Another Attempt

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Peter
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After a previous attempt to catch this bird failed I tried again. A bit more luck. I used a Sigma 150-500 on a D5100. The image is heavily cropped down to 3mp.

I'm definitely taking some dead mice with me next time.

_DSC6448.jpg by pbfield, on Flickr
 
Peter, IMHO, they are not that good

First of all they are "soft" i.e. not at all sharp, the first one especially so …. you need to capture a sharp image to start with

Start by posting your camera settings - i.e. what you think you would use and what you actually used, shutter speed, fvalue, focus method, exposure method and ISO ……. if you post your original full image it can also help ……….. as you say the first is a big crop ……. the second should not be as big as you can usually get relatively near this Sylvia

They first bird is obvious, a Kestrel

The second bird is a Warbler, a Sylvia, a Whitethroat
 
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Thanks. I definitely agree with you. I thought the camera settings are displayed if you click the image and go to my Flickr but they appear to have changed it. I will post the originals with settings. It so frustrating not being able to get what I see.

_DSC6448.jpg by pbfield, on Flickr

500mm f8 1/400 iso 100 manual. AF auto with OS

https://flic.kr/p/nk8GV6


_DSC6459.jpg by pbfield, on Flickr

500mm f8 1/320 ISO1100(auto sensitivity @+2EV) manual. AF auto with OS

https://flic.kr/p/nmUgKD

_DSC6467.jpg by pbfield, on Flickr

500mm f8 1/200 ISO 100 Manual. AF auto with OS

https://flic.kr/p/njRuxD


Thanks for any guidance

I've added a link too so you can see all the exif data
 
Moring Peter,

500mm f8 1/400 iso 100 manual. AF auto with OS
OK - the Kestrel is under exposed - quite common when shooting at the sky - and you should always take this into account when shooting at the sky and maybe add EV +1 to your settings - I always try a general shot first, look at it and then decide.
at 500mm 1/400 sec is just too low, even if you were on a tripod - you should try it at 1/1000sec or above. There is no need to use ISO 100, again too low - set your ISO to Auto in the range of 200 to 1200 or maybe 1600
I would use spot exposure and spot focusing (especially for small perched birds) - i.e. single point exposure and single point focusing and focus on the birds head/eye

500mm f8 1/320 ISO1100(auto sensitivity @+2EV) manual. AF auto with OS
The Whitethroat
Over exposed - probably as you have added +2EV - shutter speed far too low
same considerations on exposure and focusing as above

The Chaffinch is over exposed but not as bad as the first

f8 is good if you can use it - but at f8 you need good light and the higher the fvalue the slower and more difficult it is for (some) lens to focus especially at 500mm
also at the top end, 500mm zooms tend to be less good, (sharp) …….. try 400mm
I always use manual mode ……. but have tried Av priority setting the value at say f5.6 and also Shutter speed priority and setting the shutter speed at 1/1000 sec …….. in order to do both you really have to use Auto ISO to be sure to get anywhere near the correct exposure

Of course you should get as close as you can, use a tripod and turn the OS off when you use a tripod and practice your shot to get the right setting

so as I said try to get a sharp image first and take it from there

Hope this helps - just my views and I'm no expert
 
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The first on is soft, so in reality will never make it into a frame on your wall! The key next time is finding a way of getting closer - a lot easier to say than do though. If you do consider the baiting route, then you'll be very lucky to get what you want fist time out - you'll be looking at turning it into a longer term project. Plenty of people on here do similar things, might be worth a PM or two.

Regarding the settings, you could have done with boosting the ISO a couple of stops - don't be afraid of upping it within reason, with ISO 800 you'd have got shutter speed of 1/800th and 2 stops of increased exposure on the bird which would have helped with everything bar the size of the crop. As already mentioned, it is too soft to realistically salvage, but in future this shot framed this way would have been better losing half the frame from between the bird and the left hand side, then cropping the rest to suit your taste. Save the close up's for when you can get more pixels on the actual subject.

Shot 2 is purely a case of you need to get closer

The last is heavily back lit, and you need to be very aware of the angle of the light before pulling the trigger. The brightness top right of the bird is the light coming through the feathers and will always be present to some degree with backlighting. You'd have needed to add in a fair bit of positive exposure compensation for this shot, and be careful the colours don't become all flat and washed out. A difficult shot to get right, but works very well when you pull it off correctly.

