Auto focus setttings-Nikon D500 BIF

I was shooting Swallow tail kites in Florida with the birds set against trees in the background. I was having trouble Locking on focus with 25 points, then I changed to 5 points. A fellow shooter suggested "Group" settings with a center focus and 4 additional points which worked much better. I also always use Rear button focus. So these are fast moving White birds shooting against the grren trees. In the sky and water locking on was fine. Any comments on recommended settings for this?
 Shooting with D500 and both Nikon 500 f4.0 VR off and Nikon 300 2.8 with 1.4, tried both lenses. My exposure was fine . I also own the Nikon 200-500 but did not bring it, maybe next year. this lens has trouble locking on with low light which we had in the evening shoot.

Also, anybody shooting  BIF with the new Nikon 300 f 4.0 PF with the 1.4 attached to the D500. Noticed that Tim just posted about this lens. Wish there was a similar lens like Canon's much lighter Canon 400DO IS ll which 2 of my friends shoot with for more reach and lighter weight. Also, we could use a 400 5.6 lens, like Canon. I also have a D810 and D800E, so I am only a Nikon shooter, just have wish lists.


Thanks

flip2350 wrote:I was shooting Swallow tail kites in Florida with the birds set against trees in the background. I was having trouble Locking on focus with 25 points, then I changed to 5 points. A fellow shooter suggested "Group" settings with a center focus and 4 additional points which worked much better. I also always use Rear button focus. So these are fast moving White birds shooting against the grren trees. In the sky and water locking on was fine. Any comments on recommended settings for this?
 Shooting with D500 and both Nikon 500 f4.0 VR off and Nikon 300 2.8 with 1.4, tried both lenses. My exposure was fine . I also own the Nikon 200-500 but did not bring it, maybe next year. this lens has trouble locking on with low light which we had in the evening shoot.

Also, anybody shooting  BIF with the new Nikon 300 f 4.0 PF with the 1.4 attached to the D500. Noticed that Tim just posted about this lens. Wish there was a similar lens like Canon's much lighter Canon 400DO IS ll which 2 of my friends shoot with for more reach and lighter weight. Also, we could use a 400 5.6 lens, like Canon. I also have a D810 and D800E, so I am only a Nikon shooter, just have wish lists.

On a recent trip I was using the Nikon 300mm f/4 PF lens with the 1.4TC on the D500 to try to photograph arctic terns diving over a pond as well as puffins diving into the ocean (both fairly rapidly moving birds).  I played with the group focus as well as the 5 and 25 point continuous focus settings.  I had the impression that using the group focus worked better but when I looked in the EXIF data to see if this was true, I couldn't find which focus setting I was using in which picture.  Is this information there?  Also I had been told by a Nikon rep that the point shown for the focus center in the photo review didn't actually represent the point of focus with these settings?  Sorry to way lay your comment but just some thoughts on the two focus methods.

ricardo00
https://www.flickr.com/photos/60519499@ ... 1316314736

PS.  I too would love for Nikon to come out with a lightweight 400mm lens, either f/4 or f/5.6.

Here is a link to Steve Perry's web page on the settings he has found best for his own wildlife photography with the D500. There is a lot of useful & practical info there from his real world use of the D500. He has an excellent video review of the D500 for wildlife photography which should be helpful to you.

http://www.backcountrygallery.com/photography_tips/nikon-d500-review/

Robert wrote:Here is a link to Steve Perry's web page on the settings he has found best for his own wildlife photography with the D500. There is a lot of useful & practical info there from his real world use of the D500. He has an excellent video review of the D500 for wildlife photography which should be helpful to you.

http://www.backcountrygallery.com/photography_tips/nikon-d500-review/

thanks for that Robert.  

I was shooting Swallow-tailed Kites this past weekend and the Group Focus setting DEFINITELY helped! I was using the Nikon 500 f/4E, FL, ED, VR lens and the Nikon 1.4E III TC and that setting made a big difference compared to previously using the 25 focus points.

I have yet to experiment with any of the Group Focus settings. I have found that how you set Custom setting A 3, Focus Tracking with Lock On,  can make a difference.  On my D500 with a Nikon 500mm f4.0 or a Nikon 300mm f2.8,  I have changed the Blocked Shot from 3, the default, to 1, Quick. And the Subject Motion to Erratic, from the middle position on the scale.  I usually set 25 point dynamic area AF. And AF-C.  

I will be shooting purple martins on August 13 at a Houston Audubon outing and will try some of the group settings at that time.  

