Thank you Jan for the video.I have moved to a bungalow in the UK which means I have now got start again with getting birds into the garden.I am disabled and sometimes struggle to get out so your videos are a life line. I have built a couple of bird boxes and I have a bird feeder all ready to go and will be adjusting my lenses soon. Keep the videos coming look forward to the next ones.
Great tips - a couple I've really never considered before were heat haze and that a doubler works better on fixed focal length lenses. The LensAlign was a new one for me. Suggesting shutter speeds was another enlightening tip. Great video!
Thanks Jan. I've just moved to Fuji system and my 100-400 arrived today. I was disappointed with my first shots and obviously because I have broken lots of these rules! I'll make some changes next time.
Thank you so much, this clears up a lot of things for me. I've just come back from a break where I photographed birds and whales around the Saphire Coast and Green Cape lighthouse ( Ben Boyd NP), I was so disappointed with a lot of my shots but now of course I realise my mistakes and half were the weather and time of day. The fact that I don't get a lot of time behind the camera doesn't help wither. Thanks Jan.
Good as always and is good from a reminder point of view. You can watch and take action next time out but as with a lot of things we tend to forget. So it's a good reminder to keep us on the ball.
With regards to hand holding, I rarely do it (except with my wife, of course!) I always tell folks, "Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you SHOULD!" Yes, with today's cameras it is possible to increase ISO to levels only dreamt of in the past, allowing the use of higher shutter speeds, but no matter how good an image you can get hand holding you can get a better one on a tripod. Sometimes a tripod isn't possible, at which times I will seek out a rock or tree, or other solid surface to rest the lens (car window). Stopping down isn't as clear cut to me. I often shoot wide open because I too often shoot on cloudy days, and so many times stopping down has cost me just enough shutter speed as to cause motion blur, or higher ISO created just enough additional noise to negate the advantage of stopping down. I am nearly always looking to capture fast action, so it's tough. I stop down only when I am certain the benefit outweighs the risk. If I'm shooting with my 500 f4 with a 1.4 teleconver attached at 50 feet, my DOF at 5.6 is about .56 of a foot. At 8.0 it is about .80 of a foot. Not sure, from that aspect alone, that it is worth losing a stop of light.
The direction of light can also add to the perceived sharpness of a photo. For example, quarter light can really add micro-contrast to feathers, as long it is not too harsh :)
I really appreciate your video and have subscribed to your channel. I learned a few things from this one alone. I like how you talk so it is easy to understand
Great tips and excellent quality photography. I mainly shoot bird videos and rarely use a tripod as I'm usually clambering through bushes or need to get the shot really quickly otherwise the bird has gone. If I shoot mid length zoom then the camera stabilisation is pretty good but on full zoom it's more tricky.
Jan I like to tell people that if you're using any stabilized lenses number 1 mode id for sitting still Birds , number 2 mode is used for moving birds like birds in flight , you might want to add that to your next videos for doing sharp images .
I almost never go out of mode 1. Generally I feel like when i track birds I still have a lot of up and down movement as well, where Mode one overall has given me at least similar results to mode 2, so I usually leave it in mode 1.
Beautiful shots. I noticed you use a flash extender of some kind but made no mention of it in these tips. Maybe do a vid about how and when you use it?
My guess for the 5 tips before watching: 1) Own a $14,000USD lens 2) Own a $14,000USD lens 3) Own a $14,000USD lens 4) Own a $14,000USD lens 5) Live in Australia so you can photograph beautiful birds every day and not just pidgeons Edit: This was a joke of course. Great video.
Thank Jan, lots of useful info as always, great. I am still struggling with a hand-me-down D7100 and a 55-200mm kit lens, I really enjoy trying to get a picture a day, and look forward to improving. All the best from the Bahamas, cheers mate.
Hey Peter, shooting with a 55-200 kit lens can be very challenging to get similar results to a 600mm. I was in this boat for 3 years. I have a YT vid over on my channel about it. Feel free to go check it out. 😊
John Bishop thanks! Interesting point. I am using different ones, but I am not sure how much it influences sharpness. It certainly helps you to stay on the subject better
Enjoyed this video as per usual. Some excellent reminders, I normally shoot from a tripod, especially as I have an old heavy 600mm lens. Normally i would shoot at f5.6 so I am keen to try your suggestion of F8, with my 7d mk ii I try to keep the ISO to 800 but will go to 1250 at a push. Perhaps I lose a bit of sharpness but generally I am extremely happy with my sharpness. For BiF i shoot with a 300mm F2.8 lens, also an older version. I do have some amazing shots handheld even with an extender (1.4) attached. I may add all my lenses are micro adjusted.Thanks for the promised videos over the next few weeks, I look forward to them.
