How do you set up your camera for BIF?

[Larry Rexley]

I've been shooting birds in flight for over a year now using the R7 and R8. Recently got the R5 Mark ii and am really enjoying it - seems to have more button customizability than the other models which is quite helpful for BIF.

I'm curious how other birders set up their R cameras for BIF. Do you set up a set of settings for stationary birds to switch quickly back and forth along with BIF settings?

I've set up my settings based on my own limited experience and watching youtubers (Duade Paton and Jan Wegener) but am certainly no expert and know there is always room for improvement.

I currently have mine set up for BIF in the following way: Custom Mode C1 is for 'pre-capture' --- with 1/4000s, max aperture, auto ISO, max frame rate, and precapture enabled. I am finding that 1/4000s is not even fast enough for the smallest birds taking off with the 200-800 and 1.4x extender!

Mode C2 is set up for stationary birds.... lower drive rate, 1/500s, max aperture, auto ISO. Mode C3 is my 'standard' BIF mode with 1/2500s, max aperture, auto ISO, max frame rate. All 3 modes are based on 'Manual' exposure setting modes with Auto ISO.

On the R5ii I have the M-Fn button set to "C' which will only toggle between C1, C2, and C3, allowing me to switch 'birding' modes lightning fast. For all three custom modes I have full-frame AF set up with servo ON and Subject tracking set to Animals for the birds.

I have the half-press shutter button set up to start AF and metering, the AF-ON button set up to actually turn AF "OFF" which will 'lock' focus if I need it once focus is acquired for crazy-fast unpredictable birds and birds in bushes... the asterisk button set up to override AF with Spot focus, and the AF zone selection button set up for exposure override in the BIF modes to switch to 1/500s, in case I want to shoot stationary birds at lower ISO while waiting for birds to fly by to shoot BIF.

So I do not do the usual 'recommended' thing by the youtube birders which is to have the half-press shutter button turn only metering on, and use the AF-On button to initiate AF. I start the AF with the half-press of the shutter button and turn it OFF by holding the AF-On button. I find that the R5ii and R8 AF is so good it works most of the time and I usually do not need to override it.

 

[KiloHotelphoto]

I keep it simple I just shoot full manual, I've got three dials each assigned to shutter, aperture and ISO and dual back button focus one animal eye and the other spot auto focus.

 

[Larry Rexley]

I keep it simple I just shoot full manual, I've got three dials each assigned to shutter, aperture and ISO and dual back button focus one animal eye and the other spot auto focus.

Thanks, very interesting.

Good point about the dials... I didn't mention my current dial settings. I have shutter speed on the main dial, exposure comp on the top/rear dial since I use Auto ISO (the default is-1/3 EV exposure comp since I shoot a lot of white shore birds and the details might blow out with the 200-800 at normal exposure) and aperture set on the rear dial, which I only change if I think I need more depth of field.

 

[KevinRA]

So dont claim to be an expert but:

3 dials is great on the R5 - or with control ring on lens or adaptor on R10, also 3.

Manual Auto ISO

- Top front dial shutter speed - from 1/1000 if gliding and low light, more typically 1/2000 or higher up to 1/3200.

- Exposure compensation on top back dial - very handy as light changes.

- Aperture on rear dial - normally wide open but can quickly adjust.

Eye tracking AF assigned to AF-On. Old school DSLR style single point on half-press shutter - overidden when AF-On button pressed.

MFn to toggle between one shot and AI servo - so one can go in manually - with the star button set to magnify image in screen to allow AF - This is for perched birds.

Electronic shutter even on R5, just bin the odd one when rolling shutter might be objectionable, unless shooting very fast wings when use EFCS.

On R5 use the same settings for AF cases as Jan Wegener advises.

 

[Zeee]

My biggest curse has been birding - BIF to static so I do the similar thing. All three C1-3 modes are identical except for SS / slow to fast. The only thing I miss about my R5 was the ability to map the modes to a button. R6II is dial only.