Joe

For small birds with the D500, IMO, Group AF is the better option, however the larger the bird the tendancy for Group to acquire focus on a wing tip increases and therefore I've found Dynamic 25 pt a better option when the target is larger.

On my D5 I have small BIF set for Group and larger BIF set to Dynamic 9pt.

I'm hopeful Nikon will release the Dyn 9pt in a later firmware update for the D500 as they have recently done with the D5.

Just my 2c.

Cheers
Marc

well.... it does say BIF.      not a serious attempt but a little fun in the garden to pursue further later.  Main point being although I'll use D25 normally, it's so easy to switch and this was shot with Group, much in line with Marc and Nancy's thoughts....   D500.  105 Micro Nikkor.  ISO 1600.  1/8000 F4.5.  AF-C used with back button.  

I just spent a week and a half taking thousands of shots of birds with a D500 and it is unequivocally the best autofocusing camera I have ever laid my hands on - bar none!  I experimented with all of the modes and by far the most accurate are D25 and D72.  From near pitch black to well lit, moving subjects or stationary the camera simply NEVER misses.  I have not found a single shot in thousands where the camera misfocused using these two modes, none!!!  Group is so so because on a bird it tends to grab the near wingtip.  I am absolutely floored by the AF performance of this camera - it is almost inconceivable and it will change the way I shoot moving subjects as I can be much more selective as to when to push the shutter button because I know every single shot will be in focus!

E.J. Peiker wrote:I just spent a week and a half taking thousands of shots of birds with a D500 and it is unequivocally the best autofocusing camera I have ever laid my hands on - bar none!  I experimented with all of the modes and by far the most accurate are D25 and D72.  From near pitch black to well lit, moving subjects or stationary the camera simply NEVER misses.  I have not found a single shot in thousands where the camera misfocused using these two modes, none!!!  Group is so so because on a bird it tends to grab the near wingtip.  I am absolutely floored by the AF performance of this camera - it is almost inconceivable and it will change the way I shoot moving subjects as I can be much more selective as to when to push the shutter button because I know every single shot will be in focus!

yup to that,... and sticking a fast XQD card in, and the buffer becomes a non issue.... certainly been a game changer for me..

The buffer isn't an issue even with moderate SD cards as you still get about 100 shots before it slows down. With XQD it simply never stops, you just need to lift at the 200 shot limit and go right back down - not sure why I would ever need that

E.J. Peiker wrote:I just spent a week and a half taking thousands of shots of birds with a D500 and it is unequivocally the best autofocusing camera I have ever laid my hands on - bar none!  I experimented with all of the modes and by far the most accurate are D25 and D72.  From near pitch black to well lit, moving subjects or stationary the camera simply NEVER misses.  I have not found a single shot in thousands where the camera misfocused using these two modes, none!!!  Group is so so because on a bird it tends to grab the near wingtip.  I am absolutely floored by the AF performance of this camera - it is almost inconceivable and it will change the way I shoot moving subjects as I can be much more selective as to when to push the shutter button because I know every single shot will be in focus!

That's great to hear, E.J. I'm very excited about my D500, but never expected to hear such high praise of it.

I was experimenting with Group, and occasionally spot, with mixed results. While Spot seems to be passe, Group was favored by many in my various readings, including, I think , Steve Perry.  (Don't quote me....)
I have gotten mixed results with that setting- sometimes missing part of a bird or animal in focus. I did get some decent shots with matrix metering....of squirrels.

Part of the OP's question here was if anyone is using the Nikon D500 with the 300 f/4E, FL, ED, VR lens and the Nikon 1.4E III TC. I have the 300 +1.4 and like that combination, but have not had much chance to get out there with it.  I think it will serve me very well , however, as a lightweight combo. It's a great hand-hold-able combination.  Not so sure about low light performance- as a newbie to Nikon, at least with this camera (the only one I know), it seems to require more exposure compensation to the right than all my past Canons. For me, high ISO has not been entirely satisfactory- perhaps because 95% of my birds require 50-75% crops.

E.J. - what lens(es) were you using?   Do you have favorites lenses with the D500 for BIF and BOB (birds on branches) ?

I used the new 70-200E and the Sigma 150-600 Sport exclusively during the Ecuador trip. Both lenses were carefully calibrated to the body and the Sigma was calibrated for all zoom lengths and all distances using the Sigma dock. As I mentioned, group was not as satisfactory for me as it is programmed to lock onto the nearest point which is generally the near wingtip, not what you want!

