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Lighting for bird photography

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msar

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Hello,

I am shooting birds mostly from a ground blind with a Nikon D5600 and a Sigma 150-600mm C (+ 1.4x TC) mounted on a tripod. With fall and winter approaching the daylight is getting poorer everyday, especially up here in Finland.

Thinking of adding a light source in some form. My camera doesn't support HSS which means I'm limited to 1/200s. Been thinking about a flash with a better beamer, but the low shutter speed is a concern since there will be some ambient light.

Would continuous lighting be a viable option? Switch it on just when needed (i.e. when the bird lands). Maybe a LED box with a fresnel lens, what do you think? Any recommendations?

Thanks.
 
Can't see why your camera doesn't support HSS, it's a feature of the flash...not the camera.
 
what birds are out in really poor light?

I shoot birds with flash from a hide (with canon) but towards dusk most of the birds are gone. most of them are active during daylight, and start moving away at least an hour before sunset. i use the flashes off camera as this seems to scare them less.

The shutter speed synch could be a deal breaker for many birds, especially small active ones.

some birds do pause and sit still. but with that lens at 600mm and a 1.4tc you will need a decent shutter speed. subject distance needs to be considered as well, - as long distances drain the flash power quickly.
 
I found the beamer to be a royal pain, especially if you are moving around in the woods. I am kind of clumsy and was always banging it into a small branch. I purchased a MagBeam and found it suffered from droop (I was able to return it). While the Harbor Digital is bulky (not heavy), it held together best and gave excellent light coverage. I have a 600EX-RT and when I ran my own calibration test with a flash meter, I found that setting the flash head to 70mm gave the best performance. The light on the target was even and it produced about 2.33 stops better light than without the extender.
 
Snowfella said:
Can't see why your camera doesn't support HSS, it's a feature of the flash...not the camera.
Click to expand...
In the Nikon system, High Speed Sync must be enabled on the body. Using a third party flash or possibly a Nikon flash connected via a sync cord might allow for FP mode a Nikon calls it.
 
MacUser2 said:
I found the beamer to be a royal pain, especially if you are moving around in the woods. I am kind of clumsy and was always banging it into a small branch. I purchased a MagBeam and found it suffered from droop (I was able to return it). While the Harbor Digital is bulky (not heavy), it held together best and gave excellent light coverage. I have a 600EX-RT and when I ran my own calibration test with a flash meter, I found that setting the flash head to 70mm gave the best performance. The light on the target was even and it produced about 2.33 stops better light than without the extender.
Click to expand...
I've used all of the flash extenders and you need to learn their quirks. They all work and can produce good results.

As far as the original question, you will need a powerful flash as the effective aperture will be quite small limiting throw. Upping your ISO will help. Shooting at a 1/200 or less means you need to be very careful about your subject's movement or you will need to do creative blurs. I do this all the time using a Sigma 150-600 Sport with and without TC. You will want to use a tripod, don't lock it down and leave OS on. Don't worry about the images that don't come out, enjoy the success and you can have plenty with a setup like this. I currently use a Magmod Wildlife Kit and love it. Once I set it up i've never had to adjust it again. You did not say what flash you are using, if you have a Nikon flash set it for TTL-BL (to get beautiful balanced fill light) and for this setting to work properly your body must be in matrix metering mode.

Morris
 
msar said:
Hello,

I am shooting birds mostly from a ground blind with a Nikon D5600 and a Sigma 150-600mm C (+ 1.4x TC) mounted on a tripod. With fall and winter approaching the daylight is getting poorer everyday, especially up here in Finland.

Thinking of adding a light source in some form. My camera doesn't support HSS which means I'm limited to 1/200s. Been thinking about a flash with a better beamer, but the low shutter speed is a concern since there will be some ambient light.

Would continuous lighting be a viable option? Switch it on just when needed (i.e. when the bird lands). Maybe a LED box with a fresnel lens, what do you think? Any recommendations?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
I see 3 options.

1. Change camera to one that supports HSS (Nikon FP) and use a Better Beamer.

2. Stick with the D5600 + BB and use 1/200s to take stationary subjects and blurred moving subjects.

3. Stick with the D5600 and use 1/200s with multiple flash letting flash overpower the daylight and freeze the action at 1/10000s as shown in this image of Blue Tits, I used 6 speedlights.

d0248ee2dbad4871b9ce34095e64a423.jpg
 
Last edited:
Kevin Coppalotti said:
what birds are out in really poor light?

I shoot birds with flash from a hide (with canon) but towards dusk most of the birds are gone. most of them are active during daylight, and start moving away at least an hour before sunset. i use the flashes off camera as this seems to scare them less.

The shutter speed synch could be a deal breaker for many birds, especially small active ones.

some birds do pause and sit still. but with that lens at 600mm and a 1.4tc you will need a decent shutter speed. subject distance needs to be considered as well, - as long distances drain the flash power quickly.
Click to expand...
 
Thank you for your replies.

I ordered a Better Beamer along with a Neewer NW985N flash and an MC-DC2 remote shutter release. Since my current MO is to sit in a blind with tripod and shooting perched birds (raptors mostly -- trying at least), I figured 1/200s shutter speed should be enough if using remote trigger. I don't have a sturdy tripod.

The BB and the flash is not a huge investment, so if it ends up as a disappointment I can at least use the flash for other purposes.
 
As long as you are in a blind (not moving around too much) you should have no problems with the BB. Its performance is great. Make sure you follow their directions for setting the flash zoom.

