14 April 2021

New Full-Frame Canon EOS R3 Mirrorless Camera

New Full-Frame Canon EOS R3 Mirrorless Camera
Image Credit: Canon USA
Canon USA Press / Media Release

Developing News: Canon Announces That The Powerful Professional Full-Frame EOS R3 Mirrorless Camera Is On Its Way

The Company Is Also Welcoming Three New RF Lenses: The Canon RF100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM, RF400mm F2.8 L IS USM and RF600mm F4L IS USM


MELVILLE, NY, April 14, 2021
Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced that its parent company, Canon Inc., is developing a new, high-performance professional camera — the Canon EOS R3*.

When it arrives, the EOS R3 will be an outstanding complement to the three new RF lenses the company also introduced today — The Canon RF100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM, RF400mm F2.8 L IS USM and RF600mm F4 L IS USM.

“The development of the Canon EOS R3 and the launch of the new RF lenses are the latest testament to the company’s commitment to professional still and video image and content creators,” said Tatsuro “Tony” Kano, executive vice president and general manager of Canon U.S.A.’s Imaging Technologies & Communications Group. “When the camera becomes available, it will pair well with each of the new RF lenses announced today. Canon is excited to share this news today, and we look forward to seeing the images captured with the new RF lenses and upcoming EOS R3.”

Under Development - The Canon EOS R3
The Canon EOS R3 will join the current lineup of EOS R full-frame mirrorless series cameras. This camera will usher in a new category to the EOS R system, positioned squarely between the EOS R5 and EOS-1D X Mark III cameras. The camera will put great emphasis on superb AF performance and speed, with fast-moving subjects. It is being designed to meet the reliability and durability demands of professionals, even when working in challenging conditions.

At the heart of the EOS R3 camera’s performance will be an EOS camera first, a Canon-developed, full-frame stacked CMOS sensor with a back-illuminated design, providing substantially faster read-out speeds during still-imaging recording. This completely new sensor is designed to produce less “rolling shutter” distortion during Electronic Shutter operation and offer continuous Electronic Shutter still-image shooting at speeds up to 30 fps — with full Dual Pixel CMOS AF and auto exposure1.

The AF system will leverage technology and performance from the well-received EOS R5 and EOS R6 cameras, using Deep Learning technology to further enhance eye and body detection for even better performance during portrait and action-type shooting. In addition, the EOS R3’s subject detection AF will offer new recognizable subjects for its AF system, bolstering its focusing capabilities during challenging shooting conditions.

The Electronic Viewfinder of the EOS R3 will offer photographers the ability to select the initial area for AF tracking by simply looking directly at the viewfinder location where they want to begin AF. With Eye Control AF2 and Servo AF activated, the camera will focus on and track moving subjects at that location in the frame. When Face Detect + Tracking is active, the camera will continue to follow moving subjects around the entire active AF area.

The camera body will be entirely new and accentuates the camera’s high-performance design. It’s a one-piece design, integrating the body with a vertical grip section. The weather and dust-resistance will be equivalent to that of EOS-1D class cameras — an essential consideration for nature, wildlife, sports and photojournalism content creators working in extreme conditions. In addition, news photojournalists will be excited to add the Mobile File Transmitter application for iOS and Android devices that will be available.

Full details of all the EOS R3’s features and specifications will be provided at the time of its formal announcement*. To follow along for more news on the Canon EOS R3 camera, please visit: www.usa.canon.com/eosr3.

From Up-Close To Far Away, New Canon RF Lenses Have You Covered
The Canon RF100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM lens is not only Canon’s first RF lens designed specifically for macro photography, but also the world’s first3 medium telephoto macro lens with a maximum magnification of 1.4x. The new lens, designed for both advanced photo enthusiasts and professionals, takes macro photography expression to the next level with the introduction of a spherical aberration (SA) control ring. The SA control ring allows users to change the character and appearance of the bokeh and obtain a softer focus effect with a simple turning of the ring to the desired result. Additional features of the Canon RF100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM include:
  • Optical Image Stabilizer with up to five stops of Shake Correction4.
  • When combined with a camera featuring In-Body Image Stabilizer, up to eight stops of shake correction5 is possible with coordinated operation of Optical and In-Body Image Stabilizer.
  • Hybrid IS helps to compensate for angular and shift camera shake during macro shooting.
  • High-speed, smooth and quiet auto focus with dual nano USM.
  • Customizable control ring that allows photographers to adjust exposure compensation, shutter speed, aperture or ISO.
  • Rugged Canon L-series dust and water-resistant design.

