The best lens, Meyer Optik 58MM 1.9.

[Lmcfarrin]

...... Another example of still from Sony RX10 III video - images to me are too "digitized"

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Last edited by Lmcfarrin; 06-19-2019 at 07:32 PM.

[Lmcfarrin]

......... another example of Sony RX 10 III still from 4K video - too digitized as Sony images are because they rely so much on computing to resolve an image.

[BrianR]

Nice results!

YFurthermore, the flash also startles the birds which reduces the likelihood of their return. I need the birds to be comfortable so I can get them to acquire a routine. I have a routine and they have a routine. A sort of Zen. I want to become a part of and accepted into their community. The shutter sound also startles them, but not as much as flash.

Under what conditions have you photographed birds with flashes? My experience is the complete opposite of yours. I've set up flashes around flight paths, feeders, and so on and from test pops while hiding in the bushes before bringing the camera in, I have never seen a bird respond to the flash. But that mirror flap and shutter sound from even 5 or 6 feet away... that takes some acclimation before they start ignoring it.

[Lmcfarrin]

Nice results!



Under what conditions have you photographed birds with flashes? My experience is the complete opposite of yours. I've set up flashes around flight paths, feeders, and so on and from test pops while hiding in the bushes before bringing the camera in, I have never seen a bird respond to the flash. But that mirror flap and shutter sound from even 5 or 6 feet away... that takes some acclimation before they start ignoring it.

... example of flash shot. My experience dealing with flash is too much of a hassle to keep secure from damage when taking extreme angle shots and I prefer the ambient light backgrounds.

Taken with Sony RX10 III

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Last edited by Lmcfarrin; 06-19-2019 at 07:32 PM.

[Lmcfarrin]

... another example (taken with Sony RX10 III)

[BrianR]

... example of flash shot. My experience dealing with flash is too much of a hassle to keep secure from damage when taking extreme angle shots and I prefer the ambient light backgrounds.

Nice!

My query is strictly in regards to bird behavior and trying to understand how your experience (that flash startles the birds more than the shutter) differs completely from mine (birds I've flashed ignored the flashing), and not about the aesthetic qualities. Did you ever try firing the flash only and not the shutter to see the effect it has on feeder birds?

[Lmcfarrin]

Nice!

My query is strictly in regards to bird behavior and trying to understand how your experience (that flash startles the birds more than the shutter) differs completely from mine (birds I've flashed ignored the flashing), and not about the aesthetic qualities. Did you ever try firing the flash only and not the shutter to see the effect it has on feeder birds?

I have not. It must be what you stated. The birds are not acclimated to it.

[BrianR]

I have not. It must be what you stated. The birds are not acclimated to it.

Ah, unless you've tried to separate the effect of flash vs. shutter sounds on a birds behavior, it would be hard to tell what they are more reacting to. As to acclimation, in my experience they need to get used to the camera equipment sitting around (generally fast if I'm not attached to it), not the actual flashing itself which they don't seem to care about.

[Lowell Goudge]

Nice!

My query is strictly in regards to bird behavior and trying to understand how your experience (that flash startles the birds more than the shutter) differs completely from mine (birds I've flashed ignored the flashing), and not about the aesthetic qualities. Did you ever try firing the flash only and not the shutter to see the effect it has on feeder birds?

Your experience is the same as mine. I never had issue with flash, but having said that, I like TTL as opposed to PTTL for wildlife because there is only one flash at the instant of the shot.

I love the shots Lawrence took using flash, as they demonstrated the point I was trying to make about the background fading to black, but with the urban setting the background is still too distracting, but the sharp highlighted bird makes it really stand out

[BrianR]

Your experience is the same as mine. I never had issue with flash, but having said that, I like TTL as opposed to PTTL for wildlife because there is only one flash at the instant of the shot.

Oh yea, good point about the number of flashes with PTTL compared to TTL (or manual). Mine are straight up manual, so there's much less of a light show than a PTTL system might have. That could definitely contribute to avian anxiety.