Wildlife Focusing Techniques - Birds

rpsmith79

rpsmith79

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Rich
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This has probably been asked a million times, and i know one technique won't work for everyone, but i'd like to know what you use for what situation

Mostly i'm talking about birds, so lets start off with stationary ones (not Birds In Flight)

I asked for critique on a few shots i took at Potteric Carr the other day, and most of the comments related to not being focused on the eyes (which i fully agree with), and it was suggested i move the focus point to aim for the eyes, but i find it far too time consuming to shift the focus point mid shot, the technique i use is focus & recompose, but i'm wondering if this is what is contributing to my missed focus points due to the slight angle change i am making once i have got focus (i use BBF too)

So, my question, is what i am doing wrong for the situation, can i improve on this using another technique, and if so what technique do you use?

Also, any other help/pointers would be greatly appreciated
 
I use single focus on all my wildlife pictures, moving the focus point on a Nikon is easy, just use the wheel on the back like a joystick,
takes no time at all.
This works especially well at zoos where you may have to focus through wire etc.
Is the one thing I love about the Nikon 70/200 Mk1, the fact that you have the buttons on the front
to hold the focus while you recompose the shot
 
Hmmm, i suppose for relatively slow moving animals that would work, but when a bird lands on a perch in front of me it's generally there for no longer than a few seconds, and i never have time to change the focus position............ maybe i just need more practice

It also doesn't help that i am left eye dominant, so my nose is generally in the way of the joystick button
 
I use back focus button so all i need to do is press the shutter, works for me
 
wave01 said:
I use back focus button so all i need to do is press the shutter, works for me
Click to expand...

Just i use BBF too, but that wasn't the question i was asking, the question is do i continue with the Focus Recompose method, or should i try adjusting the focus point mid shot to place it on the eye of the bird or whatever animal i might be shooting

The only other way i can think to do it is to use the centre focus point to focus on the eye and then crop the shot to get the desired composition, but that doesn't seem like a good use of pixels/real estate to me, i would rather get the composition right first time, or at least as best i can while taking the shot, not relying on cropping to get the composition
 
Many use BBF but the situation you explained is why I don't use it. Using BBF it's a case of centre point and thumb to focus whereas without using BBF my finger controls shutter and focus and thumb can move/change focus point position quickly. It works for me fine but some prefer BBF, it's personal choice and neither is wrong.

Missed focus with the focus/recompose technique depends on the DoF you have, if it's shallow it's easy to take it out of the focus plane.
 
I maybe missing something here, but if your using centre point you move the lens/camera direction to keep focus on the bird's eyes. Theres no need to alter focus points or use d-pad or scroll wheel, it's they way I do it using AFS. For me on my D7100 I find AFC jumps around too much for my liking, hence use of AFS.

Then to get more of the bird into focus I step the lens down a bit from say F4 to F5.6, F7.1 etc...................... but keep focus point on eye. I focus and recompose as needed and I find my lens/body fast enough to do this.

If your using BBF and you have hit the eye focus dont you just follow the bird then and release shutter? I thought the idea of BBF, is to keep the focus whilst following the bird, from my understanding. It's the way I used to do it with my Fuji XT1. The D7100 is still newish to me.

Also remember on small birds, when your cropping the image you loose some of the finer detail especially with large crops on small birds. Unless your using a D810 or similar which then allows for big crops due to the 36MP.
 
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Birds can move very fast, not just by flying but by twitching and turning ... it all depends on how dextrous you are whether you can keep up with their movements ... oh and a bird's eye is quite a small target!
I certainly wouldn't have time for focus/recompose, I'd never get a shot off ... if I can focus on the eye that's brilliant, but for me (small birds) I focus on the bird and if it hits the eye so much the better.
Something like a duck is a completely different kettle of fish, much easier to focus on the eye.

Of course aperture will affect the end result to some extent.
 
I also just focus on the eye AI Servo centre point. They're normally small birds and even at 12 feet some cropping is required so I recompose as part of the cropping.

Larger more docile stuff then I may switch to another focus point.

I tend not to focus & recompose unless the distance / aperture / dof means I'd get away with it.
 
gramps said:
Birds can move very fast, not just by flying but by twitching and turning ... it all depends on how dextrous you are whether you can keep up with their movements ... oh and a bird's eye is quite a small target!
I certainly wouldn't have time for focus/recompose, I'd never get a shot off ... if I can focus on the eye that's brilliant, but for me (small birds) I focus on the bird and if it hits the eye so much the better.
Something like a duck is a completely different kettle of fish, much easier to focus on the eye.

Of course aperture will affect the end result to some extent.
Click to expand...

Quick question on your Tamron lens. Do you find it better for smaller birds as the lens has a smaller (or is it larger?) aperture compared to say using a f2.8 or f4 lens wide open???
 
Swanseajack said:
Quick question on your Tamron lens. Do you find it better for smaller birds as the lens has a smaller (or is it larger?) aperture compared to say using a f2.8 or f4 lens wide open???
Click to expand...

Not really, it is always going to be better to have a lens that will let in more light (e.g. f2.8) as you can get a sharper image and compensate more easily for poorer light. For me the Tamron is purely a trade-off for weight/zoom-range/cost and as such it is almost always out with me for birds and other wildlife.
 
gramps said:
Not really, it is always going to be better to have a lens that will let in more light (e.g. f2.8) as you can get a sharper image and compensate more easily for poorer light. For me the Tamron is purely a trade-off for weight/zoom-range/cost and as such it is almost always out with me for birds and other wildlife.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I'm missing the zoom after coming back to Nikon and I am considering selling my 300mm f4 for a more versatile zoom. The Tamron is on my radar along with some others.

