Couple from the garden

[Markulous]

Haven't shot my garden visitors for months - catching up the last couple of weekends (and a new spot to shoot - to vary the composition)

#1 Blue Tit


#2 Nuthatch


#3 Great Tit


#4 Dunnock


#5 Chaffinch


Canon 7D, Sigma 500, Canon 300

[Cathus]

loving the Nuthatch one, nice clear set though the Chaffinch seems to lack the same clarity as the first 4.

[Markulous]

Cheers!

[markgozz]

Outstanding images , the Nuthatch image is really superb .

I know this is a dull question but I'd be very interested to know the setting you used for these shots .

Mark

[Markulous]

Originally Posted by markgozz

Outstanding images , the Nuthatch image is really superb .

Many thanks!

Originally Posted by markgozz

I know this is a dull question but I'd be very interested to know the setting you used for these shots .

No probs - not dull at all!
#1 f/4.5 1/250
#2 f/4.5 1/200
#3 f/5.6 1/250
#4 f/4.5 1/2000
#5 f/8 1/200 ISO200 (rest ISO100)
Tripod with ball and socket head used throughout

It's been good and bright the last couple weekends, which has allowed reasonable shutter speeds although this is probably my favourite of the Nuthatches (they've been very good 'models' but you can see they got 'paid'!)

f/4.5 1/100 ISO400

And this my favourite with the 300 as it had a nice delicacy (often too close with the 500, all the above, and had to add a 'tube' to reduce the minimum focus distance)

f/4 1/160 ISO400

[markgozz]

Thanks for that Mark

I'm amazed that you can get such sharp images at those shutter speeds , I know from my own attempts that at those speeds the slightest movement from the bird results in a soft image .
I know that using my 105mm macro isn't the best kit for the job but until I can afford my 300 f/4 I'll just have to keep trying , if I can get anywhere close to these shots I'll be happy .

Mark

[Markulous]

As a generalisation, birds might dart around but do stop between the darting so a combo of prediction and luck ensures the keeper rate isn't atrocious! Biggest problem I have is the slightest twitch puts them out of frame

Whilst I wouldn't instinctively grab the 105 to take bird shots, there's nothing wrong with it - and the increase in possible aperture can give you an advantage (potentially negated a touch by the slow AF - I tend to use MF with the 105). Probably bored you with this but I trot out this shot every time there's discussion on focal lengths - was set up to take fungi and the Robin appeared

Sigma 105mm @ f/2.8, 1/300

[markgozz]

I need to work on my technique to get my hit rate up , I've tried prefocusing on a point that I know the birds use but being so close with the 105mm unless the birds are very accommodating and hit the mark dead on I get lots of shots with part of a bird in or the wrong bit in focus .
I've been setting my camera up on the tripod then using a remote cord release so that I can stand well back in the shadows and then just fire off shots when a bird lands on the branch , I think I'll try putting up some kind of sheet to shoot through so that I can take manual control over where I focus , I've just taken delivery of my new joystick head which makes this so much easier than my 3 way head did .

Love the shot of the Robin it's really spurred my on to try more .

Thanks

Mark

[Markulous]

Here's my last setup (now just shoot through an open window) - open the door and I had a curtain draped over and poked the lens through. Would leave the setup like that for a while and the birds got used to it before I attempted shots.


What helped a lot was concentrating on just a couple of spots (same as you) but I'd usually focus on the landed bird (some MF and some AF). I was close enough to use my 70-200 as well as 300 and 150-500 - too close to use the 500.

A couple of fun shots from that spot

Canon 70-200 f/2.8 non-IS @ 73mm f/4 1/1250


Canon 300 f/4 IS + Kenko Pro300 1.4x TC f/4 1/60