We have two feeders in our backyard. Hummingbirds are visiting the feeders every moment nowadays. My question is what settings I should set for taking pictures of hummingbirds on feeders. I set AFC-9d (for D7k) but birds on feeders are partially stationary and partially mobile. What is your suggestion?
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AFC or AFS for taking pictures of birds
- Thread starter Cobras
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David Lal
Forum Pro
As you know exactly where the feeders are can you not manually focus on or near a feeder ensuring adequate depth of field in case the bird is not quite where you expect? I generally try to predict where a bird will be or where it will fly to rather than rely on the camera to track it.
As these are humming birds I would be using flash @ 1/1000 or 1/2000 to freeze the wing motion - but you can't do that with a D7k as the flash sync speed is so apallingly low.
We don't have humming birds in the UK but here is a bluetit on a nutfeeder on which I had previously manually focussed:
(Sigma 105mm)
David
As these are humming birds I would be using flash @ 1/1000 or 1/2000 to freeze the wing motion - but you can't do that with a D7k as the flash sync speed is so apallingly low.
We don't have humming birds in the UK but here is a bluetit on a nutfeeder on which I had previously manually focussed:
(Sigma 105mm)
David
If you're using flash then you don't need a fast shutter speed to freeze motion. 1/2000s wouldn't do it. People who are really into hummers will set up several flash units at their lowest power setting near the feeder, which provides a flash burst as short as 1/30,000s. As for the camera, you only need to expose 2 stops below ambient. Hummer shooters will set the feeder in the shade where 1/250s at f/5.6 does the job. The D7000 normally syncs at 1/250s and can sync at 1/320s as well. So the D7000 is suited to the job.
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TimelessPixel
New member
Do you not have the ability to try both methods and select the one that works best for you?
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David Lal
Forum Pro
Yes, I probably did not express myself very well. I meant indeed to use flash to take advantage of the short light pulse to freeze the wing motion. The 1/1000s or 1/2000s is to minimise the influence of ambient light.
I am surprised you think dropping 2 stops below ambient would be enough - I will have to try that and see: the problem I have run into in the past is 'ghosting' of the wing caused by exposure to ambient light as well as from the flashgun(s).
David
I am surprised you think dropping 2 stops below ambient would be enough - I will have to try that and see: the problem I have run into in the past is 'ghosting' of the wing caused by exposure to ambient light as well as from the flashgun(s).
David
David Lal
Forum Pro
As I indicated in my earlier post, I don't think two stops below ambient is anywhere near enough to minimise the effects of ambient light when combined with flash to freeze wing motion.
Yes, a burst of flash at reduced power may only last 1/30,000s and will freeze the motion but the trouble that I have found is that there can still be too much ambient light and that will cause ghosting as there may be enough for a wing to be registered twice.
Consider this matrix of test images:
1. can be regarded as the 'control'. Camera set at aperture priority, F8 and ISO=200, matrix metering. Camera set itself at 1/400s.
Camera now set on manual and adjusted as follows:
2. dropping down 2 stops still gave a very visible impression of the feather.
3. even going down to 1/1000s does not render the feather invisible
4. only at 1/2000s is the feather getting pretty dark - but still not invisible
5. cheap £10 autoranging flashgun image. This can be imagined to be superimposed on top of the other images. At anything less than 1/2000s, F16 ghosting will occur but flash + D7k + 1/2000s is not really possible.
David
Yes, a burst of flash at reduced power may only last 1/30,000s and will freeze the motion but the trouble that I have found is that there can still be too much ambient light and that will cause ghosting as there may be enough for a wing to be registered twice.
Consider this matrix of test images:
1. can be regarded as the 'control'. Camera set at aperture priority, F8 and ISO=200, matrix metering. Camera set itself at 1/400s.
Camera now set on manual and adjusted as follows:
2. dropping down 2 stops still gave a very visible impression of the feather.
3. even going down to 1/1000s does not render the feather invisible
4. only at 1/2000s is the feather getting pretty dark - but still not invisible
5. cheap £10 autoranging flashgun image. This can be imagined to be superimposed on top of the other images. At anything less than 1/2000s, F16 ghosting will occur but flash + D7k + 1/2000s is not really possible.
David
narddogg81
Senior Member
Im curious as to what camera you are using that can sync mechanically or electronically at 1/1000 or 1/2000? As far as I know all the top end Nikons and Canons are limited to 1/250 or 1/320 for mechanical sync, the same as the d7000. Some medium format cameras can sync at 1/500 with a leaf shutter, but those cameras also usually only have a max shutter speed of 1/500 or 1/800. Some of the older Nikons with CCDs had an electronic shutter, but i thought those were capped at 1/500 as well
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Dave Courtenay
Leading Member
You can set the D7000 to sync at any speed in the custom functions, When i shoot hummingbirds i shoot around 1/200-1/250 at F16/22 and use 4 flashguns set at 1/64 or so, 2 flashguns in front and 2 flashguns behind on a false background-and use AF
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I’ll see if I can take some pics this weekend at -2 EV to see what kind of ghosting I get.
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My question was about AFC vs. AFS for taking pictures of birds, not about using flash.
As a weekend hobbyist in my backyard, I am not so inclined to use flash because I did not learn yet how to use SB600 for outdoor use. Here is one of hummbingbirds that I shot last weekend with d7000+70-300VR (at 200 mm) , AFC + d9, f5.6, 1/2000s.
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As a weekend hobbyist in my backyard, I am not so inclined to use flash because I did not learn yet how to use SB600 for outdoor use. Here is one of hummbingbirds that I shot last weekend with d7000+70-300VR (at 200 mm) , AFC + d9, f5.6, 1/2000s.
