Hooray for the FZ300!

Beautiful capture! Amazing how you caught it in midair like that.

Bob

Outstanding photo! Tell us about the situation and your technique. Hummingbird must have been hovering to get the bird sharp at 1/125 sec.

Thanks Bob and John,

We have a very large oak tree about 15 feet from our dining room window, with a deck next to the house extending to a couple of feet from the oak tree. We have a couple of hummingbird feeders hanging from the branches as well as one standard bird feeder. Anna's Hummingbirds are there every day all year around. They are more territorial than one would think, but often there are just a couple of them near the two feeders and they often hover in the air either before or after they drink from the feeders. So capturing them in mid air is actually quite easy when they are hovering, and one can even often use slow shutter speeds, as they are almost static. I like shooting them at different shutter speeds to get a variety of wing images.

So that's the scoop on how I got the photo. When I go to our local arboretum to shoot them drinking from the flowers it far more difficult to get good images,for me at least!

Best,

Den

Excellent images! What shutter speed for hummingbirds specifically would you say is necessary to completely freeze their wings? And do you use the electronic shutter for this?

Just look at each image's EXIF Data to see shutter speed used.

Jon_T said:

Just look at each image's EXIF Data to see shutter speed used.

Click to expand...

Thanks Jon, the other image (the one used with 1/2000 second shutter speed) seems to be almost blur free in the wings. I guess 1/4000 second would be even better but that would require ISO 800, probably not a good idea.



--
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.
-Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961

800 iso might be pushing it on that sensor, unless you shot raw, then all would be fine, IMHO.

I often like the blurred wing effects, so I vary the shutter speed often.

Best,

Den

travelfoodphoto said:

800 iso might be pushing it on that sensor, unless you shot raw, then all would be fine, IMHO.

I often like the blurred wing effects, so I vary the shutter speed often.

Best,

Den

Click to expand...

I agree, although in reviews and in review images I feel like it seems all these cameras are fine up to ISO 800, in practice I find that not to be the case. I'm not even enthusiastic about using ISO 400. In practice ISO 100-200 on these cameras provides the best image quality and I see a rapid drop off after that. One thing I do to alleviate the situation is only shoot in bright sunlight and cloud free skies. I find a deep blue sky background to be aesthetically pleasing too (I could never understand why anyone would want to shoot in cloudy skies, it makes the colors look drab and dreary.) On my Fuji S1 at the long end I find that even at 1/2000 second shutter speeds at f/5.6 I can use ISO 400. I use it sparingly. On the FZ300 this would translate to ISO 100 at 1/2000 second shutter speeds at f/2.8 and a very usable ISO 200 at 1/4000 second shutter speed at f/2.8. Do you use the electronic shutter when shooting these birds in burst mode?

Hi,

Agree with your points. i don't use the electronic shutter, as what I've read indicated possible drawbacks, and 1/4000 sec. is more than fast enough for what I shoot.

Best,

Den

travelfoodphoto said:

Hi,

Agree with your points. i don't use the electronic shutter, as what I've read indicated possible drawbacks, and 1/4000 sec. is more than fast enough for what I shoot.

Best,

Den

Click to expand...

Yes, I don't like the idea of distortions with moving objects either,

I might use it for stationary/perched birds.

OutsideTheMatrix said:

travelfoodphoto said:

800 iso might be pushing it on that sensor, unless you shot raw, then all would be fine, IMHO.

I often like the blurred wing effects, so I vary the shutter speed often.

Best,

Den

Click to expand...

I agree, although in reviews and in review images I feel like it seems all these cameras are fine up to ISO 800, in practice I find that not to be the case. ...

Click to expand...

Maybe for you. Quite dependent on the person using the camera, and how well they know the camera's limitations.

Yes those who have not fully learn the camera's full capabilities in different lighting conditions, or relying on an camera's SOOC JPG images.


ZS50 PP RAW 1600 ISO (Full Size)


ZS50 PP RAW 1600 ISO

OutsideTheMatrix said:

... (I could never understand why anyone would want to shoot in cloudy skies, it makes the colors look drab and dreary.) ...

Click to expand...

Due to your exposure/ white balance settings.

What "type" are cloudy skies are you speaking of?

I love cloudy skies for landscape shots,




FZ150 PP RAW

Due my cloud pics HERE colors "drab and dreary"? The pic of the sun rays the combo of using polarizing filter, exposure, and PP.

Jon_T said:

OutsideTheMatrix said:

travelfoodphoto said:

800 iso might be pushing it on that sensor, unless you shot raw, then all would be fine, IMHO.

I often like the blurred wing effects, so I vary the shutter speed often.

Best,

Den

Click to expand...

I agree, although in reviews and in review images I feel like it seems all these cameras are fine up to ISO 800, in practice I find that not to be the case. ...

Click to expand...

Maybe for you. Quite dependent on the person using the camera, and how well they know the camera's limitations.

Yes those who have not fully learn the camera's full capabilities in different lighting conditions, or relying on an camera's SOOC JPG images.


ZS50 PP RAW 1600 ISO (Full Size)


ZS50 PP RAW 1600 ISO

Jon_T said:

... (I could never understand why anyone would want to shoot in cloudy skies, it makes the colors look drab and dreary.) ...

Click to expand...

Due to your exposure/ white balance settings.

What "type" are cloudy skies are you speaking of?

I love cloudy skies for landscape shots,




FZ150 PP RAW

Due my cloud pics HERE colors "drab and dreary"? The pic of the sun rays the combo of using polarizing filter, exposure, and PP.

Click to expand...

Oh no, I absolutely LOVE your cloud pictures, Jon (I have said so before). They look like islands in a deep blue sea

I just meant taking pictures when it's completely overcast and very dull looking with no form to the clouds and it just looks like a grey or white blanket in the sky.

We get these kinds of days here near the ocean when a stratus layer rolls in from the water and there is no form to the clouds, unlike in your cloud pictures which look very three dimensional.

PS We had a brilliant sunset today I'll post the photos later, the clouds were burning pink and scarlet. I used both the manual exposure mode and the pop color setting on my camera, I love the colors in the pop color setting for sunsets and sunrises, unfortunately the camera decides the point of focus and you can't control any of the exposure settings in that mode.

PPS that pizza also looks three dimensional and very delicious, I'm now hungry for dinner lol.

--
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.
-Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961

I agree, nice photos!

Den

travelfoodphoto said:

I agree, nice photos!

Den

Click to expand...

Wow, delicious! I'm from New York, one of the towns that have great pizzerias, but I've not seen any so well made!

I have acquired a taste for liking pineapple on my pizza (controversial I know lol.)

Thanks, I just deleted them as I didn't think it related to the thread, but glad you enjoyed them.

Best,

Den

I only like replying to posts that pertain to photography, but I'm sorry, pineapple does not belong on pizza!

I forgot to mention, I'm from New Jersey and we have the best pizza. I hope you realize I'm kidding.

Bob

honeybz said:

I only like replying to posts that pertain to photography, but I'm sorry, pineapple does not belong on pizza!

Click to expand...

For me it was a shock I liked it so much. I love the combo of sweet and spicy.

I feel that way about anchovies, fish do not belong on pizza!

honeybz said:

I forgot to mention, I'm from New Jersey and we have the best pizza. I hope you realize I'm kidding.

Bob

Click to expand...

I love Jersey pizza too! I have eaten pizza in NY, NJ and PA and I loved them all lol.