Nobody Believes Me...

[Arthur Morris]

when I tell that that I have more confidence in the accuracy of AI Servo AF with the 50D than with any camera I have ever used, but it is true. My MIII is doing great with that on the 800 but the 50D is just killer. This image was created this morning (SAT 7 MAR 09) on the Hooptie Deux with the Canon EOS-50D on the 400mm f/4IS DO lens (handheld). ISO 400: 1/1250 sec. at f/8 set manually after histogram check.

Add just a bit of canvas below the bird. AI Servo AF central sensor only. Note: the sensor was not on the bird at the moment of EXP.

Don't be shy. All comments welcome. I am hear to learn too.

[Doug Brown]

I'm substantially in agreement with you Artie. I talked about this subject in a thread over on the Photography Gear forum back in November.
Here's a link: http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...ad.php?t=23207

And here's what I said: "The 50D's AF performance in low light and low contrast is truly remarkable. I was with a friend who had both the 50D and the 1D Mark III with him. It was his first outing with the 50D, and he was blown away by its AF prowess. The Mark III could not lock focus in this photographic environment but the 50D could do it again and again. In my opinion, Canon has done some major upgrades to the 50D's AF but isn't letting on; perhaps they don't want to advertise that their prosumer body can outfocus their 1-series pro body."

This is another thread from October on Avian: Image Critiques: http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...ad.php?t=22101

Again, here's what I said: "I've now shot close to 8,000 frames with my 50D. This morning I picked up my Mark III to do a little flight photography, and boy was it slow by comparison. There is no question in my mind that the 50D is head and shoulders better than the Mark III at flight photography when it comes to AI Servo AF performance."

I've since had my Mark III serviced by Canon, and I get some great flight images with it. But I still think the 50D has the edge in AF performance.

So you've got at least one believer!

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Great light and pose, I would only sharpen a bit less. Good to hear that the 50D works so well.

[Malcolm Benn]

Artie I'm interested in your comment about the sensor not being on the bird at the time of exposure. How much was it off the bird in this image. I'm using a 50D with a 300 f2.8 for my bif shots and I've noticed the same thing. As a beginner when it come to bif shots I tend to miss getting the sensor on the bird a lot, but a number of these apperrant misses are actually sharp. I know the actual sensor is a fair bit larger than the red square in the viewfinder but it does seem odd, but I'm not compalining just curious.

Re the image you posted, far be it for me to offer a critique but I think I'd like it more if the dark band of gray at the horizon was about half that wideth.

[Arthur Morris]

Artie I'm interested in your comment about the sensor not being on the bird at the time of exposure. How much was it off the bird in this image. I'm using a 50D with a 300 f2.8 for my bif shots and I've noticed the same thing. As a beginner when it come to bif shots I tend to miss getting the sensor on the bird a lot, but a number of these apperrant misses are actually sharp. I know the actual sensor is a fair bit larger than the red square in the viewfinder but it does seem odd, but I'm not compalining just curious.

Re the image you posted, far be it for me to offer a critique but I think I'd like it more if the dark band of gray at the horizon was about half that width.

Hi Malcolm, Thanks for commenting. First off, there is no bad of dark gray, but a band of blue....

In this image, the sensor was nowhere near the bird (see the image in this pane). It had been on the bird, but with a BKGR of sky there was nothing to search for. This is a common (and happy) occurrence.

[Arthur Morris]

Great light and pose, I would only sharpen a bit less. Good to hear that the 50D works so well.

Thanks Axel. Where are you seeing it over-sharpened?

[Malcolm Benn]

Hi Malcolm, Thanks for commenting. First off, there is no bad of dark gray, but a band of blue....

In this image, the sensor was nowhere near the bird (see the image in this pane). It had been on the bird, but with a BKGR of sky there was nothing to search for. This is a common (and happy) occurrence.

Thanks for the info on the sensor placement Artie. My wife is always telling me I'm colour blind .. I guess she wasn't kidding .. that middle band looks gray to me.

[Edward Fisher]

Beautifully captured, Artie !
I notice a bit of halo above the bill, neck and top/bottom of the legs..

[mhackett]

Absolutely gorgeous Spoonbill, and I can't argue with results like this especially when the sensor was not even on the bird. Certainly says to me it is really acting intuitively.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Thanks Axel. Where are you seeing it over-sharpened?

The bill looks a bit jagged on my monitor.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks all for the oversharpening comments. I recently upped the generic sharpening in my JPEG action to 363/.3/1 and 125/.2/0 and apparently overdid it.

I did selectively sharpen the near-wing with a 15-65-1 contrast mask but the problem is with the sharpening in the action.

If anyone else is sharpening 800 wide JPEGs generically I would love to hear what settings they are using. (I just do not have the time to sharpen each JPEG individually.)

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Thanks all for the oversharpening comments. I recently upped the generic sharpening in my JPEG action to 363/.3/1 and 125/.2/0 and apparently overdid it.

I did selectively sharpen the near-wing with a 15-65-1 contrast mask but the problem is with the sharpening in the action.

If anyone else is sharpening 800 wide JPEGs generically I would love to hear what settings they are using. (I just do not have the time to sharpen each JPEG individually.)

I don't generically sharpen, and only the bird itself. Most of the time I use 'Smart Sharpen' at 140/0.3 and lens blur and leave 'more accurate' unchecked.