I’ve mapped the * button to cycle through the following AF modes all using Eye Detect. Whole Area - zone - single point - spot. Eye detect off/on to set button. Easy to cycle through them as needed.

 

[Larry Rexley]

My biggest curse has been birding - BIF to static so I do the similar thing. All three C1-3 modes are identical except for SS / slow to fast. The only thing I miss about my R5 was the ability to map the modes to a button. R6II is dial only.
I’ve mapped the * button to cycle through the following AF modes all using Eye Detect. Whole Area - zone - single point - spot. Eye detect off/on to set button. Easy to cycle through them as needed.

Thanks, very interesting, similar to what I did on the R7/R8. Do you use the same high speed frame rates for C1-C3? Curious what those might be, 30-40 fps is sick and generates so many files!

 

[Zeee]

My biggest curse has been birding - BIF to static so I do the similar thing. All three C1-3 modes are identical except for SS / slow to fast. The only thing I miss about my R5 was the ability to map the modes to a button. R6II is dial only.
I’ve mapped the * button to cycle through the following AF modes all using Eye Detect. Whole Area - zone - single point - spot. Eye detect off/on to set button. Easy to cycle through them as needed.

Thanks, very interesting, similar to what I did on the R7/R8. Do you use the same high speed frame rates for C1-C3? Curious what those might be, 30-40 fps is sick and generates so many files!

I had an R7 and that was why I assigned AF modes to AF. I wanted to keep it as constant as I could with my R6II. Can’t map the Magnify button for AF. R6II can’t go that fast but even then in ES I kept that down for both bodies. Like you said. Too many files to cull later.

 

[CameraCarl]

Jan Wegener has an excellent R5 Mark II set up video on YouTube. I used his earlier video on how to set up my R5 and find it works wonders. By the way, he is an excellent bird photographer who has years of experience with Canon cameras and has lots of useful videos on all aspects of bird photography and post processing.

 

[Zeee]

Jan Wegener has an excellent R5 Mark II set up video on YouTube. I used his earlier video on how to set up my R5 and find it works wonders. By the way, he is an excellent bird photographer who has years of experience with Canon cameras and has lots of useful videos on all aspects of bird photography and post processing.

I follow him and he is a respected birder, editor and knows his stuff. From day one I questioned his method of using spot focus to pre-focus on a subject before switching to eye detect. Why? You only need to get the body in focus so why not use single point which has a larger AF area than spot thus more contrast for AF to work with. These days I use Zone AF as a manual override. More AF points working for me the better. I can even pre-focus on a post a bird is sitting on and as long as it is in reasonable focus the eye will snap in. I've tested that out quite a bit.

I'll revert back to single point AF if there are obstacles that throw zone off. I only use spot a few times a year. Shooting through a fence or a small bird in lots of foliage. Single point is too big for a birds head which is far away and picks up the background. Usually eye detect is bang in with a small bird and will find the head if it can't find the eye if the surrounding area is clear of clutter.

Rudy Winston has an article stating that spot while being more precise than single point does not make it more accurate. Nina Bailey (previous Canon technical trainer) states in her online guides (I have the R5) that some confuse spot with single point that will somehow get sharer images. Spot has it's proposes. If I wanted a precise spot on a persons eyeball I'd use Spot.

I know I'm a very small minority when it comes to this. I kind of wish Jan offered a more detailed explanation and suggested the other options. I mention it as may help someone expand their methods. If not that is fine too. Nothing wrong with Spot but it's not the only option IMO.

It's why after getting into ML in 2019 I left AF on the shutter, start out with whole area AF with eye detect and left the system do it's job. I use the AF-ON to toggle Zone AF on and off as many times as I need to- if its needed. If things get tight I use the * button to switch to either Zone, Single or Spot AF all with eye detect. I find this the fastest methods for my type of shooting.