As I said in my previous reply, I am clumsy and always knocking it into a twig, etc.

Please post your shots!
 
MacUser2 said:
As long as you are in a blind (not moving around too much) you should have no problems with the BB. Its performance is great. Make sure you follow their directions for setting the flash zoom.

As I said in my previous reply, I am clumsy and always knocking it into a twig, etc.

Please post your shots!
Click to expand...
I can imagine it's not that great for carrying around in the forest. I'm planning on tuning the BB + flash by shooting on wall a dark evening from 20-30m away. Don't know how well the BB will fit on the flash since it's not listed on BB's website, I guess some modification is required.

I will post photos!
 
I set up the camera about 15meters from a white wall and used a Sekonic 308 light meter (flash meter mode) to calibrate my set-up. I taped the meter to the white wall and simultaneously measured the intensity of the light and the pattern.
 
msar said:
MacUser2 said:
As long as you are in a blind (not moving around too much) you should have no problems with the BB. Its performance is great. Make sure you follow their directions for setting the flash zoom.

As I said in my previous reply, I am clumsy and always knocking it into a twig, etc.

Please post your shots!
Click to expand...
I can imagine it's not that great for carrying around in the forest. I'm planning on tuning the BB + flash by shooting on wall a dark evening from 20-30m away. Don't know how well the BB will fit on the flash since it's not listed on BB's website, I guess some modification is required.

I will post photos!
Click to expand...
That's the way to do the alignment. You may have to mod the brackets where they go over and under the flash head. I like to add a second velcro pad under the flash as this holds it steadier, particular in wind or if you bunk something.

Morris
 
Morris0 said:
msar said:
MacUser2 said:
As long as you are in a blind (not moving around too much) you should have no problems with the BB. Its performance is great. Make sure you follow their directions for setting the flash zoom.

As I said in my previous reply, I am clumsy and always knocking it into a twig, etc.

Please post your shots!
Click to expand...
I can imagine it's not that great for carrying around in the forest. I'm planning on tuning the BB + flash by shooting on wall a dark evening from 20-30m away. Don't know how well the BB will fit on the flash since it's not listed on BB's website, I guess some modification is required.

I will post photos!
Click to expand...
That's the way to do the alignment. You may have to mod the brackets where they go over and under the flash head. I like to add a second velcro pad under the flash as this holds it steadier, particular in wind or if you bunk something.

Morris
Click to expand...
Yes, it doesn't look that steady on pictures. Someone had added a top and a bottom and put reflective tape on the inside, claiming it boosted its performance. Sounds like an idea.
 
Worth keeping in mind that it works as a magnifier, if pointed towards the sun there's a chance that it will burn a mark in your camera or flash head.
 
Snowfella said:
Worth keeping in mind that it works as a magnifier, if pointed towards the sun there's a chance that it will burn a mark in your camera or flash head.
Click to expand...
I'm guilty of this one. I dedicate the same 2 speedlights + BBs for mounting on the lens because I keep melting holes all over them. I'm on site for dawn a lot and often shoot backlit wildlife scenes but despite weak sun and trying to be careful I still keep getting the smell of melting plastic, it only takes a few seconds. I manage to avoid melting the flash head but the flash bodies look very secondhand.
 
Snowfella said:
Worth keeping in mind that it works as a magnifier, if pointed towards the sun there's a chance that it will burn a mark in your camera or flash head.
Click to expand...
Menting the flash is common and just makes marks. I've never seen or heard of the BB marking the body
 
msar said:
Morris0 said:
msar said:
MacUser2 said:
As long as you are in a blind (not moving around too much) you should have no problems with the BB. Its performance is great. Make sure you follow their directions for setting the flash zoom.

As I said in my previous reply, I am clumsy and always knocking it into a twig, etc.

Please post your shots!
Click to expand...
I can imagine it's not that great for carrying around in the forest. I'm planning on tuning the BB + flash by shooting on wall a dark evening from 20-30m away. Don't know how well the BB will fit on the flash since it's not listed on BB's website, I guess some modification is required.

I will post photos!
Click to expand...
That's the way to do the alignment. You may have to mod the brackets where they go over and under the flash head. I like to add a second velcro pad under the flash as this holds it steadier, particular in wind or if you bunk something.

Morris
Click to expand...
Yes, it doesn't look that steady on pictures. Someone had added a top and a bottom and put reflective tape on the inside, claiming it boosted its performance. Sounds like an idea.
Click to expand...
Top and bottom may protect the flash from melt marks.
 
You might look at the Godox (also sold as Flashpoint by Adorama.) They have a complete system of flashes.

The one I have automatically focuses to a max of 200mm, which is much more than some of the older flashes. This reduces the need for the Better Beamer. These sell for about $200, often much less on sale. This includes a li-ion battery pack good for about 600 shots per charge. I think it is called "Flashpoint Zoom RT Li-ion TTL"

These flashes are radio controlled, and each can be transmitter or receiver. They also sell separate transmitters which cost a lot less.

So the next step would be to take the flash off the camera and put it on a tripod closer to the birds. Put either the transmitter or the second flash which includes the transmitter on the camera.

If most of the light is from the flash, the flash duration is so short that you may freeze action without needing HSS on the camera.

If your camera built in flash has Commander Mode, then these flashes will obey it and you would not need a transmitter. However, outdoors the optical signal from the camera sometimes has problems, so switching to radio is more reliable.
 
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