Beginner Swallows/swifts

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snooks

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Gary
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Hi All

Out working this morning cutting a sports field on a lawn tractor and after about ten minutes about twenty swallows or swifts turned up flying about as they do.
I was thinking about trying to get some shots of the birds in flight was wondering if anybody had any ideas how to do this given the speed these birds travel. The only lens I've got is a 18mm/55mm.
 
Probably swallows - the swifts will almost be completely gone for this year. Photographing swallows in flight are amongst the hardest subjects to get good results.

You will need a telephoto lens and to expect a huge amount of failures or even no success at all. However, give it a try. You will learn from the experience.
 
Thanks for the reply
Thought I was being a bit ambitious, once I get a telephoto lens I will give it a go anyway you never know your luck.
 
I've tried repeatedly with 150-600mm and 500mm but without success, speed in reactions and AF is a must ... whilst I agree a telephoto will give the best results, if you catch one, the greater possibility of a catch will come from a shorter lens such as 70-200 which will move easier in your hands/arms.
 
like whats been said, probably 300mm max, I use a 300 or 70-200, but had very good hit rate with 150-500 sigma lens, I had a good copy, and wished i never sold it...whats good about this lens is the ability to push or pull the lens to the required focal length,swifts although the fastest of the birds have quite a predictive flight ,so you can pick these up at the longest length of the lens ,then follow them in, when the lens has locked on..you soon get the hang of it, I find swallows not too bad to get shots of , but house martins the worst ,for changing direction..good luck if going to have a go...
 

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We have a flock? of small birds near us (at least I think they're birds) they are dark in colour about 6 inches long and move incredibly quickly playing games of chase about sundown time. I've tried to capture even one with a 70-200 telephoto but not even close. They change direction constantly swoop and climb, making predicting flightpath impossible.
There must be a way of doing this but I haven't figured out how yet. Maybe they are house martins?
 
Decided to have a go at photographing swallows one day when I saw a few flying low over a pond.
Stuck the camera on a tripod, focussed on a point where they swooped, stood back and fired the camera remotely.
Stayed for about 40 minutes, and while no masterpieces emerged from 25-30 attempts, I think the method may be worth trying again.
If you have the patience, I'm sure you'd get something halfway decent.
 
You don't always need a long lens to photograph swallows. This sequence was shot with a 17-85mm walkaround zoom on my old Canon 40D:

562596_436725583019359_1181699025_n.jpg
 
I got these swifts using my 100-400, but as mentioned up there ^^ at 400 it gives such a narrow FOV that I had to wind it back to just over 200.
I found most success by tracking one of the slower birds the slowly zooming in whilst tracking.
Oh, and a fast shutter speed, because all the swallows/swifts/martins are fast little buggers!! (y)
Fundamentally, unless you know where they are resting or nesting (as Stewart has eluded to), then yes, you're "gonna need a bigger boat lens" :)

swift_030715.JPG
 
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