[Paleo Pete]

What I found out real fast is they are slippery little suckers to photograph....

Catch them while they are hovering is the only way I've found.

[noelcmn]

Some from my recent trip to Port Elizabeth

[JimS_256]

Catch them while they are hovering is the only way I've found.

I like your one port feeder with no perch. Keeps the birds in the air where you can see them.

[Paleo Pete]

I like your one port feeder with no perch. Keeps the birds in the air where you can see them.

That's why I got it. I had the 4 port type in your picture, still have about 3 of them, but every time I try to take pictures they hide on the back side and I get nothing. So I got these and haven't used the larger ones in 3 or 4 years. Works perfect, they only have one place to go. I get these at the dollar store. I had to twist the wire hanging this one so it would hang in a different direction, it got no eye reflection at first. I made up an angle iron hanger 15 years ago when I was a machinist, put it right outside the kitchen window. Another feeder just like it is on the clothesline about 30 yards away.

Today I got some shots of one I think is an immature male with his first couple of red feathers turning, haven't uploaded them to the computer yet though. I think these are the young ones staying around till they have to migrate, happens every year. Did see a mature male today too but no pictures, he left too quick. I can stand 6 feet away at the back door, 135mm lens works great, 2:30PM I get full sunlight. I hope to have the new shots uploaded tomorrow, I forgot today.

[jacamar]

Last time I bought a hummingbird feeder the lady in the store said it's kinder for the birds to have a perch. "No way", I thought - "I want my hummingbirds to work for their food". For this shot I put scotch tape over three of the feeding ports leaving one that gave me a good line of sight. I waited for the bird to pull back (they pull back, then feed, then pull back etc.) from the feeder after using the open port.



Female Ruby-throated Hummingbird

[RockvilleBob]

I was shooting stationary birds when we spotted an Osprey overhead. I just have to remember to go to a faster shutter speed next time - this was a little too slow. Significant crop. shot at 600mm. I use a monopod with the foot secured by a harness belt at my waist which makes shooting birds overhead a little bit of a back bender but still better than a gimbal for overhead shots. The gimbal works much better for BIF at a distance and not overhead.

[audiobomber]

I was shooting stationary birds when we spotted an Osprey overhead. I just have to remember to go to a faster shutter speed next time

I have a solution for you. I programmed USER1 for BIF. I can change from Hyper-Program to BIF with two clicks of the mode dial. And I frequently do.

[NZ_Ross]

I have a solution for you. I programmed USER1 for BIF. I can change from Hyper-Program to BIF with two clicks of the mode dial. And I frequently do.

Great tip, thanks

[RockvilleBob]

I have a solution for you. I programmed USER1 for BIF. I can change from Hyper-Program to BIF with two clicks of the mode dial. And I frequently do.

Thanks a good suggestion
With me it is a case of too little thinking and being in a hurry to capture a fleeting moment. With Pentax I shoot wildlife with TAv with Nikon I use the equivalent mode of Manual with floating ISO. So for me I just need to more composed and conscious of what I am doing ..... I need to move the shutter dial and if needed the aperture dial. In other words I need to do a little more thinking when I shoot. Fool me once shame on you Fool me twice shame on me - I have been fooled in this situation a lot more times than two. One of these days I will catch on.

[audiobomber]

With me it is a case of too little thinking and being in a hurry to capture a fleeting moment. With Pentax I shoot wildlife with TAv with Nikon I use the equivalent mode of Manual with floating ISO. So for me I just need to more composed and conscious of what I am doing ..... I need to move the shutter dial and if needed the aperture dial. In other words I need to do a little more thinking when I shoot.

I also use TAv mode for action, but there are several other settings I change in going from still photos to action:

• AF-S to AF-C (which also enables AF Hold Medium)
• Single AF point to Expanded Area (9 point for sports, 25-point for BIF)
• Low speed continuous to Hi-speed burst
• Shake reduction On to Off
• Matrix metering changes to Center-weighted (add 0.5EV compensation for birding, fine tune in p-p)

[JimS_256]

I also use TAv mode for action, but there are several other settings I change in going from still photos to action:

• AF-S to AF-C (which also enables AF Hold Medium)
• Single AF point to Expanded Area (9 point for sports, 25-point for BIF)
• Low speed continuous to Hi-speed burst
• Shake reduction On to Off
• Matrix metering changes to Center-weighted (add 0.5EV compensation for birding, fine tune in p-p)

Great suggestsions. I also use one of the USER modes for BIF with some basic settings. I'm curious about a couple of your choices.

