birding-aus

Photography question

To:
Subject: Photography question
From:
Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2006 19:41:28 +1000
On Wed, Sep 20, 2006 at 07:17:57PM +1000, Mike Simpson wrote:
> I do not have a Fuji Finepix, being a Panasonic Z30 user. However I expect
> they have similar settings. You must set the focus to 'spot' rather than an
> area focus option for bird photography.
> 
> With spot focus, the camera just focuses on the object where the cursor in
> the centre of the screen lies, in other modes it gives an average focus,
> often on a branch or other background item.

Also, be aware that the focus sensor (software in digital cameras?)
needs contrast to tell when the image is in focus.  For birds like
Magpies, this isn't an issue - but Grey Shrike-thrushes might be.
In those instances, try focusing on the "edge" of the bird, and 
reposition the camera with the focus locked (usually by holding
the shutter button half-way, or with a dedicated focus button.)

On my Canon S2 IS, there is a focus-bracketing mode that can be
used in conjunction with manual focussing.  Unfortunately, it's
not available with auto-focussing, and can't combine it with
exposure bracketing (my preferred setting.)  On the bright side,
the "no cost" nature of digital photography encourages the use of
bracketing, and experimenting in general - take as many shots as
you like, and just delete those that don't work out.  (Whether the
bird stays still for long enough isn't the camera's fault...)

-- 
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
   Paul Taylor                           Veni, vidi, tici -
                    I came, I saw, I ticked.
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