Beginner Faster shutter speed needed?

[Crotal Bell]

I've been told I need to increase the shutter speed for wildlife, I assume this would help sharpen todays images ?
I've edited these but obviously the original was not a great base to start.
(as you can see from the second one, after posing for a minute the Goldfinch took a bow)

 

[u8myufo]

So what shutter speed did you use on these Keith?

 

[ShropshireLad]

Yes it's probably camera shake and not just the subject moving as the feeder is slightly soft as well'
What was your shutter speed, fstop and lens used please.

 

[Gav.]

Guys above have you covered on the speed, did you shoot through a window or crop the images?
Only asking as your other image looked ok

 

[ShropshireLad]

Had a bit of a play in photoshop to try and make it pop a bit more.
.

 

[woof woof]

I don't know what the issue is there but maybe not shutter speed. Slight misfocus or hand shake maybe?

Keith, you certainly seem to have an eye for a picture so any technical or technique issues are really just secondary

 

[Crotal Bell]

So what shutter speed did you use on these Keith?

I honestly don't know, I need to get off auto and understand the menu more. I did push up the ISO to 200 as the first shots were delaying badly, it was around 8pm when I took these. I've been using the screen on the back, maybe the view finder would help to steady me more ?

 

[woof woof]

I honestly don't know, I need to get off auto and understand the menu more. I did push up the ISO to 200 as the first shots were delaying badly, it was around 8pm when I took these. I've been using the screen on the back, maybe the view finder would help to steady me more ?

Yes, I think so.

If you look at the exif info for your picture (right click and select "properties) it'll state everything you could want to know, including ISO, aperture and shutter speed. There'll be a way of seeing these setting when looking at the pictures on your camera too, maybe by toggling the "display" button.

Oh, and a PS.
For looking at pictures on my pc I use Faststone Image Viewer, it's free and you can run a slideshow on it too and if you move the cursor up, down, left or right you get options and on the right is the exif info.

 

[Crotal Bell]

Yes, I think so.

If you look at the exif info for your picture (right click and select "properties) it'll state everything you could want to know, including ISO, aperture and shutter speed. There'll be a way of seeing these setting when looking at the pictures on your camera too, maybe by toggling the "display" button.

Oh, and a PS.
For looking at pictures on my pc I use Faststone Image Viewer, it's free and you can run a slideshow on it too and if you move the cursor up, down, left or right you get options and on the right is the exif info.

Thanks Alan. I downloaded Faststone, I'll have a play with it this evening. Been over the cemetery today trying to film Jackdaws, not easy when they keep sticking their heads in and out the grass and hopping around !

 

[Alisonfd]

I honestly don't know, I need to get off auto and understand the menu more. I did push up the ISO to 200 as the first shots were delaying badly, it was around 8pm when I took these. I've been using the screen on the back, maybe the view finder would help to steady me more ?

You'll have a much easier time steadying the camera if you use the viewfinder. It's easier to hold still when the camera is closer to your body.

If you want to get off auto, just try swapping to the priority modes at first. For birds, swap to shutter priority(S), then you'll be able to just set your shutterspeed and the camera will control your aperture. You'll need to set the ISO as well but you could also set this to auto if your camera has that (most do).

 

[Crotal Bell]

You'll have a much easier time steadying the camera if you use the viewfinder. It's easier to hold still when the camera is closer to your body.

If you want to get off auto, just try swapping to the priority modes at first. For birds, swap to shutter priority(S), then you'll be able to just set your shutterspeed and the camera will control your aperture. You'll need to set the ISO as well but you could also set this to auto if your camera has that (most do).

Thanks buddy, I think I'll try shutter priority.

 

[woof woof]

I use aperture priority until the shutter speed drops too low and then I switch to manual, just about always with auto ISO.

If the shutter speed is a priority for me I don't usually feel happy with shutter priority as I might be happy with the settings one moment and find myself unhappy with them the next if I point my camera at something else or the light changes and I find myself at f16 or looking at flashing settings because the lens can't go wider. It may be just me but I prefer manual to shutter priority as I can then adjust either the aperture or the shutter speed as I see fit without fumbling for another mode.

 

[mstphoto]

I think it looks more like a focussing problem

 

[Nod]

Or a lens resolution one.

 

[Crotal Bell]

I use aperture priority until the shutter speed drops too low and then I switch to manual, just about always with auto ISO.

If the shutter speed is a priority for me I don't usually feel happy with shutter priority as I might be happy with the settings one moment and find myself unhappy with them the next if I point my camera at something else or the light changes and I find myself at f16 or looking at flashing settings because the lens can't go wider. It may be just me but I prefer manual to shutter priority as I can then adjust either the aperture or the shutter speed as I see fit without fumbling for another mode.

I think it looks more like a focussing problem

It could be focussing as well, the back screen seems easier but today I took a lot more using the eye piece, I'll have a look at them later and see if it improved matters, biggest problem was keeping my nose off the screen as it kept shift the focus point when I addressed the eye piece. I also tried shutter priority mode today for my bird shots. I'll post images here later.

 

[Crotal Bell]

I think it looks more like a focussing problem

Today I did three things differently. Used the eye view ,not the screen, Shutter priority mode and increased shutter speed, removed UV filter as it's fairly cheap and I heard they can degrade the image.
This Jackdaw was about 15 - 20 yards away and I think it's sharper than previous efforts. It was a dull cloudy afternoon. I have edited this but it didn't need a lot. ISO was 200 I think.
@woof woof

 

[Rossjukes]

Already some great advice on here but this might also help build a bit of understanding around shutter speed etc

 

[Crotal Bell]

Already some great advice on here but this might also help build a bit of understanding around shutter speed etc

That was helpful, thank you.