Most SLR cameras these days do NOT allow you to fine tune the focus! Most Canon DSLRs sold are still models with 3 or 4 digit model numbers, like the 4000D, the 2000D, the 1300D, the 250D or the 850D. And none of these offer lens focus adjustment. Even the 77D doesn’t. It’s a feature reserved for the higher end cameras from the 90D up. I'm not sure about other brands, but I'd be surprised if it was much different.
Good Point. I suppose, most of these cameras will not be used with high-end lenses either, thus rendering the need for "perfect" AF a little less important.
@@dilanjayawickrama2469 Not necessarily. It helps to use the correct points to keep the focus on the bird's head, but the point themselves don't affect sharpness. The AF Microadjustment I talk about, does though
Excellent tips, great examples, a reality check related to the required patience and perseverance to achieve the shot one wishes to obtain. The male painted Bunting is a bird that I find difficult “I do not have the right spots” In closing, I have received the Hard Cover Book “The Birds of Instagram” Which I was fortunate to win in your draw. Thank you for the book, it’s chalk full of great photo’s. To all your followers and lovers of birds, I highly recommend it’s purchase, available on Amazon at a very reasonable price. Go for it! You wont regret the purchase. Jean-Louis
Thanks for the tips Jan another excellent video. I use a software tool called Reikan FoCal Pro to do my lens calibration as I find it easier. A bit expensive but does the job well.
Excellent video: really well explained and stunning samples - this clarified a lot! Thank you so much. Question: what Focus Mode (single AF or continuous AF) and AF-Area Mode (pinpoint, single point, dynamic area, wide area, auto-area) do you use?
Another great video Jan, I really do look forward to your uploads as I am a keen photographer who does a little Wildlife work. I doubt if I will ever get images to match yours, but the advice you offer should increase my chances of getting better images. Thanks again ......Joe
Great vid. And fantastic birds. Not sure which is better ! A question. You said high shutter speed and don’t shoot full open. So do you shoot on Manual ? Or is there a clever way to have say 1/1000 plus f8 min and let the camera choose ISO ? I use a 6D and 100-400 4.5 - 5.6 USM II lense. Could do with bracketing, but a bit of a fav.
@@markpavey7984 absolutely. It's a great point! I didn't mean to sound like I didn't appreciate the input! In fact, I highly value anyone's suggestions and feedback. So it's much appreciated
Brief and concise ...no beating about the Bush..👍👍👍
Hemant Kharkongor that’s how I like it 😆
Hemant Kharkongor that’s how I like it
I love that you showed examples for everything you spoke about. Thank you!
Amanda Kay thanks! Trying to keep it easy to understand
No.1 photography. 👌👍👍🙏
Bhalchandra Kapatkar 😊😊
Thank you Jan for the video.I have moved to a bungalow in the UK which means I have now got start again with getting birds into the garden.I am disabled and sometimes struggle to get out so your videos are a life line. I have built a couple of bird boxes and I have a bird feeder all ready to go and will be adjusting my lenses soon. Keep the videos coming look forward to the next ones.
Great to hear Bob, I hope you will get birds coming in soon! I will push hard to pump the vids out faster
Thank you a lot, Jan!
I will have lots of time to watch again all your videos...
I hope everybody stays well!
thank you, stay safe
Another excellent video. Thank's Jan. Love your easy relaxed style and you don't talk down to us mere mortals.
Colin Huon great to hear. We all learn our whole life and I started at some stage not knowing how to use a camera....
Beautiful photos and nice basic tips. Thanks.
Dr. Siddharth Lakhotia thank you
Great video and tips. Thank You...
Thanks, much appreciated!
Outstanding pictures you taking love the way you teach you make lots of sense
Thanks, much appreciated!
Top tips, Jan, thanks so much for sharing!
thanks Steve
Fantastic Jan you answered everything that had been puzzling me just of late. Cheer's :)
great to hear
I really appreciated that you provided example photos along the way. Thanks!
Mike Lynds trying my best to keep it visual and easy to understand. Thanks!
Great tips - a couple I've really never considered before were heat haze and that a doubler works better on fixed focal length lenses. The LensAlign was a new one for me. Suggesting shutter speeds was another enlightening tip. Great video!
Thanks! Glad I could give you some pointers
Thanks Jan. Great video. Always learn a bucket load of excellence from your videos. Keep ‘em coming.
Simon Ashfield-Smith thanks Simon, will do!
interesting video
Glad you think so!
