Birds in flight

[markgozz]

Hi All

This is my first post and I would like to pick your collective brains if I may . My Nikon D90 is my first DSLR and I have had it for about 9 months , recently I have been attempting to shoot birds in flight with mixed results .I would be very interested in your suggestions for camera setting and also techniques to capture sharp images , I have been trying to pan and and track the birds with the following set up AF-C , Dynamic area focus mode ,continuous shooting , 3D matrix exposure and because of the bright sky a 2 to 3 +comp . If you have any suggestions that may help I would be very grateful , thank you for your time . Mark
Having never posted before I'm not to sure how to inset an image but I'll give it a go .

[swan lover]

you seem to be doing fine to me perhaps a faster shutter speed may be called for depending on how fast the bird is going your doing fine.

[markgozz]

Thank you very much fore your comments . With the faster moving birds would there be any advantage in using MF and pre focusing on a single point and wait for the bird to come to you , ( come to think of it may be I should go out and try it ).

[DigiDiva]

Yes I agree, a faster shutter speed will 'freeze' the action and there will be more detail in the birds feathers. When I first started, I used the sports setting on my camera, and noted the seetings it chose, then mimicked them myself on auto and it worked for me. Keep going you are doing great.

[wotcars]

Hi These birds are tricky to get as they are all fast flyers, with the Pheasent and black head gull are you panning with them or just takinging the shot ?

[littlebro]

Better off with spot focusing I would have thought, though you have done very well with these.

[markgozz]

Thank you all very much for your input , and in response

DigiDeva

What a great idea , I'm quite willing to pick your brains so why not pick the brains of my camera .Thanks for that .

Wotcars

Yes with the Black head and the pheasant I could pan with them quite easily but the swallow flies like a ping pong ball in a tumble dryer so its more luck than judgement .

Littlebro

I will try out the spot focus next time out

This one I just missed the focus point but next time I'll be quicker .

[OldBoy]

As someone else has said use spot focus and up your shutter speed to at least 1/1000s. I use 1/2000s for most of mine. Then, it just a question of getting your panning right by practice.

Here's one I took today in cloudy conditions of a Swift flying over the pool.

[markgozz]

Very nice shot and thanks for the advice .

[karenoliver]

I really like the bottom shot, Mark.

Karen