blp shabash 430x45
Inspiring and Supporting Photographers of Australian Birds

Welcome, Guest
Username: Password: Remember me
When posting a new topic, please ensure that you select the correct category for your post in the top drop-down box of the edit window. The default entry is the first category shown on the All Categories page; this is unlikely to be the category that you want. The Category drop-down box will be present if you click the New Topic tab in the Forum menu; if you are viewing a particular category of the Forum and you use the New Topic button in the Category Header section, the drop-down box will not be present, and your new post topic will automatically appear in the category that you are viewing.
  • Page:
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

TOPIC:

Back button focus 6 years 9 months ago #1131

  • Peter Johnston
  • Peter Johnston's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Premium Member
  • Premium Member
  • Posts: 88
  • Thank you received: 38
Thanks Ian
That's great info.
When I'm walking around I use the Av mode, ISO 800, Av 9, unless Tv less than 700.
Custom settings; Cm1 for in flight, Av mode with ISO 500, Av 5.6. Cm2 for flash. Av mode with ISO 1600, Av 9, Tv 200. Cm3 not set yet. I never thought of setting for close up shots, thanks for the tip.
Does that mean that the 3 Custom Modes settings that you have just outlined, have been set manually, not using AV priority or even TV?.
Peter.

Please Log in to join the conversation.

Back button focus 6 years 9 months ago #1132

  • Ian Wilson
  • Ian Wilson's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 430
  • Thank you received: 495
That's right Peter, I gave up using Av and Tv priority two years ago so all my shooting these days is by manual exposure settings. I find that using manual exposure settings gets the exposure right much more reliably than the semi-automatic options like Av, Tv and auto ISO settings.

The custom shooting mode dial can be used for more than just pre-setting the aperture, exposure time and ISO. One can also pre-set the drive mode (one shot or continuous shooting), frame rate (for example, continuous 'silent' shooting or high-speed continuous shooting), the position and number of AF points, and the AF tracking parameters. For example, I use AI Servo AF for all scenarios and I always use continuous shooting; 'silent' shutter continuous for perched birds and high-speed continuous for flying birds. I also choose the centre AF point for perched birds and flash work and the centre point with 4-pt or 8-pt expansion for birds in flight. The AF tracking parameters, that is tracking sensitivity, accel./decel. and AF point switching, are all set to the hard left for perched birds. For BIF I usually use tracking sensitivity hard left, accel,/decel in the neutral position 0 or +1, and AF point switching hard left or +1. All of the variables I have mentioned can be incorporated in your custom shooting modes so that when you need to make a quick change of scenario you will only need to turn the shooting mode dial on the camera top plate and then fine tune the exposure as you lock focus and compose the shot.

Cheers,

Ian
The following user(s) said Thank You: Desmond Hokin

Please Log in to join the conversation.

Back button focus 6 years 9 months ago #1133

  • Peter Johnston
  • Peter Johnston's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Premium Member
  • Premium Member
  • Posts: 88
  • Thank you received: 38
That's gold Ian
I hadn't set the continuous silent shooting for perched birds and I also haven't set the AF tracking sensitivity.
The next step up for me is shooting in manual mode, I have done it in poor light scenarios, with and without a flash. So it's not a big step.
Thanks Ian.
(The forum comes to the rescue, again!).

Please Log in to join the conversation.

Back button focus 6 years 9 months ago #1135

  • Bruce Terrill
  • Bruce Terrill's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Elite Member
  • Elite Member
  • Posts: 266
  • Thank you received: 47
Hi Ian,
I wish that you shot with Nikon, it would be so much easier for me to follow along.
The way that I'm seeing things at the moment with my D500 is that there are no 'My Modes' for custom 'go to' settings?
Up on the top selection dial with the D500, you get the Pro dial that only has four selections, being Quality, WB, Exp and Mode. Under mode you only get PASM, so nothing hidden there?
Over on the shutter side, you have shutter, exp/comp, movie trigger and a really handy iso button which you can adjust the iso with your eye to the viewfinder, but no custom 'go to' settings for BIF, Perched, etc., as far as I can tell without someone who is a Nikon Pro helping me out, I don't think that these modes are available on the Pro bodies?
I know that on top of my two D7200's that there are two settings on the main dial on LHS for U1 and U2 and I have the Movie on/off button switched to ISO function so that my 7200's are set up the same as my D500.
Doesn't matter how many times that I go out with my D500, every time that I pick up my 7200 it feels like a nicer camera and certainly easier to use, need more practice, practice, practice.
Every time that I have a trip out into the field planned, something comes up with one of the bloody rehab birds, either that or the weather. Can't tell you how long my car has been packed and waiting to so to WTP? Cameras in, cameras out, cameras in, and on and on. . .
Bruce

Please Log in to join the conversation.

Back button focus 6 years 9 months ago #1138

  • Ian Wilson
  • Ian Wilson's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 430
  • Thank you received: 495
Hi Bruce,
I am surprised there are not more options on the PASM mode dial. On the equivalent Canon camera, the 7DII, in addition to PASM, there is a Bulb setting and provision for three custom shooting modes as I have described. Maybe in the Nikon system the custom shooting modes are found somewhere else. Warren Wilson could tell us but he is currently on a photography trip in South Africa.
Cheers,
Ian
The following user(s) said Thank You: Bruce Terrill

Please Log in to join the conversation.

Back button focus 6 years 9 months ago #1139

  • Paul Jensen
  • Paul Jensen's Avatar
  • Offline
  • New Member
  • New Member
  • Posts: 15
  • Thank you received: 4
Bruce,
Have a look at. http://backcountrygallery.com/
Steve has two ebooks which I have got and are excellent and heaps of videos on all matter of photography. One on wildlife photography and one on the Nikon autofocus system (450 pages) which goes through all the different modes. You can program the function buttons to do lots of different things. I have the front one to change from spot to multiple focus points for flight shots.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Bruce Terrill

Please Log in to join the conversation.

  • Page:
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

CONTACT US

The easiest way to contact us is by emailing us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Our People page, in the About Us section, contains email links to each of the committee members.