The Canon RF400mm F2.8L IS USM and Canon RF600mm F4L IS USM are both designed to be optically identical to their EF counterparts. The RF400mm and RF600mm weigh in at 6.37 and 6.81 pounds with a minimum focusing distance of 8.2 and 13.8 feet, respectively. Both lenses share many of the same critical features that help professional high-end super-telephoto lenses stand out from the crowd. Those features include:
  • Ideal for a wide variety of shooting situations, including sports, aviation, trains, automotive, and wildlife, such as birding.
  • Optical Image Stabilization with up to 5.5 stops6 of shake correction. Including three IS Operation Modes — still subjects, panning, and irregular movement.
  • Proprietary Canon lens coatings, Super Spectra Coating (SSC), and Air Sphere Coating (ASC) help minimize ghosting and flaring. Lens placement and coatings are optimized to provide users with clear, high-contrast images even when there is a bright light source.
  • Lenses include fluorite and super UD lens elements arranged in such a way to help correct chromatic aberration and make the models more compact. Like the latest Canon EF400mm f/2.8L IS III USM and EF600mm f/4L IS III USM lenses, released in the fall of 2018, weight on these RF-series super-telephotos has been significantly reduced vs. previous-generation Canon super tele designs.
  • Compatible with Canon RF 1.4x and 2x extenders, and feature a customizable electronic focus ring, with manual focus capability during SERVO AF.
  • A nine-blade circular aperture provides users beautiful bokeh and ideally blurred backgrounds when the aperture is stopped down.
  • For added convenience when on a shoot, two focus presets are available. Users can instantly return to one of two memorized focus distances.
  • Rugged Canon L-series dust and water-resistant design with vibration and shock resistance. The front element has been dressed with a fluorine coating for easy cleaning.
  • Infrared reflective pigments with high reflectance and titanium oxide lens barrel coating with silica provide excellent UV weather resistance and heat reduction.

Canon RF Lenses Pricing and Availability
The Canon RF100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM, Canon RF400mm F2.8 L IS USM and Canon RF600mm F4L IS USM are scheduled to be available in July 2021 for an estimated retail price of $1,399.00, $11,999.00 and $12,999.00, respectively*. For more information, please visit usa.canon.com.

Source: Canon USA (Canon Press Release)

13 April 2021

For new Birds in Flight Photographers

For the new Birds in Flight photographers
Pied kingfisher in Flight - Canon EOS 6D 
For the new Birds in Flight photographers / anybody else interested

This is a post I published on Birdlife South Africa's Facebook Group on 13 April 2021.

The pied kingfisher is one of the fastest and smallest birds here at Woodbridge Island, Cape Town and generally the photographers here will by default use the 'fastest' camera (frames per second / Autofocus) and longest lens (reach) in their camera bags. Same as anywhere else I suppose...

For this exercise I used the 'slowest' camera and my shortest long lens in my bag to see what could be done - if that is all that’s available in a new / developing photographer’s bag.

The four images = a consecutive burst at a relatively slow, but maximum fps for the EOS 6D @ 4.5 fps with an 80 MB/s SD memory card. View all four images here

Canon Equipment / Settings used:
  • Canon EOS 6D Full Frame body (4.5 fps / basic 11-Point AF System)
  • Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM lens
  • Manual Mode: f/5.6 / 1/4000s / Auto-ISO 500
  • AI Servo (for continuous focus / movement)
  • 300mm focal length
  • Single Point AF
  • Image Stabilasation (IS) turned off

Succeeding in Birds in Flight photography does not necessarily mean the fasted frame rate / best AF-System on the market, but rather the mindfulness of a range of environmental factors that contributes to the ‘overall workflow’/ skills in getting satisfactory results.

Other considerations to keep in mind when developing skills for Birds in Flight Photography

------------------------------------

Questions / My Response on this post - on the Birdlife South Africa Facebook Group

Question "Interested to know why the IS was off? Always thought IS to be important for handheld shooting and especially for wildlife and birds.

My Response "In my opinion not required above 1/1000s - I give the camera and lens as little as possible 'to think about" My 400mm lens does not have IS - and is not really required for Birds in Flight photography using shutter speeds between 1/3200s - 1/4000s. Even in testing done for Canon South Africa on the EF 100-400mm f/4.6-5.6L IS II USM lens (Birds in Flight) I turned the IS off. It works for me - every photographer should test / experiment over an extensive period to so see how it 'pans' out for him / her."