 

[Larry Rexley]

Jan Wegener has an excellent R5 Mark II set up video on YouTube. I used his earlier video on how to set up my R5 and find it works wonders. By the way, he is an excellent bird photographer who has years of experience with Canon cameras and has lots of useful videos on all aspects of bird photography and post processing.

I follow him and he is a respected birder, editor and knows his stuff. From day one I questioned his method of using spot focus to pre-focus on a subject before switching to eye detect. Why? You only need to get the body in focus so why not use single point which has a larger AF area than spot thus more contrast for AF to work with. These days I use Zone AF as a manual override. More AF points working for me the better. I can even pre-focus on a post a bird is sitting on and as long as it is in reasonable focus the eye will snap in. I've tested that out quite a bit.

I'll revert back to single point AF if there are obstacles that throw zone off. I only use spot a few times a year. Shooting through a fence or a small bird in lots of foliage. Single point is too big for a birds head which is far away and picks up the background. Usually eye detect is bang in with a small bird and will find the head if it can't find the eye if the surrounding area is clear of clutter.

Rudy Winston has an article stating that spot while being more precise than single point does not make it more accurate. Nina Bailey (previous Canon technical trainer) states in her online guides (I have the R5) that some confuse spot with single point that will somehow get sharer images. Spot has it's proposes. If I wanted a precise spot on a persons eyeball I'd use Spot.

I know I'm a very small minority when it comes to this. I kind of wish Jan offered a more detailed explanation and suggested the other options. I mention it as may help someone expand their methods. If not that is fine too. Nothing wrong with Spot but it's not the only option IMO.

It's why after getting into ML in 2019 I left AF on the shutter, start out with whole area AF with eye detect and left the system do it's job. I use the AF-ON to toggle Zone AF on and off as many times as I need to- if its needed. If things get tight I use the * button to switch to either Zone, Single or Spot AF all with eye detect. I find this the fastest methods for my type of shooting.

Very interesting, I like your approach. Thanks for the detailed explanation.

Reading your post, I am reminded that I recently learned that the AF zones (AF areas) now operate differently on the R5ii than they did on the original R5 and the R7 and R8, in that the AF zones (also called AF areas) now are used as 'starting points' and initiate tracking that then will track outside the defined "area."

I had the asterisk button set to override full screen area with 'spot' area, but assumed that it was using the fixed 'spot' focus so that I could focus on a bird through grass blades or branches without tracking. But it turns out there are two 'spot' focus area modes on the R5ii --- a second one has a little padlock in the icon that indicates it uses the older 'locked' spot focus behavior that does not initiate tracking, and continues to focus within the spot. Since this is what I wanted, I changed it yesterday and re-saved my C1 C2 and C3 settings.

This youtube video by 'Points in Focus' explains the R5ii settings in more detail:

 

[Zeee]

Jan Wegener has an excellent R5 Mark II set up video on YouTube. I used his earlier video on how to set up my R5 and find it works wonders. By the way, he is an excellent bird photographer who has years of experience with Canon cameras and has lots of useful videos on all aspects of bird photography and post processing.

I follow him and he is a respected birder, editor and knows his stuff. From day one I questioned his method of using spot focus to pre-focus on a subject before switching to eye detect. Why? You only need to get the body in focus so why not use single point which has a larger AF area than spot thus more contrast for AF to work with. These days I use Zone AF as a manual override. More AF points working for me the better. I can even pre-focus on a post a bird is sitting on and as long as it is in reasonable focus the eye will snap in. I've tested that out quite a bit.

I'll revert back to single point AF if there are obstacles that throw zone off. I only use spot a few times a year. Shooting through a fence or a small bird in lots of foliage. Single point is too big for a birds head which is far away and picks up the background. Usually eye detect is bang in with a small bird and will find the head if it can't find the eye if the surrounding area is clear of clutter.

Rudy Winston has an article stating that spot while being more precise than single point does not make it more accurate. Nina Bailey (previous Canon technical trainer) states in her online guides (I have the R5) that some confuse spot with single point that will somehow get sharer images. Spot has it's proposes. If I wanted a precise spot on a persons eyeball I'd use Spot.