Similar to the kestral, you needed to have upped the ISO to get a faster shutter speed as there is movement in the bird, and again, this would have helped with your exposure.
 
Thanks guys thats most useful..
A couple of questions. Do you recommend I shot in manual mode? If so does the auto iso still work ?
When shooting cars I use shutter priority @ 1/1000 with auto iso to min shutter 1/1000 & max iso 1200( colours and noise start to be an issue above this).
For the kestrel I used a monopod, the others were hand held chance shots (I thought the whitethroat was a sparrow carrying something). I tried using a tripod before and found it awkward to use. It bas a ball head is this ok or should I try a different style of head.
And lastly, I'm guessing the main reason they are soft is because the shutter speed was just too low rather the anything else?

I'm determined to get a good shoot of that kestrel.
 
Thanks guys thats most useful..
A couple of questions. Do you recommend I shot in manual mode? If so does the auto iso still work ?
When shooting cars I use shutter priority @ 1/1000 with auto iso to min shutter 1/1000 & max iso 1200( colours and noise start to be an issue above this).
For the kestrel I used a monopod, the others were hand held chance shots (I thought the whitethroat was a sparrow carrying something). I tried using a tripod before and found it awkward to use. It bas a ball head is this ok or should I try a different style of head.
And lastly, I'm guessing the main reason they are soft is because the shutter speed was just too low rather the anything else?

I'm determined to get a good shoot of that kestrel.

The Lens Master gimbal is a good price, (versus any other), it works for me………. I think £170 - google it
A good, relatively inexpensive tripod can be got for £150, but it will be heavy and metal - good carbon fibre tripods are up the £600 - tripods - the bigger and stronger the better - it needs to come up to eye height without any centre column
A tripod is a bind to carry about - but they are worth it

When you shoot in manual mode adjust the shutter speed or fvalue so that that little gauge in the viewfinder is centralised

Softness - too low a shutter speed, bad focusing particularly at a low fvalues or camera shake - happens to most of us - VR or OS helps …… but always switch it off when using a tripod

Good luck - you will get better shots quite soon - sit down and hope a bird flys near you - or go to a nature reserve and take shots of ducks, they are stupid and swim towards you …….. you cannot beat a good hide at a nature reserve to inspire you through improved images

Must go out and find my Redstarts ……… feels like the weekend ……. but that's the problem when you are an OAP!!!
 
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Every day is a weekend to me too.

My tripod is a Vanguard Altro, its nearly eye level with head and camera but £600 way too much for me (I still struggle to see why carbon tripods are so expensive, its not that expensive a material).
 
Every day is a weekend to me too.

My tripod is a Vanguard Altro, its nearly eye level with head and camera but £600 way too much for me (I still struggle to see why carbon tripods are so expensive, its not that expensive a material).

I only paid £100 for my heavy duty tripod - a used metal Gitzo 320 - perfect but heavy

Of course if you get into a hide a monopod is good and better than a tripod because of the space - or you can rest your lens on the window think

I started with a Nikon 70 300mm f4 VR zoom - then I went to the Nikon 300mm f4 prime - it just transformed my images - then added the Nikon TC x 1.4 which gave me more reach …….. about 6 weeks ago I bought a Nikon 300mm f2.8 VR ……. just magic ……. I've added a nikon TC20 lll which has doubled the reach and is especially good on my DX format D7100 ……. IMHO primes are the way to go for bird photography if you are striving for the best that you can achieve ……….. of course other take marvellous shots with long zooms

but there is always more with photography
 
Spending £4k on a lens would end up with a bread knife sticking out my chest if the wife found out.
£300 on a TC and then £900 for a 300f4 is ok.

I do have a 70-200 2.8 & TC2
 
Spending £4k on a lens would end up with a bread knife sticking out my chest if the wife found out.
£300 on a TC and then £900 for a 300f4 is ok.

I do have a 70-200 2.8 & TC2

Hi Peter,

The Nikon 300mm f4 is one of the best lens around for the money and the Nikon x 1.4TC suits it very well - that's what I used hand held and on a tripod up to 4 weeks ago and still use it daily.
I bought mine for £750 plus £200 for the TC - both used and mint

I also have a 70 200 f2.8VR …….. I don't really use it for birds - but it is good for other stuff ……… I have had no experience of the older TC 2
 
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