Sometimes on the estuary you see a flock of birds in the distance taking off, so with whatever lens set-up you have on camera you start panning and then releasing the shutter at intervals of best composition.
Problem is sometimes in an effort to get all birds in image it is necessary to slow pan to keep the birds in the view finder.
I find this leads to some lack of sharpness.
Here is my edit from a picture taken on Monday.Straightened & cropped.
Details Pentax K10D with Tamron 70-300 but @ only 100mm focal length but with Tamron 1.4 TC.
1/2000 @ F5.6 Minus 0.5 EV.
Any suggestions appreciated.
Cheers: Ian Mc
I'm not sure that slow panning leads to lack of sharpness. Are you looking for panning blur to add the feel of motion, or are you trying to find out why your images aren't sharp?
Not sure what you're getting at, perhaps others are. If not, perhaps you could clarify.
Hi Ian At that shutter speed the birds should be sharp, particularly at that distance. Need less shutter speed the further out ... One thing you need is light angle, birds have to be evenly lit, with those shadows under the wing will make it difficult to have the image work.
Also find getting the birds larger in frame for less of a crop makes a difference. With flocks you do have to make lots of images since all guidelines apply, having good wing positions, no merges and birds moving in the right direction is not easy !!! .. btw panning wise just pan at the speed of the bird .. no faster or slower !!
Hi Ian,
I can appreciate your question and where you are coming from...I've been there before many a time...:eek::D. I agree with Mr. Forns' sound advise and the techs. With birds in flight, its just a matter of practice, practice and practice. Before you know it, you will be producing consistence winners. Keep them coming Sir...:cool:
Thanks Colin,Alfred & Gus.
It was only when I came to submit the post that I realised that I had not stretched lens to full length which would have required faster panning to keep in unison with the swans but less swans in frame.
Al, I like that tip about light angle evenness on the subject as I am usually looking more at the composition.
Just checked EXIF and I see that this was taken on Servo AF instead of continuous, but then as more search time with TC attached not necessarily a bad thing.
Fortunately There are lakes not far from home so will practise with same lens set-up on just one or two swans in flight, provided they are willing to play the game !!!!
Cheers: Ian Mc
Thanks Jeff. I take it you are referring to this:http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...ad.php?t=10088
Very good thread but does not particularly address the problem.
However was interested to read Artie's comment about 15 to 20 degrees max above horizon.
Practise in this area will be well worth pursuing.
Point I was trying to make was that I find smooth panning easier when I pan fast than when slow.
Anyway it all gets back to more practise,practise practise.
Cheers: Ian Mc
Slow panning bird flocks with loss of sharpness?
