Am trying to learn the best camera settings for birds in flight. Using auto-ISO…but it’s floating up to 1500…which produces a lot of grain on my Sony A7R4…so am just wondering if any other Sony A7R4 shooters out there can recommend a top-end for ISO on birds to avoid graininess
What artistic feedback would you like if any?
All comments treasured
Pertinent technical details or techniques:
(If backgrounds have been removed, etc. please be honest with your techniques to help others learn)
If you would like your image to be eligible for a feature on the NPN Instagram (@NaturePhotoNet), add the tag ‘ig’ and leave your Instagram username below.
What a fun action. In the ideal world, I would like to see the face of the little blue. Is there some kind of a glow filter (or negative clarity) added on this image?
I am not familiar with Sony but I also use Auto ISO probably 75% of the time, too, Doug, especially with the California sunny sky and birds flying in and out of shadow. That said, 1500 should not be a problem for most modern cameras. With my Nikon D500, I have got acceptable image quality even at ISO 5000 and with my Nikon D5 I have shot birds in flight at ISO 12,800 and still get acceptable image quality. Are you underexposed while shooting this and have to bring up exposure a lot in post? That usually contributes to the graininess as well.
Very cool action in this image, Doug and a nice cast of characters. It would be cool of they’d been facing you, but that can’t be helped. Iso 1500 should not be an issue with that camera. Sony is considered to be the best sensor manufacturer out there and some of the other camera manufacturers use their sensors. @David_Schoen is in my neck of the woods and routinely shoots his well over iso 2000. As Adhika notes, underexposure can be a significant problem for noise. Also, what noise reduction software are you using? There are some really good ones out there these days.
Hi Doug
I like the action. The looks a little light and could use some added contrast or clarity. I have added a photo I shot in Lyme, Ct. I used a Canon 7d2 with Tam150-600lens set at 400mm. ISO 200, F5.6 at 2000sec.
Peter
Thank you all. On the question of underexposing, it makes sense about the increased grain as a result. Having said that, I usually have 2 to 3 stops of exposure latitude into my shadows with my Sony A7R4…so a little underexposure hasn’t created noticeable grain problems. I shot this photo on “manual” with auto-ISO, and it did end up underexposing the Little Blue Heron some. Thank you for your inputs. I’ll watch exposure more carefully on the front end. ISO 800 seems to produce no grain…so I’ve now got an upper-limit on Auto-ISO of 800. I shoot at f/8…so am hoping I can pull the fast shutter speeds needed for birds. The midday light helps a lot with shutter speed. My wheelhouse is landscapes…so I’m learning wildlife photography. Different camera settings altogether with wildlife