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David Lal
Forum Pro
Well, there you go - no top end kit for me :-(
The D70 will sync at anything up to 1/8000s I believe - I've never actually gone that high myself. I think the D40 and D50 also had this very valuable capability.
David
The D70 will sync at anything up to 1/8000s I believe - I've never actually gone that high myself. I think the D40 and D50 also had this very valuable capability.
David
David Lal
Forum Pro
Well, you asked for suggestions and I made one. Now the discussion has moved on a bit to other points of technique - my apologies if this bothers you.
Nice image by the way.
David
Nice image by the way.
David
narddogg81
Senior Member
I seem to remember reading that somewhere (maybe on the lunatic Rockwells site). Didnt you have short out flash contact pins or use an old non dedicated flash to fool it or something like that?
fcallington
Well-known member
As the humming birds have begun to show up at my house I've been attempting to take photos of them and capturing them in focus away from the feeder is almost impossible for me. I used AFC 9 point dynamic, focused on the feeder and recomposed. I have not tried a flash yet because I only have the pop up on the camera.
The D7000 sync speed (with any decent speedlight: SB600, 700, 800 etc.) is as high as you like (up to the camera's max 1/8000) as per page 223 of the manual...
Well, now you have something new to try!
I believe most hummers have some iridescent feathers, and the flash will light them up. It’s worth trying, if you care to.First, put your feeder in shadow to reduce the light you have to deal with. You need a light stand to put the SB-600 on. It came with a table stand, so a ladder should work fine as well. Position the flash about 1 foot from where you expect the hummer to be. Using your image as a guide, I would put the flash head level with the bird position and to the right, just out of the camera’s view. Rotate the flash head (well, rotate the body) until the CLS wireless sensor (by the battery cover) is facing the camera. Follow the instructions in the SB-600 for enabling wireless mode starting on page 60. It goes something like this...press ZOOM and “-“ (minus) together for a few seconds to open the Custom Settings Menu. Then press plus or minus until you see the “wireless” symbol (that squiggly arrow.) Then press mode until the LCD says “On”. Now press the On/Off button to exit Custom Settings.
On the D7000 use Custom Setting “e3:Flash Cntrl for Built-in Flash” to enable the Wireless Commander. Page 225 describes how to set the Commander settings. Here’s the checklist for wireless flash...
1. Make sure the flash and camera are set to the same channel.
2. Make sure the flash is set to “Group A”. On the camera, makes changes to “Group A”.
3. After changing settings in the Commander, you must press OK. This is one that people miss.
4. Raise the built-in flash (another one people miss.)
In the Commander, set “Group A” to “M” for manual flash power, and then set the flash power to 1/128. You can also set the Built-in to "--". Your flash is set. Now set the camera to M mode, set shutter to 1/250s, aperture to f/11 and give it a try. Adjust aperture up or down a stop as you see fit. If you need more flash power, 1/64 should also work fine.
Good Luck!
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Yeah, but it's not the same. Above 1/250s the camera uses Auto FP. In this mode, the flash acts as a continuous light source by strobing rapidly...so it can’t be used to freeze action. The purpose of Auto FP is to allow the use of large apertures during daylight.
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David Lal
Forum Pro
Yes, a dedicated flashgun such as my SB800 is actually not the best type of gun. Even my SB26 (which is of course Nikon dedicated but not iTTL) is not the best choice because, as you say, the only contacts that can be allowed on the foot are the central and edge ones. The others have to be masked out with insulating tape to get above 1/500s.
It is rather satisfying to be able to do something better with a flashgun that costs between £10 and £50 that can't be done easily with a £300+ one!
David
It is rather satisfying to be able to do something better with a flashgun that costs between £10 and £50 that can't be done easily with a £300+ one!
David
Thanks for your tips. I will try flash photography after the memorial holiday. We will be off to Grand Canyon SkyWalk during the holiday. I hope they would allow us to take pictures there.Well, now you have something new to try!
First, put your feeder in shadow to reduce the light you have to deal with. You need a light stand to put the SB-600 on. It came with a table stand, so a ladder should work fine as well. Position the flash about 1 foot from where you expect the hummer to be. Using your image as a guide, I would put the flash head level with the bird position and to the right, just out of the camera’s view. Rotate the flash head (well, rotate the body) until the CLS wireless sensor (by the battery cover) is facing the camera. Follow the instructions in the SB-600 for enabling wireless mode starting on page 60. It goes something like this...press ZOOM and “-“ (minus) together for a few seconds to open the Custom Settings Menu. Then press plus or minus until you see the “wireless” symbol (that squiggly arrow.) Then press mode until the LCD says “On”. Now press the On/Off button to exit Custom Settings.
On the D7000 use Custom Setting “e3:Flash Cntrl for Built-in Flash” to enable the Wireless Commander. Page 225 describes how to set the Commander settings. Here’s the checklist for wireless flash...
1. Make sure the flash and camera are set to the same channel.
2. Make sure the flash is set to “Group A”. On the camera, makes changes to “Group A”.
3. After changing settings in the Commander, you must press OK. This is one that people miss.
4. Raise the built-in flash (another one people miss.)
In the Commander, set “Group A” to “M” for manual flash power, and then set the flash power to 1/128. You can also set the Built-in to "--". Your flash is set. Now set the camera to M mode, set shutter to 1/250s, aperture to f/11 and give it a try. Adjust aperture up or down a stop as you see fit. If you need more flash power, 1/64 should also work fine.
Good Luck!
I've only used Auto FP sync as you've suggested (in daylight), but wouldn't the high shutter speed take care of freezing the action, or would the strobe effect produce some blurring?
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