Hello, I am a Canadian bird photographer taking pictures and videos of wildlife and birds in Southern Ontario. In my videos I like to share practical real world bird photography tips and tricks that help to improve your photography. I enjoy the outdoors and being in nature on land or in the water. So, if you're looking to improve your photography skills as a beginner bird or wildlife photographer or a season photographer looking for something beyond the typical advise then this channel is for you. If you want to learn how to capture better bird photos with SONY Cameras and Canon Cameras start here.
If you'd like to know the exact camera, lens and camera settings I used to take any of my bird photos check out my Instagram channel (instagram.com/drphotosca/ or on my website at www.drphotos.ca) where I share all those details and more.
EXCELLENT! Wildlife photographer here in Montana. I have a full frame (Canon R5) and a cropped sensor (Canon R7). I like both. The R7 with a RF 200-800 lens is effectively > 1200mm when zoomed in. The full frame is great in predawn conditions with the RF 70-200mm F/2.8 lens.
I changed just recently from a 26 mp Fuji XH2s to a 24 mp Nikon Z 6iii and was worried about the loss of pixel density and the ability to crop. It turned out the Z6iii even in DX crop mode which is only 13 mp has more detail in the birds than the Fuji ever had so my fears were unfounded and I don't think it is anything to do with superior AF because I had no trouble achieving that on my Fuji except for BIF.
Thanks for this video. I actually found the information about bracketed ISO to be very useful! I also wanted to comment for the benefit of anyone else learning here. My main focus for bird photography is warblers that are migrating through Indiana. Particularly during the fall migration, this becomes really challenging because these are tiny birds, usually in the canopy of the trees, almost NEVER sitting still, and the leaves create so many different possible planes of focus. So when I'm shooting warblers, my settings are typically high ISO, a more moderate aperture ~f/9 (so that even if I don't nail focus, the birds are still reasonably in the plane of focus), single shot AF, and the Focus Area to Center. I shoot freehand and find that AF-Continuous and Expand Flexible Spot, as soon as the camera moves an inch or two, it judges the movement of the background to be the area it needs to focus on, rather than the tiny bird. Here recently, I have spotted a couple of bigger birds (bald eagle and osprey) in flight and found that the settings I need are drastically different. Low ISO (because I'm out in the open), wider aperture, AF-Continuous, and Lock On Expand Flexible Spot. As long as they are against a sky background, these settings have worked pretty well. I actually spotted a bald eagle while in the woods, got all of these settings (except ISO) changed as I ran down to the river bank, and got the shot. I was only displeased with the high ISO graininess. Which leads me to my 3rd point... I now have my "warbler in the woods" settings saved to one of the memory slots and my "flying birds out in the open" settings to another. So next time I sprint down the riverbanks, I only have to make one turn of the wheel to be within a reasonable range of the needed settings. I hope that bald eagle comes back!
Thank you for your comment! I'm really glad you found the info about bracketed ISO useful. It sounds like you’ve got a great approach for warblers and birds in flight! Saving those settings to your camera's memory slots is such a smart move, especially when you need to act fast. I hope that bald eagle comes back for you!🙂
Who needs multiple lenses when you can get the Sony RX10IV and get a 24-600mm range zeiss lens with great quality bird pictures and option for 24 fps burst and phase detect autofocus, all at a mere 1 kg of weight. All I ever needed. Only downside is low light with the 1" sensor, but its totally doable with denoise software.
But the real question is, what if you just take a 60mp full frame camera, crop in twice, suddenly you got the performance of a m4/3 sensor but with full frame dynamic range. Does crop sensors even make sense then? I get it, a 12-35mm F2.8 is a lot smaller for m4/3 then a 24-70mm F2.8 but Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 is shockingly tiny for what it is. Full frame gear does not HAVE to be big, and the more reach you want, lenses tend to grow similar size duo to size of the aperture and focal length being similar, but on the 60mp full frame sensor you can just crop in and get a similar quality image as a m4/3 sensor, or even APS-C camera.
I've only just started trying some bird photography & using the canon EF 135mm f/2L lens on my R6m2. And the clarity has blown me away. Its great for when you can get in close, but i was looking at the EF 400mm f/5.6L or RF 100-400mm for more distance. The 70-200mm might not offer me more than my 135mm.
Thanks for your comment. You're most likely correct that the 70-200mmm f/2.8 might not offer more than the 125mm prime. Other than the ability to zoom out. Not often do you snap birds at 70mm but it does happen. The 100-400mm is a go to lens on both my Canon and Sony cameras. In both cases it's the brand lens. If you're looking to add another lens the 100-400 is ideal.
