C-AF + T and a couple of gulls

[photo_owl]

working my way through a few hundred test snaps from last week I found a couple of shots where I'd got a focus lock, then let the camera track the subject for a bit before fully pressing the shutter - I've posted the full picture first to show how from the active centre point the bird was when finally shot in the first one, then 100% crops of two shots. Both f4 with a less than suitable birding lens!







as much as anything I was trying to create a situation where there was only one target to be locked and tracked ie the underlying capability, and with a fully speced m43 lens. M exposure as well. Certainly happy with it's capability.

[Maczero]

Re: C-AF + T and a couple of gulls

That's good.

I was trying the same today with the 50-200 non SWD and the EC-14. My problem is that I find it very difficult to predict how/whether the tracking box will lock on or not. When it does, it's pretty good (but not as good as manually tracking accurately with C-AF, if you get it right - an enormous caveat). However, getting it to lock on seems to be a matter of chance. Sometimes it misses contrasty distant subjects and other times it locks on. Nearer (or larger) and slower is definitely better, which is a problem for BIF.

I wasn't helped by two lockups in quick succession (battery out and in sorted them out), but still I can't work out what the problem was there either. It can't simply be battery level as I shot later in the day using C-AF TR until the battery died with no problem.

I'll try and post a couple of OOC JPEGs tomorrow for comparison.

I would really like to get the 50-200 to work, as the wider aperture compared to the native 75-300 helps in the gloom up here in Scotland during the winter.

Andrew

[brian1208]

Re: C-AF + T and a couple of gulls

but not as good as manually tracking accurately with C-AF

this has been my preferred style of shooting BIF, even when using the 7D and L lenses, for me it gives ultimate control of the shot I want as I can always follow the action until the critical moment, particularly with fast moving birds such as a Peregrine or Lanner Falcon (or even our humble pigeon, which can be a real pig to track! )

[banjukes]

Re: C-AF + T and a couple of gulls

Very impressive shots. The detail in the crop is astounding. Thanks for sharing.

[photo_owl]

Re: C-AF + T and a couple of gulls

That's good.

I was trying the same today with the 50-200 non SWD and the EC-14. My problem is that I find it very difficult to predict how/whether the tracking box will lock on or not. When it does, it's pretty good (but not as good as manually tracking accurately with C-AF, if you get it right - an enormous caveat). However, getting it to lock on seems to be a matter of chance. Sometimes it misses contrasty distant subjects and other times it locks on. Nearer (or larger) and slower is definitely better, which is a problem for BIF.

I wasn't helped by two lockups in quick succession (battery out and in sorted them out), but still I can't work out what the problem was there either. It can't simply be battery level as I shot later in the day using C-AF TR until the battery died with no problem.

I'll try and post a couple of OOC JPEGs tomorrow for comparison.

I would really like to get the 50-200 to work, as the wider aperture compared to the native 75-300 helps in the gloom up here in Scotland during the winter.

Andrew

Inital testing with that lens illustrated the practical difference between it and a dedicated m43 lens. I didn't carry it around on this occasion - it stayed in the big bag back at base along with most of the heavy grass.
There's also the issue of the more dedicated focus functions such as the FD/eye ones.
However, the 45mm lens I used is hardly the best focal length for wild birds (although DavidM seems to have them eating out of his hands!).

You may find changing your shutter priority in C-AF helps when using T.

Look forward to seeing how you got on.