Thank you for the suggestions tips. Great photos too
Thanks for watching!
Great tips that we tend to forget .. especially the time of day shots depending where you are. Thank you for continuing this ..
David Sigafoos yes, especially it hot places the window for good shots can be minimal
@@jan_wegener I find the heat waves a hard thing to remember as you cant always see them. Thanks again
Awesome tips. Very helpful. Thank you.
thank you!
Thanks Jan. I've just moved to Fuji system and my 100-400 arrived today.
I was disappointed with my first shots and obviously because I have broken lots of these rules! I'll make some changes next time.
Yes, there's many things that go into it and are important to get sharp shots. Glad I could help
I’m new to bird photography so all this was great info. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
So good Jan.
Thanks :)
Ok video Sir 👍👍👍 to
!! Your tips are really really very nice, thank you for your time !!
My pleasure!
Thank you so much, this clears up a lot of things for me. I've just come back from a break where I photographed birds and whales around the Saphire Coast and Green Cape lighthouse ( Ben Boyd NP), I was so disappointed with a lot of my shots but now of course I realise my mistakes and half were the weather and time of day. The fact that I don't get a lot of time behind the camera doesn't help wither. Thanks Jan.
Glad it was helpful!
Interesting that 20 years ago we did very well with a manual camera and Kodachrome 64 on a good sunny day. Good job.
Well, once upon a time a horse was also good enough to get us from A to B :D
Good as always and is good from a reminder point of view. You can watch and take action next time out but as with a lot of things we tend to forget. So it's a good reminder to keep us on the ball.
yes mate, it's often the little things that can make a big difference.
Thanks for sharing Jan !
My pleasure!
Many thanks Jan for the great informative video, I follow your work since the BPN times!
wow, that's a long time back. Good to hear!
Another great video Jan. Thank you so much for taking the time and effort.
much appreciate your comment Neil
With regards to hand holding, I rarely do it (except with my wife, of course!) I always tell folks, "Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you SHOULD!" Yes, with today's cameras it is possible to increase ISO to levels only dreamt of in the past, allowing the use of higher shutter speeds, but no matter how good an image you can get hand holding you can get a better one on a tripod. Sometimes a tripod isn't possible, at which times I will seek out a rock or tree, or other solid surface to rest the lens (car window). Stopping down isn't as clear cut to me. I often shoot wide open because I too often shoot on cloudy days, and so many times stopping down has cost me just enough shutter speed as to cause motion blur, or higher ISO created just enough additional noise to negate the advantage of stopping down. I am nearly always looking to capture fast action, so it's tough. I stop down only when I am certain the benefit outweighs the risk. If I'm shooting with my 500 f4 with a 1.4 teleconver attached at 50 feet, my DOF at 5.6 is about
.56 of a foot. At 8.0 it is about .80 of a foot. Not sure, from that aspect alone, that it is worth losing a stop of light.
Great video Jan thanks
thanks Kim
Excellent tips, thank you 👍
Glad it was helpful!
The direction of light can also add to the perceived sharpness of a photo. For example, quarter light can really add micro-contrast to feathers, as long it is not too harsh :)
Jay19876 👍
I really appreciate your video and have subscribed to your channel. I learned a few things from this one alone. I like how you talk so it is easy to understand
Thanks for the sub! Glad I could give you some helpful tips. I try to keep it real and relevant, and not very technical.
Well done. Lots of great tips.
thanks mate
Lovely imagss, great tips thanks
Glad you enjoyed it
Brilliant tips, that I REALLY needed! Thanks for sharing.
Adrienne West that’s great to hear Adrienne
Great tips and excellent quality photography. I mainly shoot bird videos and rarely use a tripod as I'm usually clambering through bushes or need to get the shot really quickly otherwise the bird has gone. If I shoot mid length zoom then the camera stabilisation is pretty good but on full zoom it's more tricky.
yes, the longer your focal length the more the movement shows up.
Thank you Jan. Lots of good info in a very professionally produced video. The audio is also superb.
Thanks a lot :) Was definitely worth it to invest into better audio gear!
Jan I like to tell people that if you're using any stabilized lenses number 1 mode id for sitting still Birds , number 2 mode is used for moving birds like birds in flight , you might want to add that to your next videos for doing sharp images .
I almost never go out of mode 1. Generally I feel like when i track birds I still have a lot of up and down movement as well, where Mode one overall has given me at least similar results to mode 2, so I usually leave it in mode 1.
Useful tips and beautiful birds
Many many thanks
Great video. Inspiring and spurs me on to try harder. Needed that. Thanks.
great to hear!
