01 January 2022

Using Auto ISO for Birds in Flight Photography

As Posted on the Birdlife South Africa Facebook Group

Herewith shared an unusually low flying yellow-billed duck at Woodbridge Island photographed at Auto ISO 1250 with my Canon EOS 7D Mark II / EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens. Granted, the shutter speed was perhaps a tad high at 1/4000s (setup at the time was for faster flyers in poor sky light), but I was still happy with the 'noise' outcome.

Aperture was f/5.6 on a Crop / APS-C body at 400mm focal length. With a full frame body at the same focal length the noise level would probably be a stop or so better.

It is recommended with Auto ISO (in low light) to bring the shutter speed (for in-flight birds) down to 1/1000s to 1/4000s. I never go less than 1/2500 / 1/3200s - and sometimes use 1/4000s in very good light (with Auto-ISO).

Best is to experiment quite a bit before jumping to conclusions that you need to upgrade body and / or lens for low light shooting. 

Bird in Flight: Yellow-billed duck at Woodbridge Island, Cape Town

Yellow-Billed Duck in Flight : Birds in Flight Photography and Auto ISO
Yellow-Billed Duck in Flight : Birds in Flight Photography and Auto ISO

Source / more camera and Autofocus detail View