Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopus major)

[Jonathan Ashton]

Trying out new scenarios for capturing birds in flight it the back garden, not entirely happy but getting there, work in progress - varying focal length and aperture.

Image input equipment model : E-M1X
Lens : M.40-150mm F2.8 + MC-20
Lens focal length : 90 mm
Focal Length (35 mm conversion) : 180.0mm
Metering mode : Pattern
Exposure mode : Manual exposure
ISO Sensitivity : 800
Exposure time : 1/3200 sec
F number : F5.6
Exposure compensation : -0.3 EV
Flash : OFF

ACR & PSCC

[Daniel Cadieux]

The image design is nice. I like the BG. Subject seems a touch soft - almost like heat shimmer thrown in there (in the eye anyhow). How is the ISO performance in that camera? Could you go ISO 1600 with a shutter speed of 6400s. with no problem?

[Volkan Akgul]

Hi, very difficult bird species. great photos. what kind of garden :) congratulations

[John Mack]

If this was tack sharp it would be killer. Keep em coming i still enjoy viewing these ones.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks for the encouraging comments, I'll get there eventually.

Dan yes I can increase ISO without a problem, I have become addicted to auto ISO maybe as you said gone for manual, I'll try that next time. I think 1/3200 to 1/4000 sec is probably fast enough, the issue was he flew an inch or so out of my anticipated flight path. I place a feeder which he initially goes to then place a second one with mealworms which he collects for his chicks, so the key is he has to fly from A to B. So the answer is to to "think like a bird". Place the bait where you need it place opportunities or obstacles to encourage a particular flight path and get the light in the right direction - simple as that!

Volkan we have converted part of the garden to pretty much meadow pond and wild flowers.

John yes it is frustrating yet encouraging to get nearly shots, I am working on getting a consistent flight path, but the woodpecker seems to change his mind so I try to get the best compromise, i.e. magnification which = aperture and focal length combination to afford enough DOF.

[dankearl]

Soft, the auto iso did not fail you.
iso 800 is nothing with todays cameras, shoot fast on these subjects,
iso is not a problem.
That said, you did not get focus.

[arash_hazeghi]

pose is terrific, too bad the focus didn't lock on the bird. would have been killer if it were sharp

TFS

[Jonathan Ashton]

pose is terrific, too bad the focus didn't lock on the bird. would have been killer if it were sharp

TFS

Thanks Arash, for this current series I am using fixed focus, I am too close currently for AF, he flies about 10 feet between two points that are about 10-12 feet away.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Jon ... if it were sharp !!!!

Still good to see you are in working progress .... next one will be better .

TFS Andreas