Great tips Jan. Thank you.
You're welcome :)
Excellent video - Thank you.
Glad you liked it!
Beautiful shots. I noticed you use a flash extender of some kind but made no mention of it in these tips. Maybe do a vid about how and when you use it?
Chris Hare it’s your lucky day 😁
czcams.com/video/Gb7e2cfgrPg/video.html
@@jan_wegener Thanks! Got my sub.
Another great video mate, plenty of good advice there. 👍
Duade Paton thanks mate
My guess for the 5 tips before watching:
1) Own a $14,000USD lens
2) Own a $14,000USD lens
3) Own a $14,000USD lens
4) Own a $14,000USD lens
5) Live in Australia so you can photograph beautiful birds every day and not just pidgeons
Edit: This was a joke of course. Great video.
hehe, I suppose it doesn't hurt
LOL ! 😅😂🤣 That’s a lot of Truth Distilled down into an elixir ! He he.
This is the first video am watching. Subscribed. Period.
great :) There's a lot more good ones :D
Excellent advice, as always. Thank you.
thanks John!
Awesome Video,
Doing Bird Photography recently,
Very Helpful,
Many Thanks
Great to hear!
Very useful tips!
Glad you think so!
Good advice Jan. . .
glad you liked it Bruce
Amazing Advice... straight to the point and very good at the same time .. keep up the good work ...
Great you liked it, thanks!
Thanks Jan, planning a birding trip over the weekend, and looking forward to shooting at F8.
Good Luck!
Great video, very helpful and some truly stunning photos...wish I had your skills as well as your prime lens!
flotinaway hehe, no one starts like that, me included. It’s a long process of continuous learning
Absolutely to the point....thanks...
thank you!
Thanks Jan. Liked and subscribed mate.
Awesome, thank you!
I do like this tips thanks for sharing
Glad you like them!
Thank you again for more great tips. stay safe .
cheers Chris. You too
thank you for those great tips. thumbs up brother.
thank you!
This guy should have way more subs!!
Agreed :D
Thank Jan, lots of useful info as always, great. I am still struggling with a hand-me-down D7100 and a 55-200mm kit lens, I really enjoy trying to get a picture a day, and look forward to improving. All the best from the Bahamas, cheers mate.
Peter Kemp thanks Peter. That’s the most important thing,though, use what you have an get out there. This the best way to improve
Hey Peter, shooting with a 55-200 kit lens can be very challenging to get similar results to a 600mm. I was in this boat for 3 years. I have a YT vid over on my channel about it. Feel free to go check it out. 😊
Great examples for the novice, like myself!
Glad it was helpful!
Good Stuff
thanks mate
Thanks,very well done, and great pictures!
Thanks, much appreciated
Great tips Jan. I'd love to take a bird photo as good as yours one day
thanks! With lots of hard work I am sure you will be able to
You are an inspiration! Love your work. What about selecting the right AF points for sharp images?
John Bishop thanks! Interesting point. I am using different ones, but I am not sure how much it influences sharpness. It certainly helps you to stay on the subject better
Great video. Thanks for it!
glad you enjoyed it
In the beginning, you were just showing off....😀😀😀
Not a single second wasted watching your video;) Cheers from A.P.
great to hear :)
Thanks for sharing. Learnt s lot
Glad to hear that, thanks a lot Greg
Enjoyed this video as per usual. Some excellent reminders, I normally shoot from a tripod, especially as I have an old heavy 600mm lens. Normally i would shoot at f5.6 so I am keen to try your suggestion of F8, with my 7d mk ii I try to keep the ISO to 800 but will go to 1250 at a push. Perhaps I lose a bit of sharpness but generally I am extremely happy with my sharpness. For BiF i shoot with a 300mm F2.8 lens, also an older version. I do have some amazing shots handheld even with an extender (1.4) attached. I may add all my lenses are micro adjusted.Thanks for the promised videos over the next few weeks, I look forward to them.
Kirk West thanks Kirk 😊
Ok I'm waiting Next video 🥰🥰🥰
There are lots to come. I am just working on a big video that has taken up all my time. Next week I will post a new video here!
Most SLR cameras these days do NOT allow you to fine tune the focus! Most Canon DSLRs sold are still models with 3 or 4 digit model numbers, like the 4000D, the 2000D, the 1300D, the 250D or the 850D. And none of these offer lens focus adjustment. Even the 77D doesn’t. It’s a feature reserved for the higher end cameras from the 90D up. I'm not sure about other brands, but I'd be surprised if it was much different.