Sorry OP if I have slightly taken thread of track.
 
Swanseajack said:
Quick question on your Tamron lens. Do you find it better for smaller birds as the lens has a smaller (or is it larger?) aperture compared to say using a f2.8 or f4 lens wide open???
Click to expand...

gramps said:
Not really, it is always going to be better to have a lens that will let in more light (e.g. f2.8) as you can get a sharper image and compensate more easily for poorer light. For me the Tamron is purely a trade-off for weight/zoom-range/cost and as such it is almost always out with me for birds and other wildlife.
Click to expand...

Couple of points to add there Simon..

A lens always focusses wide open (at it's larger aperture) so even if you're wanting to shoot at f8 for deeper depth of focus - an f2.8 or f4 lens will have more available light to focus with than an f.5.6 or f6.3 lens.

Lenses are usually sharper when you 'stop down' from their maximum aperture so a 400mm f4 lens (stopped down to f.5.6) may well yield better results than a 400mm f5.6 lens
 
Swanseajack said:
I maybe missing something here, but if your using centre point you move the lens/camera direction to keep focus on the bird's eyes. Theres no need to alter focus points or use d-pad or scroll wheel, it's they way I do it using AFS. For me on my D7100 I find AFC jumps around too much for my liking, hence use of AFS.
Click to expand...

As mentioned, using the focus recompose method there is a chance during the recomposing that you will alter the focal distance/focal plane, therefore resulting in a less than perfectly focused shot, especially when hand holding
 
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gramps said:
Birds can move very fast, not just by flying but by twitching and turning ... it all depends on how dextrous you are whether you can keep up with their movements ... oh and a bird's eye is quite a small target!
I certainly wouldn't have time for focus/recompose, I'd never get a shot off ... if I can focus on the eye that's brilliant, but for me (small birds) I focus on the bird and if it hits the eye so much the better.
Something like a duck is a completely different kettle of fish, much easier to focus on the eye.

Of course aperture will affect the end result to some extent.
Click to expand...

Yeah, this is pretty much the method i use, but i seem to be getting more misses than hits, so was wondering if there was a better method

As for focus/recompose being not being quick enough, i find it quite easy as at long focal lengths it's generally only a flick of the wrist, if that, but i either need to work on my technique to keep the focus distance/focal plane the same, or i might have a try and altering the focus position next time i'm out
 
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rpsmith79 said:
As mentioned, using the focus recompose method there is a chance during the recomposing that you will alter the focal distance/focal plane, therefore resulting in a less than perfectly focused shot, especially when hand holding
Click to expand...

And I think we need to accept that not all shots will be perfect using recompose and at times you may miss the perfect shot. Perhaps the more experienced birders can advise on there keeper rate. Over to you @gramps & @dinners.

When your next out shooting try to keep the focus on the eyes and see how you get on. Then try BBF, AFC, AFS etc......... and see what works for you. With experience you will probably anticipate where the bird is landing and you can be setup ready for the shot. Take some feed out with you and place where you think you will get the shot. You can get some experience on the birds habit's. And don't be too hard on yourself.

I'm learning myself and with my little experience I can judge where the bird is going to land, although sometimes it doesnt work out. I have set up perches around the garden for me to practice on.
 
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I just aim at the body and crop in .... then delete them because they're rubbish :D
 
Cheers guys, certainly some food for thought on new techniques to try out
 
Now i'm just a bit confused by this, after checking your Flickr photostream i have no idea why you are asking about how to focus :thinking:
Yes the ones you put on here from Potteric Carr were not your best but it sounds like a DOF issue.
I would love to say i was good enough to focus on a birds eye, remember the focus point you see in the viewfinder is not 100% accurate and can easily pick up on something close to the target with more contrast (y)
 
Neil B said:
Now i'm just a bit confused by this, after checking your Flickr photostream i have no idea why you are asking about how to focus :thinking:
Yes the ones you put on here from Potteric Carr were not your best but it sounds like a DOF issue.
I would love to say i was good enough to focus on a birds eye, remember the focus point you see in the viewfinder is not 100% accurate and can easily pick up on something close to the target with more contrast (y)
Click to expand...

Thanks, but it was more a question on how to improve as my hit rate seems to be pretty dismal, and my "thing" for this year is to try to improve as a wildlife photographer

Maybe next time out i'll open the aperture open one stop to see if that helps with my DoF
 
rpsmith79 said:
Thanks, but it was more a question on how to improve as my hit rate seems to be pretty dismal, and my "thing" for this year is to try to improve as a wildlife photographer

Maybe next time out i'll open the aperture open one stop to see if that helps with my DoF
Click to expand...

Fair enough, one tip for you is forget the birds and get lots of practice in on anything you can set up in the garden, could be anything from clothes pegs on branches to playing cards hidden in shaded areas.
One bonus is you are shooting handheld so you don't have the hassle of setting heads/levers/knobs and general twiddling that wastes time and cost shots, try the 300mm lens without the converter and see if the focussing improves.
This guy has some good advise.

 
Good idea on the practising on other subjects, will certainly give that a try

I have tried shooting without the teleconverter but find that i'm just that bit too far away in most cases
 
rpsmith79 said:
without the teleconverter but find that i'm just that bit too far away in most cases
Click to expand...

Then you need to think about either getting nearer to your subjects or enticing them closer to you Rich.Are you mainly handholding with your bird shots?
 
Mostly hand held, I do have a monopod and tripod but find them constricting at times
 
rpsmith79 said:
Mostly hand held, I do have a monopod and tripod but find them constricting at times
Click to expand...

You have just answered your own question really ;)
 
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