Male Greenfinch

[Ned Ward]

From the spring till now I've been trying bird photography. My usual genre is laconic landscaping. Boy do I need to learn about the rigour of wildlife photography.

I'm looking for critique and comment, feel free to be honest I'm here to learn. This was shot with a Nikon D200 using a 300mm f4 lens with 1.4 teleconverter.

Cheers Ned

[Brownbear]

Hi Ned,

Welcome to Cambridge in Colour! I'm learning to photograph birds, too (and still trying ) I have learned a lot from the members of this forum.

I think this is a beautiful shot, wonderfully composed, gorgeous colour and detail with a nice background. It looks just a wee bit soft to me around the foot on the branch so perhaps slightly smaller aperture.

Beautiful image!

[Ned Ward]

Hi Ned,

Welcome to Cambridge in Colour! I'm learning to photograph birds, too (and still trying ) I have learned a lot from the members of this forum.

I think this is a beautiful shot, wonderfully composed, gorgeous colour and detail with a nice background. It looks just a wee bit soft to me around the foot on the branch so perhaps slightly smaller aperture.

Beautiful image!

Hi Christina, yes I can see your point. Sharpness has been an issue all along. The light against trees, bright sky etc. can be widely variable. With the noise associated with low light and my camera it's difficult to stop down in some conditions and times of day. Also a fast shutter helps with fast moving subjects. The other thing that strikes me is the narrow dof with the nikon 300mm f4. Dont think the teleconverter helps either. There are many other issues like getting close enough. It's a fantastic challenge. Thanks for taking time to view and comment.

[Brownbear]

Hi Ned,

I have the same lens and teleconverter that you do, and I prefer not to use the teleconvertor if I can manage to get close.

There are some wonderful bird photographers on this forum that you can learn from Joe, Bobo Bird and Dan (Northern Focus) to name just a few.

Joe has encouraged me to try his settings for BIF which are typically

BIF SS 2500 Aperture 8 and auto iso set to a maximum of 3200 to start at a SS of 640. And while I am not crazy about auto iso it does work wonderfully for changing light conditions and when you just don't know what bird you will end up photographing. Joe has a thread somewhere where he shares his technique in great detail... I couldn't find it but here is a link for his threads... Just viewing his threads is very informative.

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/fo...hid=674188&pp=

[Ned Ward]

Thanks for this Christina, I'm obliged. Yes I use auto ISO and 1600 give loads of noise, my camera won't go any higher. f7.1 as minimum but there are times I'm down to 1/200th sec SS. You need bright light and birds are more active in the morning and evenings in my garden where most of my practice takes place.

Yes the lens is better without converter and you have lots of resolution with the d7100.

Soon I'm looking to upgrade to full frame which will help with noise and high ISO shooting but I'll loose reach (dx = x1.5). However a larger resolution may help win some of that back by post cropping. So D600 or if I save real hard D800E.

Thanks for your help I'll have a look at the link you sent.

Regards
Ned

[Brownbear]

My pleasure. Yes, I agree about noise.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of your images and learning from you.

Thanks for this Christina, I'm obliged. Yes I use auto ISO and 1600 give loads of noise, my camera won't go any higher. f7.1 as minimum but there are times I'm down to 1/200th sec SS. You need bright light and birds are more active in the morning and evenings in my garden where most of my practice takes place.

Yes the lens is better without converter and you have lots of resolution with the d7100.

Soon I'm looking to upgrade to full frame which will help with noise and high ISO shooting but I'll loose reach (dx = x1.5). However a larger resolution may help win some of that back by post cropping. So D600 or if I save real hard D800E.

Thanks for your help I'll have a look at the link you sent.

Regards
Ned

[jprzybyla]

Hello Ned, beautiful bird. I agree with Christina that the feet and branch are a touch soft, other than that nice image. I shoot almost exclusively birds using Nikon gear. The lens I use is the Nikon 70-300mm VRII F4-5.6 mounted on a Nikon D7000. Early morning I find the images to have more noise than I like so I go out a little later in the morning. I use auto ISO with a minimum shutter speed set at 1/500 sec.. I prefer to shoot at f8, a large bird or a group of birds I will use f16. For birds in flight I use a shutter speed of 1/2500 and aperture of f8 to f16 depending on one bird or a group of birds. The closer I can be to the bird the better the image, so I go to wild areas where the birds are accustomed to seeing people. Nature reserves and wildlife refuges I find are the best. I read that you were practicing in your backyard, be out there often so the birds become accustomed to seeing you and not scattering at your appearance. Hoping this helps...

[Bobobird]

A very nicee image and shows that you have been working on this for some time.

Good advice already posted. The only point I wanted to mention was camera upgrade - a D800 or 800E will be the wrong camera unless you intend only ever to take stills. Great camera for almost everything else but birds look for something faster.

That said - continue using what you have until you have enough experience and know that wildlife is what you will be doing for a long time.

And Christina is right - take off that TC as these tend to slow the focus and also reduce light especially when you can use every ounce of it with your current camera.

