Nature Flamenco dancing

jv.pentax · 09-27-2010, 12:44 PM

The title is like a word play. In spanish the bird flamingo is translated as flamenco, like the dancing, and so is that bird position.

I must say I'm not very satisfied wiht the sharpness of this take, and I don't know the reason. Maybe the distance from the subject ( +- 200m) or the time the picture was taken (11:30am). If resize to 100% the image is somwhow poor.

Any suggestion in order to improve sharpness will be wellcome.

photolady95 · 09-27-2010, 04:29 PM

Smaller f-stop and faster shutter speed. I read the EXIF on the photo but couldn't determine what the shutter speed was. All birds move. So to prevent blur you need at least a 1/1000s to stop that motion blur.

icywarm · 09-27-2010, 10:03 PM

small little note too... watch your framing... his head runs into a roof a rocks... could you have fully surrounded him with blue? But it is a bird... and they move and this one was nice enough to pose for you...

**Ash** · 09-27-2010, 10:52 PM

Agreed - framing is vital in such captures - it's important to simplify the background and fill the frame with the subject (unless the background offers important context for the scene, which isn't the case here).

jv.pentax · 09-27-2010, 11:27 PM

Thank you for coming and comment.

photolady: exif are: iso 400 and f/6.3 at 1/1600. I use exif viewer complent into firefox to extract exif data.

icywarm and ash : Yes I agree but sometimes you have to choose between capture the moment and composition. I could have cut to fill the frame but then the sharpness would have been worse.

photolady95 · 09-28-2010, 05:53 AM

Quote:

exif are: iso 400 and f/6.3 at 1/1600

Then I would have to say your focus was off.

jv.pentax · 09-28-2010, 09:35 AM

Originally posted by photolady

Then I would have to say your focus was off.

... I have a serious problem.

I'll check with a focus chart then.

photolady95 · 09-28-2010, 11:29 AM

Which focus point are you using? I use spot metering for birds. Was the camera on a tripod and if so, was shake reduction on or off? On tripods, camera SR should be turned off otherwise you can get blur of your shots.

And f6.3 isn't much DOF. Higher would help also. At least f8 or higher especially if it was bright and sunny outside.

jv.pentax · 09-29-2010, 12:37 AM

Thanks for your advices photolady.

Originally posted by photolady

Which focus point are you using?

I used center point focus and multi-segment evaluative metering.

Originally posted by photolady

Was the camera on a tripod and if so, was shake reduction on or off?

It was a hand held camera shot with SR on.
I must also say this was my first outing with this lens and I was excited to shot and expected to get a superb picture the first time, such as the ones that ara at PPG web

...

I'll give another try.

photolady95 · 09-29-2010, 01:32 AM

I've shot birds further away than 200mm and still have focus. Check my Hawk, in my PPG. I would say your setting, "multi-segment might also be the problem because it's metering too much of the scene. In your shot it seems the focus is on his wing. I have the K100D (not super) and mine are set as spot on both Metering options.

SpecialK · 09-29-2010, 09:36 AM

Quote:

I would say your setting, "multi-segment might also be the problem because it's metering too much of the scene. In your shot it seems the focus is on his wing. I have the K100D (not super) and mine are set as spot on both Metering options.

Metering and focusing are different things. Multi-segment metering is for exposure and is pretty reliable exactly because it does average out the highs and lows that tend to fool spot metering.

Spot-focus refers to which point (such as the center point) is used to determine focus.

photolady95 · 09-29-2010, 10:12 AM

I know that. I just have mine set this way as a preference to my shooting and it works for me.

EDIT: multi segment meters too much of some scenes, and that's why I have mine all set to spot.

jv.pentax · 09-29-2010, 12:59 PM

Originally posted by photolady

Check my Hawk

I have seen your hawk and that's what I expected to have.
I believe multi-segment works fine for general situations, and spot for high constrast when you have highlights.

I'll go to the same place and try more shots.

Thank you.

