A6700 and Sony 70-350 - first time birding

[rileybassman3]

Went on a little family hike today and took the camera for a walk and decided to try and get some bird pics.

Nothin amazing - but this was my first attempt - I was pleasantly surprised with the sharpness

If you have editing tips, I’m all ears!

 

[Craig Gillette]

Haven't had a good chance to get out with mine for birds yet. Spent some time at the San Diego Safari Park but otherwise rainy weather interferes.

 

[ANAYV]

I have same camera and lens.

I am new to Sony.

I find that lens to be really sharp!

Can't wait 3 more months until Barn/Tree Swallows are back in my area.

The AF subject tracking seems so good on this A6700.

These fast flying birds will be a good test

BIF , that is.. Perched birds are not the same challenge for AF.

ANAYV

 

[ProDude]

I have same camera and lens.

I am new to Sony.

I find that lens to be really sharp!

Can't wait 3 more months until Barn/Tree Swallows are back in my area.

The AF subject tracking seems so good on this A6700.

These fast flying birds will be a good test

BIF , that is.. Perched birds are not the same challenge for AF.

ANAYV

Indeed flying birds work GREAT with this combo. Here are a few samples of my experience with that setup

 

[ANAYV]

I have same camera and lens.

I am new to Sony.

I find that lens to be really sharp!

Can't wait 3 more months until Barn/Tree Swallows are back in my area.

The AF subject tracking seems so good on this A6700.

These fast flying birds will be a good test

BIF , that is.. Perched birds are not the same challenge for AF.

ANAYV

Indeed flying birds work GREAT with this combo. Here are a few samples of my experience with that setup

Nice captures.

But...they are large flyers.

The Mallards are fast..but GBH are too easy for most AF.

My Z 50 AF was capable shooting of these type BIF.

Barn and Tree Swallows are much smaller...and erratic flyers. One needs practice to just follow them in EVF , before relying on camera to aquire AF.

These tryp of BIF present a real challenge when shooting then in flight.

I'm sure it will be better than my previous gear.

Can't wait to find out

ANAYV

 

[ProDude]

I have same camera and lens.

I am new to Sony.

I find that lens to be really sharp!

Can't wait 3 more months until Barn/Tree Swallows are back in my area.

The AF subject tracking seems so good on this A6700.

These fast flying birds will be a good test

BIF , that is.. Perched birds are not the same challenge for AF.

ANAYV

Indeed flying birds work GREAT with this combo. Here are a few samples of my experience with that setup

Nice captures.

But...they are large flyers.

The Mallards are fast..but GBH are too easy for most AF.

My Z 50 AF was capable shooting of these type BIF.

Barn and Tree Swallows are much smaller...and erratic flyers. One needs practice to just follow them in EVF , before relying on camera to aquire AF.

These tryp of BIF present a real challenge when shooting then in flight.

I'm sure it will be better than my previous gear.

Can't wait to find out

ANAYV

I haven't yet really been into small birds. Love those Heron's what characters as are the white Pelicans as well. Perfecting one's panning talents is perhaps the MOST desired of them all regarding being a birder. We're all still working on it.

 

[ANAYV]

I have same camera and lens.

I am new to Sony.

I find that lens to be really sharp!

Can't wait 3 more months until Barn/Tree Swallows are back in my area.

The AF subject tracking seems so good on this A6700.

These fast flying birds will be a good test

BIF , that is.. Perched birds are not the same challenge for AF.

ANAYV

Indeed flying birds work GREAT with this combo. Here are a few samples of my experience with that setup

Nice captures.

But...they are large flyers.

The Mallards are fast..but GBH are too easy for most AF.

My Z 50 AF was capable shooting of these type BIF.

Barn and Tree Swallows are much smaller...and erratic flyers. One needs practice to just follow them in EVF , before relying on camera to aquire AF.

These tryp of BIF present a real challenge when shooting then in flight.

I'm sure it will be better than my previous gear.

Can't wait to find out

ANAYV

I haven't yet really been into small birds.

More challenging for shooter and ones gear

Love those Heron's what characters as are the white Pelicans as well.

I also enjoy shooting Herons, Egrets, Mallards and even every so often Bald Eagles.

They can be more photogenic than smaller birds.

Perfecting one's panning talents is perhaps the MOST desired of them all regarding being a birder.

So true.

We're all still working on it.

Indeed.

Once the Barn Swallows come...It usually takes me 4 to 8 outing before I am in sinc with panning and following the subjects in the EVF.

Then..if I keep at it and visit often...I get better and ..as with the Z 50 and older gear...the camera AF hinders me.



I have good expectations for the A6700 and 70-350mm lens in this regard.

Been looking at the Sigma 150-600mm lens.

But...it's too big and heavy

ANAYV

 

[ProDude]

I have good expectations for the A6700 and 70-350mm lens in this regard.

Been looking at the Sigma 150-600mm lens.

But...it's too big and heavy

ANAYV

I don't see you being disappointed with the A6700/70-35G combo. Its sweet and oh so easy to manage. Fits in the palm of your hand pretty much. I did indeed try one of those Sigma 150-600 DC DN's a short while ago. What impressed me is their built in IS in that lens with the firmware update is freaking unreal. It's like you're on a dang tripod. But man oh man if you're hand holding your shoulders and arms will ache to be sure.

