E-M1 Dragonflies in Flight, dare to argue C-AF is bad

Vass,

Wonderful shots as usual!

Were you using the EE-1 for these?

Sequential High + C-AF?

Centre, centre 9 or all focus points enabled?

Awesome captures, Vass! You DESERVE the OLY300!!

(I couldn't think of a better compliment to praise/prize your astonishing skills :D)

Cheers,

Excellent work as usual vass. You sure know how to use the E-M1 and show what the camera/lens are capable of in skilled hands.

Look forward to your shots with the 300mm f4 as you surely will be able to shut up the naysayers! 

Cheers

Dennis

vass wrote:

One of my favourite Insects is the Australian Emerald Dragonfly. This is a dragonfly that does not stop flying all day and I have yet to see one perched in the day.
They have some cool eyes and I have nailed them before but this time I got really close and was over the moon with my results.
I also didn't raise the shutter speed too high as I like to show the slightest hint of movement in their wings, makes the photo more life like to myself.
Most of them show eye detail at full size so I included a 100% crop on the last photo within the photo. All taken in jpeg + raw but these are straight out of camera jpegs with some minor processing and cropping then reduced to 1600x1200.
I also have captured many other Dragonfly species in flight really well but wanted to show my favourite species by a whisker the Australian Emerald this time.

Stay tuned for other species to come soon

Enjoy!

regards,
Vas

I'd really like to see what you could do with an EM5ii and CAF..

Jim Vincent wrote:

Amazing, wonderful shots.

Helps that all are against a flat beige or blue/grey background.

Where are you shooting the dragonfly in flight that you get such a quiet backdrop?

Can't wait to see examples of your work with your new 300 f/4

Cheers
These are shot off the bank on a small lake. The Emerald loves water and is flying over it 95% of the time. The water does love to trick the focus a lot too. The next dragonflies coming grass and trees. Makes no real difference to me, you got to put up with the habitat the dragonfly lives.
The reason the background is quiet is the distance from lens to dragonfly and water/sky. The dragonfly only flies a foot to three above the water but because the angle I shoot them bokeh becomes smooth as you want it.

randallktodd wrote:

Did I miss it or did you not say what focusing points you were using? I'm always gathering information on what settings work for other people.

Those are some fantastic shots!! I applaud your skill in shooting these creatures.

on the 1st few I used C-AF + Tr then C-AF Sequential High on the next few, if I fail to lock after a while I play with my settings and manage keepers either way. I got about 50 keepers to this quality in those handful of 1 to 2hr sessions for those several sessions I did but most of them are a tad further away and I cannot see the compound eyes but they are in focus and very sharp.

For focus I used centre and 9 box, depends how close the dragonfly wants to get to me on an average when choosing what I use.

I use the EVF and my eyes.The EE-1 i never have used on Dragonflies, I use both eyes. one on the EVF and the other to keep the target insight. With this it can be annoying if the dragon fly flies to the right but if so I move me eye off the evf for a moment till I get it in the EVF again. I don't actually think I got a good DIF yet with EE-1. It wastes too many shutter actuations and no dragonfly in the photo and then if it is usually badly framed or half framed.

Too be honest there is no perfect setting on the e-m1 for DIF and I keep changing mine in the field. They all work but each species behaves different so I try different things when something isn't  working. At times even the same species behaves a little different in it's flight.

Chris R-UK wrote:

Vass,

Wonderful shots as usual!

Were you using the EE-1 for these?

Sequential High + C-AF?

Centre, centre 9 or all focus points enabled?

-- hide signature --

Chris R

See above

Brian Wadie wrote:

Good technique and a knowledge of the patrol pattern of these wonderful creatures is the key to this sort of photography. Only then will the right gear come into play

Excellent work

Well said Brian, thanks
The Maths of it sometimes can be mind blowing

banosser wrote:

I'd really like to see what you could do with an EM5ii and CAF

I have managed some good BIFS and a few insects using CAF only on my e-m1. I think it is ok but the hybrid system is better overall.

Great work, Vas.

I have not argued that C-AF is bad.  These photographs give me no reason to change that stance.  

TheEye wrote:

You use the tool extremely well. Not to mention you must have superfast eyes and reflexes.

Thanks reflexes are important but also planning how to get the shot helps after watching what it's doing

Thanks to all who commented

regards,

Vas