focus on it if the focus is set to a drastically different distance. To overcome these issues, I will prefocus at the approximate distance that I anticipate for my subject. Then when the subject arrives, I can find it and focus on it quickly. I prefocus the camera by pointing the camera at something at the desired distance and then I focus on it. Now I'm ready for a BIF at a similar distance. If I need to switch the distance I will simply point the camera at something at the new distance and bump the focus. This will prefocus the camera at the new distance. Photogs that use a tripod will often prefocus manualy. Since manual focus is difficult hand held with big glass, I use the bump to prefocus.

2. When I am tracking a BIF against a varied bg and I miss and focus on the bg I will bump the focus to quickly return focus to the bird. Bumping the focus overrides the delay set by the tracking sensitivity custom function. I set tracking sensitivity to slow to get the longest delay possible. This helps when you are focused on the bird and want to avoid focusing on the bg, but it hurts when focused on the bg and you want to return focus to the bird. Bumping the focus overrides the delay allowing you to use the long delay when it helps and override the delay entirely when it would hurt.

3. This is the most important use of the bump technique. Most photogs will aquire focus on a bif and then try to continously maintain foucs while they are tracking and watching the bif in the viewfinder. They tend to focus continuosly waiting for the moment they wish to make a photograph. Often while watching, tracking, and waiting for the moment, the photographer will miss and focus on the bg. This is extremely easy to do when the bif is flying against a varied bg. This is the reason it is so much more difficult to photograph BIF against a varied bg as opposed to smooth sky bg. When the focus grabs the bg, then the photographer needs to re-aquire focus on the bif. This may take too much time causing the photog to miss the critical moment. I try to avoid this by only focusing on the BIF when I'm sure I'm on target and during the critical moments when I'm acualy making images. So, what I will typicaly do is aquire the bif initialy and focus on it. Then I will let off the focus and just watch it in the viewfinder while tracking it visualy only. As the distance changes, the BIF will start to go out of focus. When that happens I bring it back in focus by quickly making sure the AF point is on the bird and then I bump the focus to get it in focus again. I do this repeatedly as I'm visualy tracking the bird. When the BIF gets to the spot I want to start making pictures, I will focus and shoot all at once. I shoot in short controlled bursts trying to time the critical moments with the best wing positions, etc. Because I have bumped the focus along, the focus is very close to where it needs to be when the moment to make pictures arrives. Then when I focus and trip the shutter it happens very quickly. If I tried to focus constantly while the bif approached I would likely miss, focus on the bg, and miss the critical moment. My goal is to keep the bird close to in focus and in the viewfinder without focusing on the bg and to do this up until the critical moment arrives. Then I try to maintain the focus while making great pictures. Bumping takes lots of practice, but if you develop this skill, it will make your keeper rate go way up.

I hope everyone finds this thread helpful.

Jim Neiger
[b]Jim Neiger - [url=http://www.flightschoolphotography.com]Flight School Photography[/b][/url]
[b]Kissimmee, Florida[/b]

[url=http://www.flightschoolphotography.com/FSP%20Current%20Workshops.htm][b]Flight School Photography Workshops[/b][/url]
 

by LouBuonomo on Thu Feb 18, 2010 11:09 am
LouBuonomo
Forum Contributor
Posts: 5093
Joined: 8 Aug 2004
Location: Hendersonville, NC
Thanks Jim... for the settings and for explaining your technique.
Lou
[url=http://www.nwpli.com]NWPLI Member[/url] http://www.westhighland-imaging.com - Member of NANPA
NSN #353


Last edited by LouBuonomo on Thu Feb 18, 2010 12:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 

by wirinhar on Thu Feb 18, 2010 11:54 am
wirinhar
Forum Contributor
Posts: 1051
Joined: 23 Mar 2009
Great information and thank you for sharing it!!!
Regards,
WW
 

by jtwatson on Thu Feb 18, 2010 12:01 pm
jtwatson
Forum Contributor
Posts: 54
Joined: 20 Apr 2004
Location: Belleville, Illinios, USA
Jim;

Thank you Very Much for this topic. I use a 7D so most of the settings will be a great help.
You're explanation of Technique is absolutely invaluable. I intend to get out and practice it often.

John
John T. Watson
 

by bias_hjorth on Thu Feb 18, 2010 12:55 pm
User avatar
bias_hjorth
Forum Contributor
Posts: 293
Joined: 25 Aug 2008
Location: Denmark
These setting could go well for other cameras aswell. Great tips.

I´ll definately try the 8,3 method. I bet it takes a lot of skill to succed.
Feel free to visit http://www.tobiashjorth.com or join me on Facebook add me on Twitter
 

by mikeojohnson on Thu Feb 18, 2010 8:29 pm
mikeojohnson
Lifetime Member
Posts: 1219
Joined: 21 Dec 2003
Location: Estero , Florida
Member #:00374
I would only argue with #6. If you leave the * in the meter and focus mode, and you are in aiservo, when you want to do a one shot, all you need to do is take your finger off the * button after acquiring focus, recompose and use the shutter button to only trip the shutter. (on a Mark IV, Custom function IV-1 is on 2 and IV-2 is on 1)

Agree with everything else, particularly the bump recommendations.