I think single point is still the most reliable. D25 or group gets the lens to focus on the background sometimes and so it's not the camera-never-miss for me. In my case it's not like every time I have the focus point on the bird and I'll get the lock. I guess large birds and birds father away are easier. But, it's probably just me

Nice to see the posts on the D500. Absolutely fantastic camera and have been saying from the beginning it's the best camera I've owned so far.The 25 point is the best for me as well but group is great for incoming and shore stuff.

E.J. Peiker wrote:I used the new 70-200E and the Sigma 150-600 Sport exclusively during the Ecuador trip.  Both lenses were carefully calibrated to the body and the Sigma was calibrated for all zoom lengths and all distances using the Sigma dock.  As I mentioned, group was not as satisfactory for me as it is programmed to lock onto the nearest point which is generally the near wingtip, not what you want!

Thanks E.J. So- you prefer the Sigma 150-600 to Nikon 200-500, perhaps?  Would you be cropping a lot with the 70-200 (2.8 I assume) ? Or was that for bigger birds and/or other scenery.  First I've heard of that one.

The 70-200 f/2.8 was used to photograph at hummingbird set-ups so little to no cropping and the 150-600 for other birds. Yes I do prefer the Sigma to the Nikon 200-500 due to it's 100mm longer reach and more rugged construction which of course also means a lot more weight. What I don't like about it is it's f/6.3 maximum aperture.

Not sure which one you were referring to when you said "first I've heard of that one"...

Cynthia Crawford wrote:...  Not so sure about low light performance- as a newbie to Nikon, at least with this camera (the only one I know), it seems to require more exposure compensation to the right than all my past Canons. For me, high ISO has not been entirely satisfactory- perhaps because 95% of my birds require 50-75% crops.

That's understandable, I think, Cynthia. It's been reported the D500 seems to have a slight tendency to underexpose in comparison to other Nikon bodies -- not sure how it compares to Canon in that regard. Anyway, obviously high ISO performance expectations vary widely user to user. As an "IQ fetish" my personal upper limits for the D500 are 800 ISO and 0.7+/- linear crops -- otherwise to me the image suffers unacceptably. In comparison to the D810, I find the additional "reach" the D500 offers from the extra pixel density to be of limited value and still prefer the D810 for general shooting because ISO performance is nearly identical and the extra pixels provide more cropping options. But when it comes to shooting fast action/BIF, the D500 shines as EJ has confirmed.

E.J. Peiker wrote:The 70-200 f/2.8 was used to photograph at hummingbird set-ups so little to no cropping and the 150-600 for other birds.  Yes I do prefer the Sigma to the Nikon 200-500 due to it's 100mm longer reach and more rugged construction which of course also means a lot more weight.  What I don't like about it is it's f/6.3 maximum aperture.

Not sure which one you were referring to when you said "first I've heard of that one"...

Thanks for that E.J. I had not heard of the 70-200.......but I haven't really been looking.
I've heard the 100-600 doesn't really do well at 600....
Am thinking of the Contemporary model for my purposes as the Sport is way too heavy ...and expensive.  Would have to resort to a tripod either way....probably will just stick with 300+1.4.

Gary Irwin wrote:

Cynthia Crawford wrote:...  Not so sure about low light performance- as a newbie to Nikon, at least with this camera (the only one I know), it seems to require more exposure compensation to the right than all my past Canons. For me, high ISO has not been entirely satisfactory- perhaps because 95% of my birds require 50-75% crops.

That's understandable, I think, Cynthia. It's been reported the D500 seems to have a slight tendency to underexpose in comparison to other Nikon bodies -- not sure how it compares to Canon in that regard. Anyway, obviously high ISO performance expectations vary widely user to user. As an "IQ fetish" my personal upper limits for the D500 are 800 ISO and 0.7+/- linear crops -- otherwise to me the image suffers unacceptably. In comparison to the D810, I find the additional "reach" the D500 offers from the extra pixel density to be of limited value and still prefer the D810 for general shooting because ISO performance is nearly identical and the extra pixels provide more cropping options. But when it comes to shooting fast action/BIF, the D500 shines as EJ has confirmed.

Hi Gary

Thanks Gary- yes- I keep reading that about D500 underexposure.

How do you capture fast action at ISO 800? It would have to be darn good light, wouldn't it?  (Not the norm here!) I am constantly cranking up the ISO to get fast shutter speed in aperture priority mode.