Any tips'n'tricks for better in-flight bird photos ?

exo · #1 (**permalink**) 24-07-2011, 10:29 PM

Trying to get halfway reasonable images of sparrows in flight,
interested in the different, sometimes surprising, forms they make.

Got a 'sparrow home' hedge, with a load of trusting (well fed) birds,
just begging for photos like this, I can walk past closely & they don't scatter
(they're quite young & trusting).

But with my bridge camera (Canon SX30IS) things are not as easy/good as I'd like.

I've locked the exposure to 1/1000th, +1 step, at ~400mm zoom (35mm equiv.),
subject at around 15ft, got f/5 max and set to ISO400, which is as far as I'd like to go,
plus got a sunny day, some clouds on & off.

Trouble is it looks like 1/2000 (or less) might be needed to get a non-blurred motion-shot,
which puts me well under-exposed.

Was wondering if any more experienced photographers than me know any magic tricks to get round this,
or should I just go & buy an £8000 DSLR camera.

This is with a motion-detection (CHDK) script, so unmanned photography, birds might not be too worried,
so I could try & put the camera closer to subject I guess, but is that my only option do you think ?

momji1971 · #2 (**permalink**) 24-07-2011, 11:00 PM

The closer you are to your subject, the faster the shutter speed you'll need. Lots against you with a bridge, shutter lag, noise, sensor size. Uphill struggle but your only chance will be to pre-focus on a spot and keep rattling shots off. You might get lucky. You picked a tough subject!

regards.
Stu.

nightshade · #3 (**permalink**) 25-07-2011, 06:14 AM

If they come toward you to land, they "flare-out" to reduce their speed for a landing. So try a spot near a feeder, or favourite perch

exo · #4 (**permalink**) 25-07-2011, 07:05 AM

OK I'll try with the camera closer then,
on a very bright day & see how it goes.

I think the lag just about OK, 0.1 sec quoted, guess it's the sensor
size/properties that's limiting the amount of light collected/quality.

Maybe I've just bitten off more than this camera can chew

Can do shots of them on the feeders & perched quite reasonably,
but it's the in-flight images I would have liked.

cheers

Hobjob · #5 (**permalink**) 25-07-2011, 07:49 AM

1.) I think you have done extremely well with the series of photos you posted.

2.) You can usually lighten in a good image manipulation programme - Use 1/2,000 and I bet you can get a good result on screen.

3.) Even with a dSLR (and good glass which is vital) you will still be pointing, shooting and hoping

nightshade · #6 (**permalink**) 25-07-2011, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by exo

OK I'll try with the camera closer then,
on a very bright day & see how it goes.

I think the lag just about OK, 0.1 sec quoted, guess it's the sensor
size/properties that's limiting the amount of light collected/quality.

Maybe I've just bitten off more than this camera can chew

Can do shots of them on the feeders & perched quite reasonably,
but it's the in-flight images I would have liked.

cheers

Re. feeder I mean as they approach it not on it, ditto with favourite perches

exo · #7 (**permalink**) 25-07-2011, 01:13 PM

Thanks for the encouregment Hobjob.

I guess there's only a limited amount you can do with a seriously under-exposed
image though, I'll give it a go at 1/2000 or even 1/3500 to see what I get.

Would I be right in thinking that, for a given field of view, if you are at half
the distance you get 4 times the light - inverse square law,
maybe even more if the zoom is at 200 rather than 400 mm ?

I did understand what you were saying nightshade, the images I've got so
far are similar to that, but looking from the back of the birds.

When they come out of the bush I guess they are accelerating,
when they land they're doing what you said - putting the air-brakes on.
But even so there's high speed movement, looks like.