I would recommend looking into the EE-1 Dot Sight unit when using the 300mm plus the 2X converter. It takes a bit of setting up, but it makes finding the birds much easier at a very narrow field of view like the 300mm+converter has. I use it whenever I add the teleconverter to the 300mm.
Great video, many thanks! I’m wondering what camera settings you find work the best for birds in flight. Would be great to get some tips since there’s quite a lot of opinions about this online, and you seem to have found the formula.
Hi, and thanks for the comment. There are many opinions on how to set the camera and I will not say mine is best but I am having success with my settings. First I have assigned my birds in flight, BIF, to my custom 2 settings for my camera. I can just select C2 and know my camera is always ready. When I select C2 my camera will be in manual; maximum aperature (regardless of lens), 1/2500 of a second shutter speed, auto ISO, Sh2 at 25 frames per second, bird detection on, and all focus points active (I find the bird detect works well so prefere all points active). I have my exposure compensation set to +.7 as BIF usually need this. Having said that I have set my camera so I can change all these settings quickly as needed. Regardless of how you set your camera you just need to practise so you do not have to think about how to make adjustments it becomes automatic. BIF action is usually fast. I suggest practicing to start with bigger slower moving birds. Ducks or geese taking off from a pond work well for practice.
@@Travelingseniors-xt9yh thanks, I guess your right that it’s more me than the camera since I use almost the same settings as you. The difference is that I mostly shoot with 10 fps and only use SH2 occasionally due to the vast amount of pictures to cull through. Will try SH2 more and see what results I get. 😊
I will add that I use backbutton focus so will continuously focus on the subject but when shooting something like humminbirds in my backyard I will just shoot quick bursts of 5 or 6 images as it approaches a flower. When shooting something I will not ever see again like the Bateleur eagle in Kenya I will just shoot. My longest burst was 250 images. Out of this there was maybe 10 keepers tat I really liked. This takes different treatment in lightroom. I put the capital lock on than I will just hit X for reject and P for keep and it jumps to the next picture. In Kenya I shot 2-3000 images a day and could cull that to 2-300 in less than an hour each evening. Just takes disipline and be prepared to reject all but the best. At the end of the day if we have 2 or 3 really good images I am happy.
@@Travelingseniors-xt9yh Hi, I also use BBF but mostly 10fps. I must try 25 as well as Pro capture more not least due to the blackout free shooting and more pics to choose from. Must admit that I sometimes find it har to reject photos but am pushing myself to be “tougher” which is necessary with 2-3 times as many pics to go through.
Herring spawn is the time that you can get Eagles in abundance on Vanccouver Island........but I still never even put the MC14 on my 300.......losing that much light costs too much in shutter duration.....
A red dot makes child play of sourcing birds. I have the same setup and NEVER source a bird though the lens. OM makes a red dot or you can get custom made rail with NO PLAY and buy a red dot of choice. Using the OM1, we don't even look through and lens for birds in flight any more. We just keep the dot a bit ahead of the bird and get great shots.
Hi We have a red dot but don't really like it. It just takes practice to get good with the viewfinder but I find it to be better. With or without a red dot assist, the 2 x tc just cuts too much light and slows auto focus too much for birds in flight, my opinion.
Another excellent video. Very informative about gear I use on a regular basis. Regarding the incidental comment you made toward the end of the video concerning the pouch and clip for the tc, I almost lost my tc because I relied upon the pouch and clip to remain connected to my gear and it did not. PJI
Concerning field of view: Since I started with bird photography I use the Olympus EE-1 dot sight for targeting and it makes spotting the bird so easy, even in flight. Now my EE-1 is broken and I have to wait for a new one which is currently out of stock. I am so lost when I try to find or track birds. That device was for me a game changer when shooting with a super tele lens.
Using an EM-1 Mark ii, and shooting mainly birds, I found the MC-20 was an asset paired with the F2.8 40-150mm Pro lens, but never gave me any decent results paired with the 300mm F4. Now I have the OM-1 and I haven't really tested out the MC-20 with the 300mm F4 on that camera. Your video convinced me I should try it, when the conditions are right. Thanks for this encouragement!
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I would recommend looking into the EE-1 Dot Sight unit when using the 300mm plus the 2X converter. It takes a bit of setting up, but it makes finding the birds much easier at a very narrow field of view like the 300mm+converter has. I use it whenever I add the teleconverter to the 300mm.
