01 February 2020

Low Light Birds in Flight Photography, Table Bay Nature Reserve

Sacred Ibis Table Bay Nature Reserve Woodbridge Island Cape Town
Sacred Ibis at ISO 640 - Table Bay Nature Reserve, Cape Town
Canon EOS 7D Mark II Training Cape Town
I don't think many photographers would have considered Saturday morning a great morning for bird photography.

As part of a Canon EOS 7D Mark II practical training session we nevertheless braved the light rain, gloomy water and dark-grey clouds.

Fortunately, the rain stayed away and we made our way past the Woodbridge Island pump house and spend some quality shooting time in the Table Bay Nature Reserve (albeit at high ISO's).

All in all a great experience with a very enthusiastic wild life photographer.

Client Canon Camera & Lens
Canon EOS 7D Mark II / Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary Lens

Cape Town Location
Diep River / Table Bay Nature Reserve
Woodbridge Island, Cape Town

My Equipment Used (Birds In Flight / Action Photography)
  • Canon EOS 7D Mark II DSLR camera body
  • Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens
  • Lexar Professional 800x / 120MB/s 32GB CF Card

Manual Mode Settings
  • Shutter speed: 1/4000s
  • Aperture: f/5.6
  • Focal length 400mm
  • Auto-ISO (ISO 640 - 3200)
  • Continuous shooting mode (10 fps) / AI Servo
  • AI Servo / AF Mode Option (Wide Zone AF / Case 1)
  • Lens AF On / No IS / Handheld

A few of my birds in flight captured. Note the high ISO's ranging from ISO 640 - ISO 3200:

(Click to Enlarge)
Little Egret in Flight at ISO 640 - Table Bay Nature Reserve Cape Town
Little Egret in Flight at ISO 640 - Table Bay Nature Reserve Cape Town

Cape Shoveller Duck Table Bay Nature Reserve Woodbridge Island Cape Town
Cape Shoveller Duck in Flight at ISO 1000 - Table Bay Nature Reserve, Cape Town


African Darter in Flight at ISO 1000 - Table Bay Nature Reserve Cape Town
African Darter in Flight at ISO 1000 - Table Bay Nature Reserve Cape Town

hEgyptian Goose Table Bay Nature Reserve Woodbridge Island Cape Town
Egyptian Goose in Flight at ISO 1250 - Table Bay Nature Reserve, Cape Town 

Cape Shoveller Duck in Flight at ISO 2500 - Table Bay Nature Reserve, Cape Town
Cape Shoveller Duck in Flight at ISO 2500 - Table Bay Nature Reserve, Cape Town

Cape Shoveller Duck Table Bay Nature Reserve Woodbridge Island Cape Town
Cape Shoveller Duck in Flight at ISO 3200 - Table Bay Nature Reserve, Cape Town

Canon EOS 7D Mark II - Birds in Flight Photo Gallery View

Birds in Flight Photography Cape Town View