A wonderful set of shots Peter
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Canon 7D Mk II is announced and available for pre-order (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Ashraf Kotb
- Start date
colincurry
Well-known member
Thanks, Joe. Most helpful. Still don't understand what is the 'near to far' test.
I should have realised that my tiny 100-400 does not qualify as a 'super telephoto' - although I think it is super.
Still getting used to it but tried it today with the 1.4 tc on a static peacock butterfly and a hovering beefly. Results in camera look very good. Will post later.
Colin
Joe52
Well-known member
The near to far test is when you lock focus on a near subject, then point the lens at a far off subject, testing how fast the focus can lock on at different distances.
Owen Krout
Well-known member
Fantastic shot! I've seen shots taken using a tracking mount that were not this good. I take it you were using your gimbal head mount to steady, what were your camera settings for this?
GYRob
Well-known member
this is one i took a couple of weeks ago at exeter 7d2 and sigma 500 f4.5
https://www.flickr.com/photos/99drb/16740235097/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/99drb/16740235097/
colincurry
Well-known member
Here are some close-ups taken in the garden using the 100-400 mk2 and 1.4 tc Mk3 employing the 'Full' focus option on the lens.
Not macro but I like the results.
Colin
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colincurry
Well-known member
Hallo Isaac
You are right in thinking that some of my subjects are quite a distance away and that I am pushing the the equipment limits. I can only take what shows; and I am one of those who mostly rambles around on a circular route. Although I have an idea where certain birds might be, there is still a great element of pot-luck
Still learning about the kit and have lately kept the 1.4 tc on the camera thus getting me closer to the subjects - some of which have in themselves been much closer.
Please also see my previous post with some insect shots.
Colin
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Dave Williams
Well-known member
Posting pictures alone doesn't give much help to other owners of the same gear. It would be nice to share settings to help others maximise their potential.Limitations people are finding with their equipment are also very helpful too.
The size of the crop made in PP is very important to me too.
Just a thought!
The size of the crop made in PP is very important to me too.
Just a thought!
Hi dave
the flickr link i posted of penduline tit the settings were
f6.3
320 iso
2500 shutter
42% crop
hope this helps
dave
Certainly those insect shots would be impossible with old 100-400.
Russ
Dave Williams
Well-known member
Thanks, interesting.
Nice enough shot but not as sharp as I would have imagined it would be for a relatively small crop. Perhaps a bit more DOF would have helped as you must have been pretty close. There was certainly lots of ISO and Shutter speed to play with.
Presumably the single focus point was used?
SC2birders
Active member
Picasa link @ https://picasaweb.google.com/115251...&authkey=Gv1sRgCICc5LDIpvTFJA&feat=directlink
The ScrubJay photos were taken in AM flat light. The Spoonbill photos were part of 20 BIF taken at dusk, 1/800 f:5.6, auto ISO varied from 3000 to 6400 where I had set an upper limit. All were in focus, slightly underexposed, but usable using the Canon 7D2 & old 100-400L. There is no way I could have gotten these shots with my old 7D
The ScrubJay photos were taken in AM flat light. The Spoonbill photos were part of 20 BIF taken at dusk, 1/800 f:5.6, auto ISO varied from 3000 to 6400 where I had set an upper limit. All were in focus, slightly underexposed, but usable using the Canon 7D2 & old 100-400L. There is no way I could have gotten these shots with my old 7D
Roy C
Occasional bird snapper
I have had the 7D2 for a couple of weeks now although only been out with it a few times and not got any worthwhile bird shots yet (just a walker who takes along a Camera these days so decent bird shots are hard to come by). The AF seems snappier than the 7D1 and also more accurate from what I can tell, I have not seen any softness when shooting a burst in AI servo mode so guess my copy is OK.
I am not keen on any of the multi point options for BIF (zone,wide zone or all points) and have decided that single point expansion (4 and 8 point) is working best for me for flyers.
After shooting a FF Cam for a couple of years the extra 'reach' is very nice as I only have a 400mm lens for wildlife these days.