There is NO finer built lens I'll say that. Solid as a bazooka. Superbly sharp with very very fast instant locking autofocus which also impressed me. They even give you that wonderful padded case for it at no charge. I admire Sigma for their build, focus tech and above all their Image Stabilization which to date is the finest there is. If I were a tripod or monopod user I'd have kept it in a heartbeat. But alas I'm not one to lug that along much preferring to hand hold. I ended up with the considerably more expensive Sony 200-600 adding the Kirk foot just in case. It balances much better and is internal focus so no trombone effect. Super sharp as well. Nowhere near the IS sadly but I get past that.

 

[v30]

They look good to me!

 

[v30]

Nice captures!

 

[v30]

We have I believe tree swallows around here and they are indeed very erratic flyers and very hard to track. Good luck with them!

 

[ANAYV]

I have good expectations for the A6700 and 70-350mm lens in this regard.

Been looking at the Sigma 150-600mm lens.

But...it's too big and heavy

ANAYV

I don't see you being disappointed with the A6700/70-35G combo. Its sweet and oh so easy to manage. Fits in the palm of your hand pretty much. I did indeed try one of those Sigma 150-600 DC DN's a short while ago. What impressed me is their built in IS in that lens with the firmware update is freaking unreal. It's like you're on a dang tripod. But man oh man if you're hand holding your shoulders and arms will ache to be sure.

There is NO finer built lens I'll say that. Solid as a bazooka. Superbly sharp with very very fast instant locking autofocus which also impressed me. They even give you that wonderful padded case for it at no charge. I admire Sigma for their build, focus tech and above all their Image Stabilization which to date is the finest there is. If I were a tripod or monopod user I'd have kept it in a heartbeat. But alas I'm not one to lug that along much preferring to hand hold. I ended up with the considerably more expensive Sony 200-600 adding the Kirk foot just in case. It balances much better and is internal focus so no trombone effect. Super sharp as well. Nowhere near the IS sadly but I get past that.

Thanks. I will pass on this lens....for now...until I am ready to lug out a monopod..or even one with a gimble head.

Until then, my arm will appreciate using the 70-350mm lens as the heaviest I will use.

ANAYV

 

[ANAYV]

We have I believe tree swallows around here and they are indeed very erratic flyers and very hard to track.

Indeed.

Good luck with them!

Thanks

ANAYV

 

[Joachim Wulfers]

Nice captures of these Chickadees. All I can suggest is to give the birds a bit more space and do not always place them in the center of the photo but more based on which way the branches have some interesting shapes.

Here is a Black-capped Chickadee I shot a couple of weeks ago

--
JoWul
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jowul/

 

[JPTHEOG]

Went on a little family hike today and took the camera for a walk and decided to try and get some bird pics.

Nothin amazing - but this was my first attempt - I was pleasantly surprised with the sharpness

If you have editing tips, I’m all ears!

These SOOC?

--
My flickr account.....in its infancy as of March 2015. Feel free to comment!

JohnPaul Agius

Explore JohnPaul Agius’s 120 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

 

[JPTHEOG]

This will be my combo, can't wait to get my hands on it. While I only intended on shooting youth soccer, who knows, I may find other uses after all.

I once owned the a6000, but my favorite camera has to be the Olympus Pen F which i loved straight OOC.

It's design, JPEG output, creative elements, made it so much fun to use. If only it had a better AF system I probably would have kept it.

 

[Willy81]

I am looking to see sharpness and how well 26MP resolves. I own the A7RV and may try an APS-C lens with 26MP Mode.

 

[Mike Arledge]

I am looking to see sharpness and how well 26MP resolves. I own the A7RV and may try an APS-C lens with 26MP Mode.

I have thought about replacing my A7IV with the RV to do that. While I love the AF and video of the A6700, for birding I am not a fan of the off center Viewfinder. So A7RV in crop mode would solve that and better balance larger lenses.

 

[ProDude]

I am looking to see sharpness and how well 26MP resolves. I own the A7RV and may try an APS-C lens with 26MP Mode.

Keep in mind Sony stuck with exactly the SAME pixel pitch of the A7RV when doing the 26mp sensor used on the A6700. The image should be virtually identical if you shoot a A7RV in APS-C mode. According to a friend that has the A7RV as well, he said this indeed was the results he's getting.

 

[ProDude]

I am looking to see sharpness and how well 26MP resolves. I own the A7RV and may try an APS-C lens with 26MP Mode.

I have thought about replacing my A7IV with the RV to do that. While I love the AF and video of the A6700, for birding I am not a fan of the off center Viewfinder. So A7RV in crop mode would solve that and better balance larger lenses.

The only bummer with that idea is unfortunately the A7RV's sensor readout speeds don't do fast moving birds and such well in electronic shutter, as the A6700 is much faster and DOES without rolling shutter distortion thus far. I'm spoiled with ES using a Z9 as well and prefer to stay away from mechanical shutter. To each their own I guess.