"IS is globally debatable in application for action photography. It can become a hot topic, because people pay up to R120K+ for a prime lens with IS. You posed a very good question - and my answer to your question, like hundreds like yours I receive, is I don't use IS for fast action photography (ito the equipment I use). My main reference is Birds in Flight photography where I use 1/3200s - 1/4000s. I use different cameras for different genres - and there will be many time where IS = NB. My motto = anything that moves - no IS required if I use a high enough shutter speed - just have to watch your ISO - if using Auto-ISO (on modern DSLRs)."

Birdlife South Africa Facebook Group Reference

01 April 2021

Taking advantage of Auto ISO - Official Canon Article

Taking advantage of Auto ISO is an official Canon Learning document. 

Using Auto ISO 500 with Canon EOS 7D Mark II - Image: Vernon Chalmers Photography
Using Auto ISO 500 with Canon EOS 7D Mark II - View Gallery

Using Auto-ISO for Birds in Flight Photography
Many of my Canon EOS photography clients / students uses the Canon EOS-1D X II, Canon EOS 5D Mark III/ IV and Canon EOS 6D / II and high-end APS-C / Crop bodies (EOS 7D Mark II / EOS 90D / EOS 80D / EOS 70D amongst others). This article is an excellent resource to inform them of the official Canon motivation on using Auto ISO.

I only use Auto ISO for my birds in flight photography and for many new birds in flight photographers this is quite a departure from pre-set ISO's

I have used Auto ISO since 2013 for serious birds in flight starting with the Canon EOS 70D and rarely had noise issues up to ISO 1200 (with some noise reduction applied in post-processing).

Taking advantage of Auto ISO
Canon’s EOS-1D X, EOS 5D Mark III and EOS 6D possess a host of new features and improvements, including a significant refinement of Auto ISO, that makes the feature an even more practical option to working photographers and serious enthusiasts. Aside from the cameras’ outstanding high ISO image quality and significantly increased ISO range, the following features answer the requests of many serious shooters:
  • User can manually pre-set a minimum and maximum ISO range
  • For Auto ISO, the shooter can pre-set the minimum and maximum available ISO range (this is separate from the range for manually-adjusted ISO)
  • For the first time with an EOS SLR, the shooter can set a minimum shutter speed used with Auto ISO. If the shutter speed drops below this user-set value, the Auto ISO will automatically be raised

Auto ISO has become a feature many experienced SLR users are considering in certain shooting situations. This article will cover in detail these new settings and offer some possible scenarios where they might prove very useful.

Auto ISO
The EOS-1D X, EOS 5D Mark III and EOS 6D allow Auto ISO to be used in all shooting modes, including Manual mode, and all the ISO speed options are accessed from a single screen. But for many experienced shooters, the first question may be, “Why would I want to have the camera automatically set the ISO for me?”

One example is when lighting may change radically during shooting. Theater and concert photography, where stage lighting may change rapidly, are really good examples. Wedding ceremonies in churches are another example. With available light in the church, the photographer would have to speedily adjust when the doors open and the couple exits. Without missing a moment, Auto ISO would let the photographer work at higher ISOs indoors and seamlessly switch to lower ISOs outside.

Sports events that occur in the early morning or late afternoon, where half the field may be in direct sunlight and the other side in deep shade, are also challenging. Professional sports photographers used to have a few choices to deal with this situation, such as pre-setting exposure settings for only one side of the field. Another possibility would have been carrying two cameras, each pre-set to different settings and film speeds, and switching between fields. I doubt many photographers miss doing that.

A wildlife photographer suggested this challenging scenario: he or she is following a running animal, which means that the shutter and aperture can’t be easily changed. The animal might hide under the shade for a moment before suddenly running into bright sunlight. Adventure photographers, like rock climbers, might face the same challenge with dramatically different lighting situations when facing up or down from the same spot.

If a photographer shoots in Av or Tv mode, they may anticipate needing or wanting to make major changes in aperture or shutter speed, respectively. Auto ISO can save time by preserving a reasonable hand-held shutter speed (in Av) or usable lens aperture (in Tv), which possibly eliminates the need to follow-up with a big Av or Tv change with a manual adjustment of ISO.

In Manual exposure mode, a pre-set shutter speed and lens aperture can be continually maintained, even if the light changes. This allows the photographer to have full control over stopping motion and depth-of-field, while still allow the camera to react to any changes in light (this could be ideal in remote-controlled or intervalometer shooting). A very handy, yet underutilized, feature is the ability to apply AE Lock when working with Auto ISO in Manual mode. The viewfinder will show the difference between the locked value and the current metered value. It is important to know that the camera won't let you use the “ealxtended” ISO settings (equivalent to ISO 50, 51200 and 102400 on the EOS 5D Mark III and EOS 6D) in Auto ISO.

