Best AF setup for BIFs - OM-EM1-II

rsf3127 wrote:

I am trying some BIF recently (have zero experience in this type of photography) and am stuck with some setup options in my EM1-II.

Do you birders achieve a better keep rate with C-AF + tracking + low burst or C-AF + cluster mode + low burst?

At which obturator speed do you believe it is worth to let anti-shock on for a 300mm lens? Does it slows things noticeably or not?

How do you manage to take the most of your OMD1-II in the field for BIFs?

Thank you in advance for your replies.

Have a nice weekend.

GM = Gear Menu

GM -->A1-->AF Scanner-->mode3

GM -->A1-->C-AF Sensitivity-->+2

GM -->A1-->C-AF Center Priority--> Cross and 3x3 Modes

GM -->A2-->AF Area Pointer-->On2

GM -->A3-->Face Priority-->Off

GM -->C1-->C-AF Release Priority --> On

GM -->C1--> Flicker Reduction --> Anti-Flicker Shooting --> Off (Only matters if you're going to use mechanical shutter)

GM -->C2-->[Burst Mode] Image Stabilizer-->Fps Priority

GM -->D2-->Frame Rate-->High

GM-->E1-->Low ISO Processing-->Drive Priority

I would strongly recommend using either the 5-point cross mode or 3x3 mode for your AF point area. Anything beyond that slows the camera down and will give worse C-AF performance. To get the best C-AF performance with complex motion, you want to shoot at the highest framerate possible, it will end up with a lot of extra shots you'll have to throw away at the end but the camera performs best at the higher framerates. If you have simple motion (i.e. little to no subject acceleration such as large birds gliding on a predictable path) then the lower frame rates work well but anything accelerating works best with the highest framerate you can stomach.