"AF Hold Medium" - I'll admit I have a poor understanding of this setting and what it does. I've tried several settings (from high to off) but haven't found a clear winner. I'd love to know more about this and what it does.

"Single AF point to Expanded Area (9 point for sports, 25-point for BIF" - For BIF I always start with Single AF point, I only use 25-point if I know I'll only be shooting against a clear blue sky. With any other background my experience has been that the camera will always focus on the background instead of the subject. I'll add that I use AF-C, back button focus, and try to only hit the button when I'm centered on the bird.

While I keep five hummingbird feeds going to attract the birds a much prefer photographing them away from the feeder or at flowers. I think it's a better look.

[audiobomber]

"AF Hold Medium" - I'll admit I have a poor understanding of this setting and what it does. I've tried several settings (from high to off) but haven't found a clear winner. I'd love to know more about this and what it does.

"Single AF point to Expanded Area (9 point for sports, 25-point for BIF" - For BIF I always start with Single AF point, I only use 25-point if I know I'll only be shooting against a clear blue sky. With any other background my experience has been that the camera will always focus on the background instead of the subject.

The K-3 and K-3 II have advanced tracking algorithms and an "86,000-pixel RGB light-metering sensor for extra-accurate detection of the subject’s shape and color'. If you don't use AF Hold in AF-C mode, the camera just keeps refocusing, not tracking the subject. I've tried AF Hold Low for BIF, but I found focus wandered too easily to the background. I have had to use AF Hold High to shoot hockey, where the uprights holding the Plexiglas surrounding the ice surface were highjacking the focus. My default is AF Hold Medium.

The way you describe 25-point AF makes me suspect you mean Auto AF, where the camera can choose any point of the 25. That is not a mode I would use for action, ever. I use Expanded Area AF, which starts with the point that you select (I use center point), and the camera helps you to track by activating other points when needed.

If you aren't using AF-C, Continuous Burst, AF Hold and Expanded Area AF, you are not using the camera's innate tracking hardware and software.

[clackers]

.

The way you describe 25-point AF makes me suspect you mean Auto AF, where the camera can choose any point of the 25.

It chooses whatever point is closest to the camera ... that's often undesirable. 😊

[JimS_256]

The K-3 and K-3 II have advanced tracking algorithms and an "86,000-pixel RGB light-metering sensor for extra-accurate detection of the subject’s shape and color'. If you don't use AF Hold in AF-C mode, the camera just keeps refocusing, not tracking the subject. I've tried AF Hold Low for BIF, but I found focus wandered too easily to the background. I have had to use AF Hold High to shoot hockey, where the uprights holding the Plexiglas surrounding the ice surface were highjacking the focus. My default is AF Hold Medium.

The way you describe 25-point AF makes me suspect you mean Auto AF, where the camera can choose any point of the 25. That is not a mode I would use for action, ever. I use Expanded Area AF, which starts with the point that you select (I use center point), and the camera helps you to track by activating other points when needed.

If you aren't using both of the above features, you are not using the camera's innate tracking hardware and software.

Thanks for the information and explanations, they were very helpful...and you were right I misunderstood 25-Point AF as Auto AF. Sorry my mistake.
I have tried 25-Pt AF with center point selected but in the excitement of shooting BIF I sometimes accidentally move the focus point way off center . I only notice this after the bird has left and I've missed a bunch of shots. I'll give it another chance and see if I can do better. Learning back button focus took some practice too.

[audiobomber]

Thanks for the information and explanations, they were very helpful...and you were right I misunderstood 25-Point AF as Auto AF. Sorry my mistake.
I have tried 25-Pt AF with center point selected but in the excitement of shooting BIF I sometimes accidentally move the focus point way off center . I only notice this after the bird has left and I've missed a bunch of shots. I'll give it another chance and see if I can do better. Learning back button focus took some practice too.

The trick with tracking is to ensure you are on the subject before releasing the shutter, otherwise a string of blurry images follow. If you are using AF-C, Expandable AF, continuous shooting and AF Hold Medium, the camera should help you keep the AF point on the target by moving the focus points.