[sebberry]

Primarily changing my focus modes on the S.Fn dial to AFC Auto (Zone) with AF Hold of 1/3; AFC SEL XS with AF Hold 1/3 and AFS Spot
All of my AFC Action settings are set to Focus Priority.
Drive mode is Continuous High Speed.

For these birds in flight, I was using the auto mode. For the feeding dunlins, it was a mix between AFC Auto and AFC Sel XS. For the stationary birds, it was AFS Spot. Ignore the bananas, they were from a previous test

Please take a look at the birds here: https://www.flickr.com/gp/sebbles1/p9517qS6B0 Would you say these are acceptable from the K3-3 and the 150-450? All JPG SOOC.

Thanks.

[kypfer]

I'd be happy with those … pity the sun wasn't out

[Larrymc]

Primarily changing my focus modes on the S.Fn dial to AFC Auto (Zone) with AF Hold of 1/3; AFC SEL XS with AF Hold 1/3 and AFS Spot
All of my AFC Action settings are set to Focus Priority.
Drive mode is Continuous High Speed.

For these birds in flight, I was using the auto mode. For the feeding dunlins, it was a mix between AFC Auto and AFC Sel XS. For the stationary birds, it was AFS Spot. Ignore the bananas, they were from a previous test

Please take a look at the birds here: https://www.flickr.com/gp/sebbles1/p9517qS6B0 Would you say these are acceptable from the K3-3 and the 150-450? All JPG SOOC.

Thanks.

Most look very acceptable. It would be helpful if you could post in the individual Flickr image titles what the AF settings were that way you could analyze each photo.

Why are you still using Auto Area or Zone Select with birds in flight (especially over water) if that is what you are using? some of the over water flight images are front focused and some of them are spot on.

There seems to be a slight bit of front focus with the stationary Dunlins but they are otherwise good.

Congrats, I'd say you are making progress with your birding photos!

[rogerstg]

You might want to rethink using AF Hold. My experience has been that it affects tracking subjects moving along the Z axis, like the retreating bird in image IMGP8962.

[sebberry]

Most look very acceptable. It would be helpful if you could post in the individual Flickr image titles what the AF settings were that way you could analyze each photo.

Why are you still using Auto Area or Zone Select with birds in flight (especially over water) if that is what you are using? some of the over water flight images are front focused and some of them are spot on.

There seems to be a slight bit of front focus with the stationary Dunlins but they are otherwise good.

Congrats, I'd say you are making progress with your birding photos!

Why am I using Zone Auto? I don't know. I need something to detect the bird and track it. Is there a better setting? Not a chance I'm going to manually lock onto one of these birds with manual select.

I assume you're referring to by being 'spot on'? IMO, it's an awful photo.

I'm finding that even in good light, there's a lack of detail, made worse by the ISO noise. This one taken last year is only at ISO1600 but feather detail on the bird on the left is low.

Same with this one - there's just a distinct lack of clarity.

[Larrymc]

Why am I using Zone Auto? I don't know. I need something to detect the bird and track it. Is there a better setting? Not a chance I'm going to manually lock onto one of these birds with manual select.

I assume you're referring to by being 'spot on'? IMO, it's an awful photo.

I'm finding that even in good light, there's a lack of detail, made worse by the ISO noise. This one taken last year is only at ISO1600 but feather detail on the bird on the left is low.

Same with this one - there's just a distinct lack of clarity.

Define the term "manual select" where in the manual is it defined?

That is the best you are going to get with that shot (IMGP8939). The camera did the best it can do it isolated the subject and the subject outline is crisp You could have used Expanded Area AF (S) and used proper panning technique to capture the bird but truthfully even for that, the bird was too far away from the camera for a detailed image. You are trying to capture the flying birds birds too far away from the camera, you will never get fine detail when they are that far out. The camera may track the subject in one of the auto modes but at that distance you're just not going to get the detail you think you should get. Also as @rogrstg said turn off the AF Hold feature because with AF Hold on you are always going to be slightly behind the bird as it is flying away from you.

[kkoether]

AF Hold is designed to hold AF if something like a tree branch etc. gets between you and your subject. It will keep the camera from trying to focus on the tree branch as you pass over it. I learned this quite a few years ago on my K-3. It is not designed to help hold something in focus as it moves toward or away from you.