I literally just forked out for the Sigma 15--600mm lens... Can somebody please give me some sort of reassurance I haven't just blown my money so I don't cry myself to sleep tonight? I only have a Cannon 18-55mm kit lens and it's hot garbage for bird shots.
The Sigma 150-600mm lens like any other 3rd party super zoom lens can and does work. Like the SONY 200-600mm lens knowing how to use that specific lens in your setup and maybe more importantly knowing its limitation is critical to enjoying it and being happy with your purchase. The SONY 200-600mm although not my fav lens does work when I use it in conditions that give it the best chance of working i.e. lots of light and on a tripod with or without a gimbal.
For me, as a beginner who is no longer satisfied with the available camera modes, your videos are kind of a gold mine. Great picture, clear diagrams, great sound - thank you very much. And I'm so sorry for those trees(
Very interesting, thanks! - When you explain the settings and why, it would be nice to show also, where in the menu you might find them. Specifically for Sony newbies 😅. “Locked Expand… - what” AF?
Thanks for your comment and good point. One of the challenges with SONY is that they have changed the menu structure across a few cameras. But I will try to add those in next time. As for the AF. I always use continuous autofocus and change the AF points to match the situation. For example if a bird is in a bush with lots of branches the camera will have a hard time finding the bird and may focus on a branch. In this case I'll use spot AF area. If the bird is flying in the sky I'll use ZONE or WIDE. I suggest experimenting with these as there isn't one single setting for bird photography. 🙂
Can you provide some more details ie. Lens, shutter speed? When you take a test photo of say a chair outside is the image in focus and overall good quality?
@@kishorjain6121 Thanks for the info. I've shot with the SONY 200-600mm G lens on both the SONY A7RIV and the SONY A1. In both cases I needed lots of light and usually shot mid day in the summer. I also find that I need to stop it down 1 or 2 stops often to help with focus. Add on top of that I am now using it almost exclusively with a tripod and gimbal head. With this combination I can get some very good shots with this lens. Here is an example on Instagram of a photo taken early morning on a tripod and gimbal with the SONY 200-600mm lens. Although the shots are good I did have lots of out of focus shots before I got some good ones. The camera settings are in the post description. instagram.com/p/C8W1pRauMDN/
Good question. As I'm still learning how to shoot better video my settings are are starting point and can change quickly in the field. Also, I tend to shoot video and photos at the same time so I have to compromise more on the video side than the photo side. Here are my current video settings on the SONY A1. Format: XAVC HS Color space: Rec. 709 Capture FPS: 119.88p Width: 3840 Frame rate: 119.88 fps Max GOP length: 120 Bit rate: 280 Mbps Pixel aspect ratio: 1 Color sampling: YCbCr 4:2:2 10bit Codec: HEVC Long Frame size: 3840 x 2160 Height: 2160 Sample rate: 48 kHz Bit depth: 16 Bit rate: 1536 Kbps Shutter speed: 1/645 sec ISO sensitivity: 500 Auto white balance mode: Preset White Balance Setup Auto exposure mode: Manual Exposure Auto focus sensing area setting: Multi Spot Sensing Auto Focus Image stabilizer: enabled
@@DavidReidPhotography Thanks David. I understand why you are using those settings. Although the A1 is a higher end camera than the A7 in many respects, I do love the fact that the A7 can memorise three different settings each for stills and video and quickly change between them. Maybe they will introduce that in the next A1, which is overdue for its next version.
Thanks for your feedback. Yes shooting video freehand with a 400mm lens can get a little shaky. As often as I can I use a tripod with a gimbal but sometimes you just don't have the time to set that up. 😀
I use a 50-250 mm lens and I learn a lot about birds and the handling of the camera, I even shot some decent photos and video clips. Getting close works for me only in a city park or in the backyard of my finca. Out in the wilderness I can’t get close enough without disturbing the animals, I will need at least a 400mm in future.
Thanks for your comment. I wouldn't say you're out. I only have Canon and SONY cameras. I believe Nikon has some really good lenses as well. So the point of this video I would say applies to Nikon too in that having a good Nikon lens is key to capturing good bird and wildlife photos. 🙂
Thank you for your comment. At the time the Canon was not a budget camera and cost more then than most mid level cameras do today. My goal was to push the sensor comparison as far as I could and really showcase that it's the lens is where we should focus. Seems obvious to me now but wasn't for many years as I thought the sensor had a much bigger impact on the output then it does. 🙂
@@shottygod13 I can't speak to that specific camera or lens. I would suggest that what ever direction you go spend as much as you can on the lens. Sometimes it's better to buy used gear especially the Canon EF lenses. They are great lenses and as everyone moves to the new RF lenses you can pick up some great deals. This video showcases how important the lens is. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ndUBSi_zF34.html
(Some, not all) bird photographers are among the worst disturbers of birds (especially owls) and their habitats. Bird photographers often get much closer to birds than is advisable, and not seldom tread all over precious habitat and through bushes to get that one good shot. In my opinion, it is not a good idea to encourage beginning bird photographers to get closer to their subject.
