Canon 5D Mark III for Birds in Flight tutorial

I just posted a photo tip on my website about setting up for Birds in Flight with the Canon 5D Mark III Configuration Tool. I translated the Tool sport icons to what I thought made sense for birds. So far, I like the tool a lot, I'm getting a good percentage of sharp BIF images, and I’ve mostly shot with medium-sized birds like blackbirds. The web address is: http://www.garyluhm.net/bio/tips_0512.html
Any comments would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Gary

I don't own the mark3, but your information looks good! The system looks bloody complicated!

Nice job. Very informative with the examples.
I also use the back button focus method which helps, I think.
Mike

Thanks for sharing this! I, too, have been trying out the various "Cases" and I've settled for Case 3 for now, but your Custom Case 6 will be given a try.

Nice writeup. Thanks.

Thank you for a very well written article.

Thanks Gary. Your selection of images make the choice so much easier than trying to decipher settings from the manual and the AF paper. I sat down with the manual for a whole day going over the AF possibilities. Well done.
Lat

Thanks for all the feedback. I regard this as a work in progress. Today I tried working the blackbirds here at Juanita Bay in Kirkland with my 200mm f/2.8 using the 5D Mark III Configuration Tool Case 4. My problem was I couldn’t keep the bird on the focus point, or points. It was all operator error. I did learn a strategy, though, which was to prefocus at the distance you want the bird to be, and then wait until it flew into that range. I suppose that’s old hat for some. I’m shooting from a platform that overlooks a marsh; I think I’ll set up a perch for the bird to land on for my next go.
That said, I regard the 5D autofocus as remarkably good; I’ve been impressed with it on every outing since its arrival 5 weeks ago, and I sure do appreciate the Configuration Tool. You simply can’t have a high-performance control system that’s one size fits all.
Gary

Good stuff Gary. Thanks for sharing this.

Out in the field today I found some sood Case 5 (AF Point Auto Switching) uses, so I edited my Bird in Flight tip. I added a picture to illustrate, along with an exlaination. The AF Point Auto Switching paragraph has been updated as well.
I found the Case 5 useful in conjunction with 61-point automatic selection AF, by putting the bird on a corner point, in anticipation of it flying into the frame: http://www.garyluhm.net/bio/tips_0512.html
Gary

thanks for this Gary, I am looking forward to trying these scenarios out on the 1DX...if it is ever released!!