Good Point. I suppose, most of these cameras will not be used with high-end lenses either, thus rendering the need for "perfect" AF a little less important.
Excellent tutorial thank you!
glad you liked it Tony
Very informative, thank you.
John Lewis great to hear 😊
Excellent video Jan.
Thank you very much!
@@jan_wegener I am glad that came across your work and I will be sharing your work with a few other budding novice bird photographers.
@@djpodesta awesome. Great to hear, much appreciated
Man so good to see nature from you! I am a bird photographer.. but too much to learn from you! God bless you!
So nice of you
Perfect tips.... I was struggling with this sharpnes ... now I can try again 👍🙂
Glad I could help! Thanks for your comment
@@jan_wegener I remembered you didn't mention anything about focus points , I trust they also play a key roll to get a very sharp shot, isnt' it ?
@@dilanjayawickrama2469 Not necessarily. It helps to use the correct points to keep the focus on the bird's head, but the point themselves don't affect sharpness. The AF Microadjustment I talk about, does though
Ok tks for the info. I tried n couldn't find how to do sharpnes test on Cannon 5D mark iv, my lens is Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM
- thank you.
Good tips my friend 👌👍
thanks a lot!
Thanks Jan, that was very helpful. Attempting some bird photography today so that’s tips especially aperture was very handy to know!
Great!
Perfect advice.
thanks mate
Thank you this was a great help.
that's fantastic to hear, thanks
Excellent tips, great examples, a reality check related to the required patience and perseverance to achieve the shot one wishes to obtain. The male painted Bunting is a bird that I find difficult “I do not have the right spots” In closing, I have received the Hard Cover Book “The Birds of Instagram” Which I was fortunate to win in your draw. Thank you for the book, it’s chalk full of great photo’s. To all your followers and lovers of birds, I highly recommend it’s purchase, available on Amazon at a very reasonable price. Go for it! You wont regret the purchase. Jean-Louis
Thanks for the tips Jan another excellent video. I use a software tool called Reikan FoCal Pro to do my lens calibration as I find it easier. A bit expensive but does the job well.
David Woolcock interesting, i will check it out
My Nikon D850 Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM SPORT Recommended
Excellent video: really well explained and stunning samples - this clarified a lot! Thank you so much.
Question: what Focus Mode (single AF or continuous AF) and AF-Area Mode (pinpoint, single point, dynamic area, wide area, auto-area) do you use?
Always continuous and with mirrorless usually eye tracking
Very useful
great :)
Great video!
thank you
Thank you very much.
You are welcome!
I hand my stuff to Canon. Well, it is actually a dealer who sends it to an authorised healer :-D
For me, this works a lot better than micro adjusting.
That works for sure, but it's a lot more hassle :)
Great Tips Jan. Thank you . Can you explain about the flash details ? How bird is perching on a tree branch even after you fire the flash ?
most birds don't care about the flash. I made a video about it. czcams.com/video/Gb7e2cfgrPg/video.html
Fantastic, thank you.
Steve Ransome you’re welcome Steve 😊
Brill and spot on, thanks!
Glad you liked it!
Nice to sea that birds still there around you
yes! Glad there are still a bunch around :)
very useful, i like it.
Glad it was helpful!
Another great video Jan, I really do look forward to your uploads as I am a keen photographer who does a little Wildlife work. I doubt if I will ever get images to match yours, but the advice you offer should increase my chances of getting better images. Thanks again ......Joe
Thanks for your comment Joe. It's great to hear that my videos help people.
Great vid. And fantastic birds. Not sure which is better !
A question. You said high shutter speed and don’t shoot full open.
So do you shoot on Manual ?
Or is there a clever way to have say 1/1000 plus f8 min and let the camera choose ISO ?
I use a 6D and 100-400 4.5 - 5.6 USM II lense.
Could do with bracketing, but a bit of a fav.
I always shoot manual
czcams.com/video/yxm7HQ37kXY/video.html
czcams.com/video/dicPTGRL45E/video.html
Surprised you didn’t talk about the flash you use in the video. Using fill in flash has significant advantages for clarity.
It shows a bit more detail, but doesn't make images sharper. So it's more of a helper than a cause for sharper images
Jan Wegener
Agreed Jan.
I mentioned it simply because your video showed you using flash.
Trying to offer constructive feedback that’s all.
M
@@markpavey7984 absolutely. It's a great point! I didn't mean to sound like I didn't appreciate the input! In fact, I highly value anyone's suggestions and feedback. So it's much appreciated
Great tips ! I have subscribed to your channel. Keep these tips on bird photography coming please ! Gino
Thanks! I will. At least one per week :)