Interesting. I have the dot sight and never foind it very useful but never tried it on the 300 with 2X TC.
Great video, many thanks! I’m wondering what camera settings you find work the best for birds in flight. Would be great to get some tips since there’s quite a lot of opinions about this online, and you seem to have found the formula.
Hi, and thanks for the comment. There are many opinions on how to set the camera and I will not say mine is best but I am having success with my settings. First I have assigned my birds in flight, BIF, to my custom 2 settings for my camera. I can just select C2 and know my camera is always ready. When I select C2 my camera will be in manual; maximum aperature (regardless of lens), 1/2500 of a second shutter speed, auto ISO, Sh2 at 25 frames per second, bird detection on, and all focus points active (I find the bird detect works well so prefere all points active). I have my exposure compensation set to +.7 as BIF usually need this. Having said that I have set my camera so I can change all these settings quickly as needed.
Regardless of how you set your camera you just need to practise so you do not have to think about how to make adjustments it becomes automatic. BIF action is usually fast. I suggest practicing to start with bigger slower moving birds. Ducks or geese taking off from a pond work well for practice.
@@Travelingseniors-xt9yh thanks, I guess your right that it’s more me than the camera since I use almost the same settings as you. The difference is that I mostly shoot with 10 fps and only use SH2 occasionally due to the vast amount of pictures to cull through. Will try SH2 more and see what results I get. 😊
I will add that I use backbutton focus so will continuously focus on the subject but when shooting something like humminbirds in my backyard I will just shoot quick bursts of 5 or 6 images as it approaches a flower.
When shooting something I will not ever see again like the Bateleur eagle in Kenya I will just shoot. My longest burst was 250 images. Out of this there was maybe 10 keepers tat I really liked. This takes different treatment in lightroom. I put the capital lock on than I will just hit X for reject and P for keep and it jumps to the next picture. In Kenya I shot 2-3000 images a day and could cull that to 2-300 in less than an hour each evening. Just takes disipline and be prepared to reject all but the best. At the end of the day if we have 2 or 3 really good images I am happy.
@@Travelingseniors-xt9yh Hi, I also use BBF but mostly 10fps. I must try 25 as well as Pro capture more not least due to the blackout free shooting and more pics to choose from. Must admit that I sometimes find it har to reject photos but am pushing myself to be “tougher” which is necessary with 2-3 times as many pics to go through.
Herring spawn is the time that you can get Eagles in abundance on Vanccouver Island........but I still never even put the MC14 on my 300.......losing that much light costs too much in shutter duration.....
I set my shitter speed so it costs in ISO. This is a definite disadvantage and depends on the available light.
A red dot makes child play of sourcing birds. I have the same setup and NEVER source a bird though the lens. OM makes a red dot or you can get custom made rail with NO PLAY and buy a red dot of choice. Using the OM1, we don't even look through and lens for birds in flight any more. We just keep the dot a bit ahead of the bird and get great shots.
Hi
We have a red dot but don't really like it. It just takes practice to get good with the viewfinder but I find it to be better. With or without a red dot assist, the 2 x tc just cuts too much light and slows auto focus too much for birds in flight, my opinion.
Another excellent video. Very informative about gear I use on a regular basis. Regarding the incidental comment you made toward the end of the video concerning the pouch and clip for the tc, I almost lost my tc because I relied upon the pouch and clip to remain connected to my gear and it did not. PJI
Thanks for the compliment. I usually cary the TC in my bag but when I hike I clip it to my belt loop where I hopefully would see if it came unhooked.
Concerning field of view:
Since I started with bird photography I use the Olympus EE-1 dot sight for targeting and it makes spotting the bird so easy, even in flight. Now my EE-1 is broken and I have to wait for a new one which is currently out of stock. I am so lost when I try to find or track birds. That device was for me a game changer when shooting with a super tele lens.
Using an EM-1 Mark ii, and shooting mainly birds, I found the MC-20 was an asset paired with the F2.8 40-150mm Pro lens, but never gave me any decent results paired with the 300mm F4. Now I have the OM-1 and I haven't really tested out the MC-20 with the 300mm F4 on that camera. Your video convinced me I should try it, when the conditions are right. Thanks for this encouragement!
I was the same. Used the MC20 with 40-150 but not 300. The OM1 is a very different camera though.