More bird pics...

[Chenango Dave]

Well I tried out the tripod today and was messing with different appature and shutter speeds and lighting settings on the camera. The pics came out ok but not as sharp as my previous ones. Wish I was using a higher shutter speed with the woodpecker - would have come out clearer.
Goes to show I have alot of learning to do - but I'm having fun at it - thats all that counts..

 

[clutchkiller]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chenango Dave @ Jan 30 2007, 10:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Goes to show I have alot of learning to do - but I'm having fun at it - thats all that counts..[/b]

That's it right there!

Aperture plays a huge role in getting quality pictures from your camera. I'm guessing the Av mode or zone on a Nikon works in the same way as it does on a Canon. Try using the Av mode, set your aperture to f/11 (for wildlife) and if it's a cloudy day (as usual in NY) set your ISO speed between 200 and 400, and your camera will pick the correct shutter speed... and watch your exposure meter (make adjustments according to the exposure meter). Pretty soon you will be able to pick what setting you will need just by looking at how much light is outside... and then move the M mode where you will have full control over your camera.

Also, if you are shooting RAW, good processing software is an absolute must!

Nice pics BTW, can't wait to see some more!

 

[quailsroost]

I really like the composition on your bird shots, they are all in their natural settings.

 

[Lan-Lord]

those are nice, Real Nice!
Everyone has their own protocol when shooting. My tactic when shooting a big lens, is to use Shutter priority. My #1 concern is making sure the shutter is fast enough. DOF and ISO are secondary. So I will put the camera on shutter priority, and set the speed to 1/(focal length). So if shooting at 300mm, I set it around 1/300th sec. If enough light is available, I'll shoot it faster.. if low light, I'll slow it down (but only if needed). Aperture will be figured out by the camera, and I tweak ISO depending on the amount of light available. Again, everyone has their own way of accomplishing this.. but thats how I approach a shot. Keep up the good work. Down here in Texas, birds dont have as good of winter plummage.

(FYI, my wife is hooked on all of the JHO'rs bird shots lately, keep em comin)

 

[Hideandwatch]

Great looking series, your doing really good with the new cam and lenses...keep shooting and keep them coming.

 

[wtnhunt]

Some nice pics there. Thing with with bird shots I experience, I always try and get just a little bit closer, and they end up flying off.

 

[Chenango Dave]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. Clutch and LanLord - thank you guys for the detailed explanation of how you shoot - Thats exactly what kind of info I was hoping to get out of these posts.
So far my best shots have been using shutter priority mode set at 400 and iso set at 200. But that was a sunny day out - Do you increase the iso on cloudy days? I've read the D-80 manual once - but I think I'll go back and read it another time or two.

 

[leod]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

I have alot of learning to do - but I'm having fun at it - thats all that counts..[/b]

Yes sir, that's what keeps me going too, especially the having fun part

I like the pics Chenango Dave

 

[clutchkiller]

With lower light you will need to either increase your ISO, or lower your shutter speed. Remember that with high ISO speeds you will have more visable noise. I've been shooting in the M mode with an ISO 400 or under and adjusting my shutter speed according to my exposure meter. Using an ISO over 400 I start to see noise, I think too much noise ruins a pic no matter how good everything else looks.