I know I'm a very small minority when it comes to this. I kind of wish Jan offered a more detailed explanation and suggested the other options. I mention it as may help someone expand their methods. If not that is fine too. Nothing wrong with Spot but it's not the only option IMO.

It's why after getting into ML in 2019 I left AF on the shutter, start out with whole area AF with eye detect and left the system do it's job. I use the AF-ON to toggle Zone AF on and off as many times as I need to- if its needed. If things get tight I use the * button to switch to either Zone, Single or Spot AF all with eye detect. I find this the fastest methods for my type of shooting.

Very interesting, I like your approach. Thanks for the detailed explanation.

Reading your post, I am reminded that I recently learned that the AF zones (AF areas) now operate differently on the R5ii than they did on the original R5 and the R7 and R8, in that the AF zones (also called AF areas) now are used as 'starting points' and initiate tracking that then will track outside the defined "area."

I had the asterisk button set to override full screen area with 'spot' area, but assumed that it was using the fixed 'spot' focus so that I could focus on a bird through grass blades or branches without tracking. But it turns out there are two 'spot' focus area modes on the R5ii --- a second one has a little padlock in the icon that indicates it uses the older 'locked' spot focus behavior that does not initiate tracking, and continues to focus within the spot. Since this is what I wanted, I changed it yesterday and re-saved my C1 C2 and C3 settings.

This youtube video by 'Points in Focus' explains the R5ii settings in more detail:

That is interesting and will likely come with the R63 and R72. I’ll take a close look at that to prepare. I’ll have to bookmark this as well.

It sorta reminds me of the DSLR where in zone you could pick an initial AF point to start AF and then once it acquired the subject it dropped out and became part of the AF array.

 

[EJ Fudd]

[No message]

 

[Zeee]

That is why my settings are all the same in modes C1-3 expect shutter speeds. If I need to switch subjects I mapped that to the M-fn button on my R6II. I mapped that button for C1-3 with my R5.

I had to register that to the green menus on the R7 but I didn't change subjects very much.

 

[Zeee]

So dont claim to be an expert but:

3 dials is great on the R5 - or with control ring on lens or adaptor on R10, also 3.

Manual Auto ISO

- Top front dial shutter speed - from 1/1000 if gliding and low light, more typically 1/2000 or higher up to 1/3200.

- Exposure compensation on top back dial - very handy as light changes.

- Aperture on rear dial - normally wide open but can quickly adjust.

Eye tracking AF assigned to AF-On. Old school DSLR style single point on half-press shutter - overidden when AF-On button pressed.

I do this the other way around. I paid a lot of money for this new tech so I let it do its job first and intervene if needed. Quite effective and finding eyes. Hard to believe how sensitive AF is. I was shooting people and forgot to switch t people for the subject and I broke my camera.

MFn to toggle between one shot and AI servo - so one can go in manually - with the star button set to magnify image in screen to allow AF - This is for perched birds.

Electronic shutter even on R5, just bin the odd one when rolling shutter might be objectionable, unless shooting very fast wings when use EFCS.

On R5 use the same settings for AF cases as Jan Wegener advises.

I've had Tracking Sensitivity on -2 since 2009 with my R7. Other parameters as needed. ML bodies got rid of the 3rd parameter - AF Auto switching. The R5II and the R1 (possibly R3) basically got rid of the user presets for Case parameters. Only Auto and Manual now.

When Canon added Auto the R5 which my R6II has and R7 had I questioned one thing. I could see the algorithms self adjusting to speed changes (Accel/Decel) but how could it possibly know what I wanted for TS? The difference between -2 and +2 is significant. I see that they added user control to TS in Auto mode on the R5II and R1. Canon also got rid of Switching Tracked Subjects. Both excellent moves IMO. I'll be happy to get those changes on my next body.