09-27-2010, 12:44 PM	#1
jv.pentax Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Spain Photos: Albums Posts: 129	Flamenco dancing Lens: smc FA* 300mm Camera: K100ds Photo Location: San Pedro del Pinatar- Murcia - Spain ISO: 400 The title is like a word play. In spanish the bird flamingo is translated as flamenco, like the dancing, and so is that bird position. I must say I'm not very satisfied wiht the sharpness of this take, and I don't know the reason. Maybe the distance from the subject ( +- 200m) or the time the picture was taken (11:30am). If resize to 100% the image is somwhow poor. Any suggestion in order to improve sharpness will be wellcome.

09-29-2010, 10:12 AM	#12
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	I know that. I just have mine set this way as a preference to my shooting and it works for me. EDIT: multi segment meters too much of some scenes, and that's why I have mine all set to spot. Last edited by photolady95; 09-29-2010 at 02:32 PM.

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09-27-2010, 04:29 PM	#2
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Smaller f-stop and faster shutter speed. I read the EXIF on the photo but couldn't determine what the shutter speed was. All birds move. So to prevent blur you need at least a 1/1000s to stop that motion blur.

09-27-2010, 10:03 PM	#3
icywarm Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Saskatchewan Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,278	small little note too... watch your framing... his head runs into a roof a rocks... could you have fully surrounded him with blue? But it is a bird... and they move and this one was nice enough to pose for you...

09-27-2010, 10:52 PM	#4
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Agreed - framing is vital in such captures - it's important to simplify the background and fill the frame with the subject (unless the background offers important context for the scene, which isn't the case here).

09-27-2010, 11:27 PM	#5
jv.pentax Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Spain Photos: Albums Posts: 129 Original Poster	Thank you for coming and comment. photolady: exif are: iso 400 and f/6.3 at 1/1600. I use exif viewer complent into firefox to extract exif data. icywarm and ash : Yes I agree but sometimes you have to choose between capture the moment and composition. I could have cut to fill the frame but then the sharpness would have been worse.

09-28-2010, 05:53 AM	#6
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Quote: exif are: iso 400 and f/6.3 at 1/1600 Then I would have to say your focus was off.

09-28-2010, 09:35 AM	#7
jv.pentax Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Spain Photos: Albums Posts: 129 Original Poster	Originally posted by photolady Then I would have to say your focus was off. ... I have a serious problem. I'll check with a focus chart then.

09-28-2010, 11:29 AM	#8
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Which focus point are you using? I use spot metering for birds. Was the camera on a tripod and if so, was shake reduction on or off? On tripods, camera SR should be turned off otherwise you can get blur of your shots. And f6.3 isn't much DOF. Higher would help also. At least f8 or higher especially if it was bright and sunny outside.

09-29-2010, 12:37 AM	#9
jv.pentax Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Spain Photos: Albums Posts: 129 Original Poster	Thanks for your advices photolady. Originally posted by photolady Which focus point are you using? I used center point focus and multi-segment evaluative metering. Originally posted by photolady Was the camera on a tripod and if so, was shake reduction on or off? It was a hand held camera shot with SR on. I must also say this was my first outing with this lens and I was excited to shot and expected to get a superb picture the first time, such as the ones that ara at PPG web ... I'll give another try.

09-29-2010, 01:32 AM	#10
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	I've shot birds further away than 200mm and still have focus. Check my Hawk, in my PPG. I would say your setting, "multi-segment might also be the problem because it's metering too much of the scene. In your shot it seems the focus is on his wing. I have the K100D (not super) and mine are set as spot on both Metering options.

09-29-2010, 09:36 AM	#11
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,482	Quote: I would say your setting, "multi-segment might also be the problem because it's metering too much of the scene. In your shot it seems the focus is on his wing. I have the K100D (not super) and mine are set as spot on both Metering options. Metering and focusing are different things. Multi-segment metering is for exposure and is pretty reliable exactly because it does average out the highs and lows that tend to fool spot metering. Spot-focus refers to which point (such as the center point) is used to determine focus.

09-29-2010, 12:59 PM	#13
jv.pentax Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Spain Photos: Albums Posts: 129 Original Poster	Originally posted by photolady Check my Hawk I have seen your hawk and that's what I expected to have. I believe multi-segment works fine for general situations, and spot for high constrast when you have highlights. I'll go to the same place and try more shots. Thank you.