Attached is a big ugly crop of a Collared dove taken hand held with my non IS lens - I know it is not an exciting bird lol but you can only snap what you see. BTW this crop is about 20% of the full frame so fairly hefty cropped.
I am not keen on any of the multi point options for BIF (zone,wide zone or all points) and have decided that single point expansion (4 and 8 point) is working best for me for flyers.
After shooting a FF Cam for a couple of years the extra 'reach' is very nice as I only have a 400mm lens for wildlife these days.
Attached is a big ugly crop of a Collared dove taken hand held with my non IS lens - I know it is not an exciting bird lol but you can only snap what you see. BTW this crop is about 20% of the full frame so fairly hefty cropped.
Attachments
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SC2birders
Active member
For BIF, I preset C3 to Tv@1/1600. Auto ISO. Auto lighing optimizer-low. I delimit ISO, shutter speeds and apertures to those suitable for BIF. Focus priority for 1st and next shots.10 fps. Case 2, but TS@-2. Central zone points active. It seems to me that one will not see the big advantage of the MkII focusing system for BIF, without going to zones.
Roy C
Occasional bird snapper
I disagree, to me the 7D2 tracks better than the 7D1 and 8 point expansion is a nice upgrade.
The trouble with Zones is that you cannot control the AF point - the Camera decides which point(s) it uses for AF, usually the nearest thing to the Camera which is often a birds wing tips especially when the bird is flying across you. I was trying out zones last week and when I analyzed the images on the PC some of the active AF points were strange - there were occasions where two points were active, one being reasonably in focus whereas the other one, although active was clearly trying to focusing on something not in the same plain of focus, I can only put it down to the AF point switching not being able to keep up (even though I had AF points switching at it fastest setting). The zone behaved similar to the 9 point zone on the 5D3 (where I always prefer single point expansion with 8 assist points).
With 4 or 8 point expansion you use the central point of the cluster to focus and the assist points are there if you lose it on the focus point. This way you get a precise focus point.
I have no need to assign a 'C' preset for BIF as I use back button focusing and AI servo most all of the time so I am always ready for BIF and perched birds (and manual focusing if required)
As for Auto lighting optimizer, this is the first thing I always disable with any of my Cameras (although if you shoot in RAW you can always switch it on later in DPP 4).
I guess at the end of the day we all have our different ways - as long as we get are desired end result then it does not matter how you achieve.
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BodyResults
Well-known member
I certainly think that the 7D2 tracks better than the 7D1. It also is more accurate which was my biggest gripe about the 7D1.
I find for most BIF center plus 4 works best for me. I have found though if the bird is going above the horizon and there is no background that zone can work well on more erratic flyers. I've had my best shots of White-throated Swifts using all points active. If they drop below the horizon though it won't work.
I find for most BIF center plus 4 works best for me. I have found though if the bird is going above the horizon and there is no background that zone can work well on more erratic flyers. I've had my best shots of White-throated Swifts using all points active. If they drop below the horizon though it won't work.
lewis20126
Well-known member
A few thoughts having used the 7DII and 100-400 IS Mk2 for 10 days now in Costa Rica; dawn to dusk in mainly forest habitats:
Capable of great shots with close birds, but struggles hugely in dim light or dappled light (to achieve focus, slow focus) and confused backgrounds; IMO seems worse that old combo. AI Servo, wchih is my mode of choice, often achieves focus then wanders off - this is the worse thing; no idea why.
Reduced noise on high ISO seems a great improvement but deteriorates rapidly above ISO5000 (its dark in there!).
One more "frozen" camera moment required switch off; but probably only happening every 10,000 shots.
cheers, alan
Capable of great shots with close birds, but struggles hugely in dim light or dappled light (to achieve focus, slow focus) and confused backgrounds; IMO seems worse that old combo. AI Servo, wchih is my mode of choice, often achieves focus then wanders off - this is the worse thing; no idea why.
Reduced noise on high ISO seems a great improvement but deteriorates rapidly above ISO5000 (its dark in there!).
One more "frozen" camera moment required switch off; but probably only happening every 10,000 shots.
cheers, alan