[Ned Ward]

Jo,
Thanks for the heads up on equipment and settings. The fast shutters makes perfect sense but alas I seldom have the Florida sunshine . I can recall very few occasions where I could get above f8 for any length of time this summer, and for us its been a good one. Yes auto ISO is a must. Its a good point about the tc they really are detrimental in my view. Yes I also use nature reserves. My garden is now equipped with a small feeding station and I shoot through an open window inside. British wildlife is normally very fickle and jumpy so I still have to take great care.
Thanks for taking time to view and comment I appreciate it.
Cheers
Ned

[Ned Ward]

Bobo, thanks for taking time.

The D800 was one option in mind. The other is a D600 for landscaping and general photography and a D7100 for birding.
I'm led to believe that since I bought the D200 (an excellent camera in my view) back in 2007/8 the technology and resolution have improved so much that noise is less intrusive. The D7100 has a high enough resolution plus the double in camera crop of newer DX bodies to allow post cropping to fill the frame without a tc. Ideally though I'd like to be sat on the same branch as the bird so need to practice stalking skills.
The D600 would allow me to develop my landscaping in glorious full frame quality which I believe is a revelation to someone like me with only DX experience.
The cost of both cameras would be roughly in line with D800E or so I keep telling my wife! Not sure the newer D610 is worth the extra cash they ask.
Thanks again and I'll try not to bore you too much whilst I learn.
Cheers
Ned

[AB26]

feel free to be honest I'm here to learn.

Welcome Ned.

What do you use to do your PP?

Very good.

PS. The D610 is a D600 problem solved!

[Brownbear]

Hi Ned,

3 months ago I upgraded from a D80 to a D7100 and I am delighted with my camera (I love to photograph birds in flight and wildlife, anything moving). Yes, it has noise when I have to use higher isos but overall I'm very impressed with my camera. The only thing that is holding me back is my skills and learning to post process. This camera will likely serve me well for many years to come. For BIF it is excellent.

I'm no camera expert but I'm very happy with my camera.

Bobo, thanks for taking time.

The D800 was one option in mind. The other is a D600 for landscaping and general photography and a D7100 for birding.
I'm led to believe that since I bought the D200 (an excellent camera in my view) back in 2007/8 the technology and resolution have improved so much that noise is less intrusive. The D7100 has a high enough resolution plus the double in camera crop of newer DX bodies to allow post cropping to fill the frame without a tc. Ideally though I'd like to be sat on the same branch as the bird so need to practice stalking skills.
The D600 would allow me to develop my landscaping in glorious full frame quality which I believe is a revelation to someone like me with only DX experience.
The cost of both cameras would be roughly in line with D800E or so I keep telling my wife! Not sure the newer D610 is worth the extra cash they ask.
Thanks again and I'll try not to bore you too much whilst I learn.
Cheers
Ned

[Ned Ward]

Andre, I'm on PS CS5, I use CS3 for noise reduction using Neat Image plugin as CS6 wont support it. I hate noise reduction software and use with caution. I'll have to move on to say Lightroom if I upgrade camera as the PS's I have can't process the new RAW files. I shoot only RAW. I won't move to Adobe cloud PS thingy I can't justify the monthly outgoing as an amateur.

The D600 issue you mean oil on the sensor? Its been hyped to death, there is a problem for some but many report its OK. The D600 is marked as "enthusiast" yet is as good as the D800 in all but a few areas, who needs the additional resolution? and faster frame rate? well they have to set it apart as a pro camera and hike up the price, after all the customer pays for a pro's camera.

If I sound bitter its because I am. The D600 problem should have been fixed for free for all for ever! If I didn't have Nikon glass I'd consider the Canon EOS 6D which is supposed to be one of the best ever made in its class.

I'm anti globalisation even though it gives me access to Japanese technology and German cars! A bit of a nutter, but harmless.

Thank you for viewing and commenting.

Cheers
Ned

[Ned Ward]

Christina, I read on a lot of bird forums that the D7100 is a tool of choice for many, including people who make money from bird photography. The 2x crop factor and high resolution along with good frame rate make it one of the top DX cameras available.
The problem with cameras for amateurs is its a lottery when you first start on the DSLR route as to whether you go Nikon or Canon. Once sucked in and having spent on glass its hard to swop horses? This i'm sure is controversial from me. Sure there are lots of other good makes but the accessibility and hype of these two big companies corners the market. If we all had money wouldn't we all go medium format and get Hassies?
Hope to see some of your D7100 work.
Cheers
Ned

[Brownbear]

Hi Ned,

Yes, I researched my camera and received a ton of helpful advice from members of this forum.

Yes, indeed!

I post frequently as I am trying to learn new things, good and bad images so it is likely that you will see some of my work pretty soon.

Cheers

Christina, I read on a lot of bird forums that the D7100 is a tool of choice for many, including people who make money from bird photography. The 2x crop factor and high resolution along with good frame rate make it one of the top DX cameras available.
The problem with cameras for amateurs is its a lottery when you first start on the DSLR route as to whether you go Nikon or Canon. Once sucked in and having spent on glass its hard to swop horses? This i'm sure is controversial from me. Sure there are lots of other good makes but the accessibility and hype of these two big companies corners the market. If we all had money wouldn't we all go medium format and get Hassies?
Hope to see some of your D7100 work.
Cheers
Ned