Canon Owners Bird Photography Question

Hi, OK we all no that like the rule of thirds there is also a rule that states if you are useing a 200mm lens then your minimum shutter speed for hand holding should be 200, now I own the Canon 6D and 70D and the minimum shutter speed you can set not to go below is 250, great with the 200mm lens but what do you do when you have a 400mm lens and want to shoot in AV mode say at F5.6? You can't set minimum shutter of 400th sec, on the up market bodies and the 80D it is possible to set a minimum higher than 250 sec I beleive? Thankyou, Russ.

Hi, OK we all no that like the rule of thirds there is also a rule that states if you are useing a 200mm lens then your minimum shutter speed for hand holding should be 200, now I own the Canon 6D and 70D and the minimum shutter speed you can set not to go below is 250, great with the 200mm lens but what do you do when you have a 400mm lens and want to shoot in AV mode say at F5.6? You can't set minimum shutter of 400th sec, on the up market bodies and the 80D it is possible to set a minimum higher than 250 sec I beleive? Thankyou, Russ.

Auto ISO.

Auto ISO.

My apologies Russell, I appreciate my answer above is very brief. In answer to your question: [quote]but what do you do when you have a 400mm lens and want to shoot in AV mode say at F5.6? [/quote] My response is to either increase ISO or use Auto ISO. Remember exposure is dependant on three things: aperture, shutter speed and the sensitivity of your sensor (more accurately the degree of signal amplification used by the camera). Manipulating any one of these will have an impact on the others. So if you've determined f5.6 as your aperture (for whatever reason - albeit I suspect this is the widest available to you), and a 400th of a second your minimum shutter speed, then you will need to adjust the ISO in a way that facilitates this. In my experience using Auto ISO can be helpful here as the camera will use the lowest ISO it can to facilitate the aperture and shutter speeds specified. That said: obviously the camera will be limited by the ISO range available and its performance at high ISO's (on some canon models you can specify the highest ISO to use in autoISO). I'm afraid I can't comment as to the ISO performance on either of your camera's, but I suspect both would be reasonable up to a minimum of 3200. If the desired settings can't be achieved within a reasonable ISO range then you've reached the limits of the kit and you need to consider other alternatives. E.g. flash with an extender. Hope this helps. Adam

My apologies Russell, I appreciate my answer above is very brief. In answer to your question:


Quote:but what do you do when you have a 400mm lens and want to shoot in AV mode say at F5.6?


My response is to either increase ISO or use Auto ISO. Remember exposure is dependant on three things: aperture, shutter speed and the sensitivity of your sensor (more accurately the degree of signal amplification used by the camera). Manipulating any one of these will have an impact on the others. So if you've determined f5.6 as your aperture (for whatever reason - albeit I suspect this is the widest available to you), and a 400th of a second your minimum shutter speed, then you will need to adjust the ISO in a way that facilitates this.

In my experience using Auto ISO can be helpful here as the camera will use the lowest ISO it can to facilitate the aperture and shutter speeds specified. That said: obviously the camera will be limited by the ISO range available and its performance at high ISO's (on some canon models you can specify the highest ISO to use in autoISO). I'm afraid I can't comment as to the ISO performance on either of your camera's, but I suspect both would be reasonable up to a minimum of 3200. If the desired settings can't be achieved within a reasonable ISO range then you've reached the limits of the kit and you need to consider other alternatives. E.g. flash with an extender.

Hope this helps.

Adam

Hi, Thankyou for your reply. Yes I have been trying auto ISO but I noticed on the Canon 70D (the camera I prefer for BIF extra bit of reach) once you go over the 800 ISO mark noise creaps in, a little noise but an image is OK for me but once past the 1600 mark not so good so I have the 70D capped at max of 800 ISO, the 6D is much better at slightly higher ISO's but then I loose the extra reach with FF camera. Again Thankyou for the reply. Russ.

Hi, Thankyou for your reply. Yes I have been trying auto ISO but I noticed on the Canon 70D (the camera I prefer for BIF extra bit of reach) once you go over the 800 ISO mark noise creaps in, a little noise but an image is OK for me but once past the 1600 mark not so good so I have the 70D capped at max of 800 ISO, the 6D is much better at slightly higher ISO's but then I loose the extra reach with FF camera. Again Thankyou for the reply. Russ.

I usually shoot in manual mode with auto ISO limited at the top end and with bit of over exposure, so I can control both shutter speed and aperture with any variation in exposure being taken up by reduced ISO, and if you run out of ISO simply alter the shutter speed to suit

I usually shoot in manual mode with auto ISO limited at the top end and with bit of over exposure, so I can control both shutter speed and aperture with any variation in exposure being taken up by reduced ISO, and if you run out of ISO simply alter the shutter speed to suit

Rather than AV, you could try TV. By using TV the desired shutter speed can be selected then juggling ISO and Aperature size depending on wether depth of field or picture quality is most important. Incidentally, has the camera got image stabilisation, in which case the camera/lens manual will set out the expected speed latitude. Colin.

Rather than AV, you could try TV. By using TV the desired shutter speed can be selected then juggling ISO and Aperature size depending on wether depth of field or picture quality is most important.
Incidentally, has the camera got image stabilisation, in which case the camera/lens manual will set out the expected speed latitude.
Colin.

[quote]Rather than AV, you could try TV. By using TV the desired shutter speed can be selected then juggling ISO and Aperature size depending on wether depth of field or picture quality is most important. Incidentally, has the camera got image stabilisation, in which case the camera/lens manual will set out the expected speed latitude. Colin.[/quote]Hi, Canon 70D and 6D do not have IS built in also the 400m lens is lacking in that respect, have been trying both Manual and AV with auto iso and getting there I think. Russ. [epzimg]27177_1554123116.jpg[/epzimg]

Quote:Rather than AV, you could try TV. By using TV the desired shutter speed can be selected then juggling ISO and Aperature size depending on wether depth of field or picture quality is most important.
Incidentally, has the camera got image stabilisation, in which case the camera/lens manual will set out the expected speed latitude.
Colin.
Hi, Canon 70D and 6D do not have IS built in also the 400m lens is lacking in that respect, have been trying both Manual and AV with auto iso and getting there I think. Russ.