Different strokes..
Mike
"Photography intensifies the experience of life"
http://www.mojphoto.com
 

by Ed Cordes on Thu Feb 18, 2010 10:16 pm
User avatar
Ed Cordes
Forum Contributor
Posts: 4874
Joined: 11 Mar 2004
Location: Corning, NY
Member #:00700
Thanks Jim. Your explanations are very helpful.
Remember, a little mild insanity keeps us healthy
 

by Jim Neiger on Thu Feb 18, 2010 10:46 pm
User avatar
Jim Neiger
Lifetime Member
Posts: 4342
Joined: 25 Aug 2003
Location: Kissimmee, Florida, USA
Member #:00113
mikeojohnson wrote:I would only argue with #6. If you leave the * in the meter and focus mode, and you are in aiservo, when you want to do a one shot, all you need to do is take your finger off the * button after acquiring focus, recompose and use the shutter button to only trip the shutter. (on a Mark IV, Custom function IV-1 is on 2 and IV-2 is on 1)

Agree with everything else, particularly the bump recommendations.

Different strokes..
Mike
Mike,

I prefer focusing with the shutter button in combination with AF lock on the * button for three reasons:

1. My index finger is more co-ordinated than my thumb. This means I can bump more precisely with my finger on the shutter button than I can with my thumb on the * button.

2. I shoot using my index finger which allows me to focus and shoot in one motion. If I use the * button to focus and shutter button to shoot, I need to co-ordinate two fingers together which is harder than simply using one finger and pressing harder.

3. I'm used to doing it this way.
[b]Jim Neiger - [url=http://www.flightschoolphotography.com]Flight School Photography[/b][/url]
[b]Kissimmee, Florida[/b]

[url=http://www.flightschoolphotography.com/FSP%20Current%20Workshops.htm][b]Flight School Photography Workshops[/b][/url]
 

by Scott Linstead on Thu Feb 18, 2010 11:03 pm
User avatar
Scott Linstead
Forum Contributor
Posts: 2320
Joined: 8 Jan 2006
Location: Maple Grove, Quebec, Canada
Also, when shooting with more than one photog, be sure not to cross the streams.... You said crossing the streams was bad!
 

by Terence P. Brashear on Fri Feb 19, 2010 10:15 am
User avatar
Terence P. Brashear
Forum Contributor
Posts: 4436
Joined: 26 Sep 2003
Location: San Diego, CA USA
Member #:00600
Jim

Thanks for the refresher. Interesting to note that you mentioned this back in 2003-04 and I shoot this way religiously. More often than not if it is flying I get a shot of it.

Thanks for sharing the knowledge.

Terry
Terence P. Brashear
San Diego, CA
http://www.naturepixels.com
NSN #600
 

by conca on Fri Feb 19, 2010 11:23 am
conca
Forum Contributor
Posts: 20
Joined: 27 Feb 2009
Location: France
Many thanks for this thread

If I well understood, 'bump the focus" means make the focus in pressing on the shutter button, after you release this button and you follow the bif in the viewfinder, and then you make another focus on the bif and so on.

In this case why are you using the ai-servo mode and not the one-shot mode as you are everytime refocusing before taking the picture ? for the burst mode ?

Hope I am clear enough .....
 

by Jim Neiger on Fri Feb 19, 2010 11:28 am
User avatar
Jim Neiger
Lifetime Member
Posts: 4342
Joined: 25 Aug 2003
Location: Kissimmee, Florida, USA
Member #:00113
The bump focus is used to keep the focus close and avoid focusing on the bg until you are ready to make images. Then you focus continuously while shooting. THE PURPOSE of the BUMP FOCUS is to KEEP THE FOCUS CLOSE and AVOID the BG when NOT actualy shooting. It is used when you have varied BGs - NOT sky.
[b]Jim Neiger - [url=http://www.flightschoolphotography.com]Flight School Photography[/b][/url]
[b]Kissimmee, Florida[/b]

[url=http://www.flightschoolphotography.com/FSP%20Current%20Workshops.htm][b]Flight School Photography Workshops[/b][/url]
 

by conca on Fri Feb 19, 2010 11:34 am
conca
Forum Contributor
Posts: 20
Joined: 27 Feb 2009
Location: France
Many thanks Jim, I got it !

Google translate was very bad in making it clear for me ;)
 

by jnadler on Fri Feb 19, 2010 1:35 pm
jnadler
Forum Contributor
Posts: 6926
Joined: 6 Oct 2003
Location: New York State
To confirm Jim, against uniform blue sky-you do not bump but track the bird with the shutter pressed half way without letting up?
 

by Mike Gallo on Fri Feb 19, 2010 2:35 pm
User avatar
Mike Gallo
Lifetime Member
Posts: 6604
Joined: 9 Feb 2005
Location: Suburb of Chicago
Member #:00457
Thanks for your contribution Jim, good stuff!
Just havin' fun
 

by ebkw on Fri Feb 19, 2010 3:58 pm
ebkw
Forum Contributor
Posts: 5870
Joined: 4 Nov 2003
Location: Bala, Ontario, Canada
Thanks, Jim! Much appreciated!
Eleanor Kee Wellman, eleanorkeewellman.com, Blog at: keewellman.wordpress.com
 

by DonS on Sat Feb 20, 2010 10:54 am
User avatar
DonS
Forum Contributor
Posts: 587
Joined: 24 Aug 2003
Location: Kennesaw, GA
Jim,

I really appreciate your post. I have been doing the opposite of point #3, so I will now make those steps routine. So my results can improve.

I use a 7D, so the setups are very similar. I have been using the rear AF button to acquire focus and track until it's time to make images. Then I press the shutter.

Thanks!
"Take your passion and make it happen!"
Don Saunders
http://www.DonSaundersPhoto.com
 

by marcfs on Sun Feb 21, 2010 1:23 am
marcfs
Forum Contributor
Posts: 123
Joined: 7 Apr 2006
Location: New Jersey
Jim,

Thanks for sharing your settings and rationale. This is really helpful information.

Marc
Marc Schoenholz
http://www.marcschoenholz.com
 

Display posts from previous:  Sort by:  
18 posts | 
  

Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group