Thank you for your comment. I agree that we all should be responsible when taking photos or simply enjoying nature. When I mentioned getting closer, I was referring to doing so within local woodlands or nature patches in a way that minimizes disturbance. It's important to be mindful of our impact on wildlife and their habitats, and I trust that most beginners will inherently understand this and act with care. 🙂
Most pictures were easy to say which one was Sony or Canon. The bee not really. It is not needed to have the newest model all the time, but some major version steps can make a huge difference. Like my upgrade from Fuji X-H1 to X-T5 few days ago. Much better AF, more pixels for cropping. Other features are not that important changes, but these two were important to me. Thanks for that video 👍
Thanks for the feedback. I'd agree that it wasn't impossible to pick the camera and photo. Now that I look back at it have we come that far in 20 years or is it worth 10X the money. To your point a good camera isn't always the newest. FYI love the Fuji for my street photos. They certainly have some secret sauce in those cameras 😂
But...I saw great pictures by the Canon here however, is it the Canon or that lens must be much better than the lens from the Sony! it seems to me that Lens plays the most important roll of a great picture, please, correct me if I am wrong, dont forget that I am new into this, many greetings from Germany! Alfredo.
You are correct it is the lens. Most photographers don't use most of the features in a camera body and most times the sensor plays less of a role in the final outcome than the glass does. Having an outdated camera and an outdated high quality lens can give you great results and often much better results than a new cheaper lens and higher quality camera body. I would say in this video the Canon and Sony lens are of equal quality. We all started out as a new photographer and we all make mistakes even after years of shooting. I know I still make beginner mistakes 😂
Hi there, again me with a couple of doughts concerning the video and how to apply into my Sony RX10 IV. I have some questions about what you explain from minute 4.47. For me as new into photography, you say, ISO bracketed between 320 and 1250, however, you do not explain how to set this value in the camera. Very confusing to me, I am sorry and also you do not explain what type of drive mode to use, single shot or burst hi option, etc, specially I have been confused because if you are explaining about that this setup is for birding, I see no clear info in what type of drive mode to use. I am not critizicing at all, but, if you can help with my 2 questions, will be very happy. The rest, I have understood very well. I send you many greetings from Germany, and keep it up. Alfredo
Thank you for your feedback. No worries, ask as many questions as you'd like. The ISO bracketing feature is available on some, but not all, cameras. It allows you to set high and low limits for the ISO value. Drive mode is usually set to burst or continuous, depending on the camera. For bird photography, the highest (drive mode) setting is often the best. However, just because you shoot more frames doesn't mean you'll get the photo you want. You'd be surprised how well single shot can work. Hope that helps to clarify it further.
@@DavidReidPhotography Thank you so much! Yes, I have that ISO option, it confused me that you wrote Bracketing ISO which I dont find it anywhere inside the Sony RX10 Mark IV but something else, which yes, I can set the low and maximum ISO value and it works great in this camera and has a different terminology, not ISO Bracketing but ISO Auto which it is very easy to do what you explained. I understand that with that high speed shutter setup will freeze even a rocket from NASA with one shot however, dont you think that burst mode, 24 pictures per second is not better than a single shot, I hope I will have more posibilities to find at least ONE picture as good as possible or? Send you many greetings from Germany, thank you so much for the work you do for all of us. Alfredo
@@papa.alfredo Thank you Alfredo. Burst is generally a good idea however it's not a guarantee you will get a good or great photo. You will certainly get lots of pictures. The advantage with single shot is that you will naturally pay more attention on when to click the shutter. This (for me at least) makes me focus more on the moment than just getting lots of photos to review later. Now it isn't fool proof by any means. It is just a different approach to capturing a photo. Once you're more familiar with your camera and how birds respond in your area I would try both methods to see what works for you. I think my last video speaks to this. The SONY A1 30 fps versus a 20 year old Canon Digital Rebel 2.5 fps. You can check it our in the link below. 🙂 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ndUBSi_zF34.html
Thanks for your comment. I believe as a beginner any camera is a good camera. If you enjoy taking photos it will be the first camera and not your last. The key is to start and just take pictures. You'll naturally improve your skills and when you're ready to take the next step you'll be ready to buy a 'better camera '. This video helps illustrate this. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ndUBSi_zF34.html
Cell phones work great as monitor 1.most people own several already 2. much lighter weight 3. Supports apps/control camera 4. Has its own camera as well
@@DavidReidPhotography I can understand that. I try to save money in certain areas. And I know it might not be quite 100 percent as good..... But I definitely like to spend my money on something like lenses whenever possible, In the big picture of photography.
