Seek advices for SL setting shooting the fast moving birds

[Ricky L]

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Recently got a Sigma 150-600mm Sports L-mount lens and planned for some funs taking photos of flying birds and moving animals.  I tried the focus mode using AFc and AF mode in either static or dynamic.  It seemed hard to get focused on the subject.  I would like to listen to your expertise.

Thanks in advance!

[ajmarton1]

You need to use AF dynamic tracking.  If you can acquire the subject while it is still or slow moving, the af should track the subject when it takes off or starts running. Practice with a pet.

[Ricky L]

On 11/15/2021 at 8:34 AM, ajmarton1 said:

You need to use AF dynamic tracking.  If you can acquire the subject while it is still or slow moving, the af should track the subject when it takes off or starts running. Practice with a pet.

Thank you for the advise.  I will try it out.

[Manicouagan1]

The SL2 will take good pictures of birds in flight.  For me birds run flight demand the most out of the camera and the one taking the pictures.   I drove myself crazy when I started using a 45+ mp camera for birds in flight because the images when examined at 100 % on the monitor were not as good as was used to with my 20 mp sports camera. Keep in mind that with a 600mm lens you can generally see that only part of a large bird such as a pelican is totally sharp in a full SL2 raw frame.  I use f11 for my 600mm shots.  Most birds move pretty fast relative to their size, so I generally shoot at 1/2000 of a second.    Backgrounds make a difference in the operation of any autofocus system and the one in the SL2 is more sensitive to cluttered backgrounds than cameras with a phase contrast system.   My best luck is to have sky in the background.   In my experimentation with the SL2 I have gotten a higher fraction of birds in flight shots using Zone focus.  When I examined my portfolio of birds in flight pictures in Lightroom that virtually all of my best shots were made on bright sunny days.   My starting setup for the SL2 and birds in flight with the Sigma 150-600 is continuous autofocus, zone autofocus, wildlife autofocus profile, manual exposure 1/2000 second and f 11, auto ISO.  I leave the image stabilization on, but it may be superfluous birds in flight at the shutter speed.  Give these settings a try as a starting point, I am still learning what the camera will do. 

[jaapv]

On 11/15/2021 at 5:34 PM, ajmarton1 said:

You need to use AF dynamic tracking.  If you can acquire the subject while it is still or slow moving, the af should track the subject when it takes off or starts running. Practice with a pet.

Provided that you are able to hit the flying bird with the AF marker in the first place... The Olympus EE-1 dot sight is a good tool, leaving the AF on multifield.

[Ricky L]

On 11/18/2021 at 9:55 AM, Manicouagan1 said:

The SL2 will take good pictures of birds in flight.  For me birds run flight demand the most out of the camera and the one taking the pictures.   I drove myself crazy when I started using a 45+ mp camera for birds in flight because the images when examined at 100 % on the monitor were not as good as was used to with my 20 mp sports camera. Keep in mind that with a 600mm lens you can generally see that only part of a large bird such as a pelican is totally sharp in a full SL2 raw frame.  I use f11 for my 600mm shots.  Most birds move pretty fast relative to their size, so I generally shoot at 1/2000 of a second.    Backgrounds make a difference in the operation of any autofocus system and the one in the SL2 is more sensitive to cluttered backgrounds than cameras with a phase contrast system.   My best luck is to have sky in the background.   In my experimentation with the SL2 I have gotten a higher fraction of birds in flight shots using Zone focus.  When I examined my portfolio of birds in flight pictures in Lightroom that virtually all of my best shots were made on bright sunny days.   My starting setup for the SL2 and birds in flight with the Sigma 150-600 is continuous autofocus, zone autofocus, wildlife autofocus profile, manual exposure 1/2000 second and f 11, auto ISO.  I leave the image stabilization on, but it may be superfluous birds in flight at the shutter speed.  Give these settings a try as a starting point, I am still learning what the camera will do. 

Hi Manicouagan1, very good recommendations.  I haven't used SL2 yet, but thinking the setting should be similar.  As you said, it's tough to start this wild adventures.  I will try everything possible to utilize the best of the camera and the lens.  Thanks.

[Ricky L]

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On 11/18/2021 at 10:15 AM, jaapv said:

Provided that you are able to hit the flying bird with the AF marker in the first place... The Olympus EE-1 dot sight is a good tool, leaving the AF on multifield.

Thanks Jaapv for your suggestion.