Thank you very much for such great work and explanations. From tomorow I will be starting and learning the Sony RX10 IV and I will return to your videos to check what pass good for this model of Sony. I appreciate your work and I say, thank you so much. Greetings from Germany, Alfredo.
Thank you I appreciate the feedback. Yes, I do try to get to all the comments. You never really know when making these videos what the outcome will be. 🙂
@@DavidReidPhotography While I'm not a RU-vid content creator, I would think that replying to a certain amount of comments only adds to the value of the content and subscriber base.. Thanks again! Now I need to justify upgrading from the A7R III to the A1 taking into account that I am a beginning photographer who's interested in bird photography.. I'm never going to become a professional photographer and thus the delema of the decision between the A7R V or the A1.. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated 🙏
@@MrJacks1959 well this is a dilemma for many pro-summer photographers. Should I buy the best gear or very good gear. If I had it to do all over again I would start off with a very good camera body with the best glass then improve the camera body over time. The SONY 600mm f/4 lens is close to the same cost as the SONY A1. Well close enough to decide between the two. Don't get me wrong the SONY A1 is an amazing camera for so much more than bird photography but the 600mm lens sets you apart in bird photography. I recently made a video putting the SONY A1 (50.1 megapixel) against the CANON Rebel (6.3 megapixel) with 20 years difference in technology. The results were surprising. If you haven't checked it out yet give it a watch especially the images taken with bot of these cameras. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ndUBSi_zF34.html
I have a 70 to 300. Gets ok bird shots. But i would highly recommended anybody starting to go with a 400 or more. It's scenarios where you can't physically get as close all the time. Ntm you'll get closer shots. Which should make it easier to get more sharper pictures. Go 400mm or higher. Anything less you'll regret it
Thanks for the tips. I'm a Canon user and it's just a shame I can't afford the 70-200 lens or the 160-600 from Sigma or Tamron. My 55-250mm is sometimes enough, but due to bufget I'm still using the old IS version which has bad autofocus. In the future aiming to switch my old 55-250 to the newer STM version. And also probably get the 150-600 later when possible... Canon's 100-400 also seems very nice, but pricy.
Great video. Turns out I was pretty much using identical settings. The only issue I constantly seem to have is the tracking focus ends up sliding down the birds body rather than constantly tracking on the eyes. A little annoying but works for most shots.
Thanks for the comment. I find the same thing happens with certain birds. Mostly small birds with black eyes and black feathers around the eye. Seems the camera gets confused. 😄
I'm wondering if something like this would be a good way to review photos from high frame rate bursts (on a car ride back after an outing for example) to mark the best ones so i can just import those into my computer and spend less time picking keepers on the computer. I currently use bridge for doing this before importing the picks into Lightroom. Maybe it would be no issue to do the review on my computer if i used capture one or fast raw viewer or something else quicker than bridge. Thanks for your insight!
Thanks for the comment and that's a pretty good idea. The screen certainly makes it easy to view photos and videos and something I'll consider next time I'm using it.🙂
@@DavidReidPhotography What I'm curious about is if the photos display as quickly on the field monitor as on the built-in LCD (which is INSTANT). I used FastRawViewer on my laptop this past week and it was acceptable but not as fast at displaying the images as the camera itself, and it's nice to be able to start the review before getting home. It will be interesting to see how the speed of FastRawViewer is on my desktop 👀
@@kevinanderson853 from what I recall yes they appeared at the same speed as I had on the screen for the SONY A1. I never found any lag with any function using this screen. Even the touch screen capabilities were responsive and didn't hold me back.
Great tips! Especially the getting close, I think a lot of people assume these incredible shots are made from two miles away with a telescope! Sad to hear that beautiful birds nest was destroyed.
Thanks for your comment. I can say from experience how the 2 compare. I can say I have no issue with the monitor when using outdoors in full sunlight. 🙂
Very sad for these little birds, I hope these little birds will find a new place to nest. Thanks for sharing your experiences and also for your valuable advices.
Great video with valuable info. I purchased the Sigma 100-400 lens rather than the 150-600. The later is just too big and heavy for me. I am happy with the 100-400, anyway on my crop sensor 90D it’s 150-600.
Your video shows the monitor screen size as being only slightly larger than the camera LCD….why isn’t it displaying the full screen monitor size? I don’t get it?.
Thanks for your comment. The screen is larger than the SONY A1 screen. Probably more important is that brightness and ability to locate it anywhere you'd like. One of the biggest faults with SONY cameras until recently is that the built in screen has limited articulation. The screen also allows for a variety of 'views' in what shows on the screen. Usually I have camera settings and monitor settings overlays on to assist with the shot.