Shutter Speed
Until now, one problem that kept many pros away from Auto ISO was that there was no meaningful control over how slow a shutter speed might be selected in low-light conditions. But with Canon’s recently introduced SLRs, the photographer can tailor Auto ISO to give exactly this type of control. A separate menu entry, Minimum shutter speed, provides the following settings:

  • Auto: Camera will continue to try to maintain a shutter speed of at least 1 over the lens focal length, changing ISO to maintain this as long as possible. The camera will tend to pick lower ISOs and slower speeds when using standard or wide-angle lenses.
  • User-defined shutter speed: Photographer can pick a speed from 1 second to 1/250 of a second and the camera will only go below this shutter speed after it has raised its ISO to the highest available setting, based on Maximum ISO set by the user under Auto ISO range.

Some users are often hesitant to delegate such an important setting to the camera’s brain. But after getting used to this new feature, the results speak for themselves.

Image Quality
Thankfully, Canon thought about image quality at great length and came up with very elegant solutions. Users can specify the slowest shutter speed before the ISO is raised automatically and they can set a limit to the highest ISO the camera will use, which enables them to retain the lighting and look that they desire for a scene. They can also specify the ISO range the camera can use to ensure proper image quality.

The overall image quality at higher ISOs on Canon’s latest full-frame digital SLRs is superior to any Canon EOS models which have come before them — making shots at higher ISOs a legitimate and practical option, even for critical shooters. Just a few years ago, ISO 400 or 800 provided image quality that was borderline acceptable. With current systems, one can now push the ISO to 3200 and higher and get vastly cleaner files. This point certainly means Auto ISO is here to stay.

Flash and Auto ISO
When using a flash on the EOS 6D, 5D Mark III or 1D X, photographers need to be aware of these settings:

  • Auto ISO normally is locked at ISO 400 when an EOS speedlite is attached and turned on
  • Auto ISO can be lowered down as far as 100, if over-exposure would occur in fill-flash situations in bright outdoor lighting
  • If an EX-series speedlite is swiveled for bounce, Auto ISO can extend from 400 or up to 1600 (depending on level of ambient lighting in the scene) and allow for an extra measure of E-TTL exposure when flash is scattered by bouncing

Video
Even though one can’t set maximum and minimum ISO or shutter speed when shooting video, video shooting with EOS SLRs does permit use of Auto ISO. When recording video with an EOS SLR in any Auto mode (P, Tv, or Av), ISO is always set automatically by the camera.

When shooting in Manual Mode, users can set a specific ISO (from 100 to 12800; up to 25600 on the EOS-1D X) or let the camera automatically adjust the ISO on the fly. The beauty of this is that the photographer’s choice of shutter speed and lens aperture, often critical when recording HD video, can be pre-set and locked in. Yet, if lighting changes as the camera or subject moves, the camera can adjust exposure by only varying ISO. Again, when shooting video and the camera is set to Program (P), Aperture Priority (Av) or Shutter Priority (Tv), the only option users have is to let the ISO be automatically set by the camera.

If you are shooting from a moving vehicle — for example, a car or a train — you may be going through a whole range of scenes from bright to dim light. Another situation when Auto ISO is very helpful is when shooting one continuous shot with a Steadicam. Auto ISO comes in handy when going from a very dark scene (an underground Subway platform) to a very bright scene (a street at midday) when one does not have easy access to the camera settings while recording.

Conclusion
As you can see, Auto ISO is a very useful setting when the light is changing rapidly and either the shutter speed and/or aperture need to be pre-set to match a specific effect – like freezing action for sports or wildlife, or when changing settings is not easy. It can enable very quickly and make major changes to speeds or apertures, thus allowing the user to shoot again without having to make a follow-up adjustment to ISO.

When working in situations with rapid and extreme changes in lighting, consider using Auto ISO more often, especially when capturing the moment is absolutely critical.

An In-depth Discussion of M + Auto-ISO for Canon SLRs View

Source: Canon USA

Vernon Chalmers Photography Training Update 2021

Landscape Photography Training Milnerton, Cape Town
Photography Training Milnerton, Cape Town
Offering individual photographers with private and flexible Canon EOS / Photography training classes in Milnerton, Cape Town (opposite Woodbridge Island). 

Training Objective
To assist the developing Canon EOS photographer with an integrated learning approach for mastering the more advanced camera and exposure settings within selected application and genres with any current Canon EOS APS-C or Full-Frame camera (i.e Canon EOS 1300D / 60D / 7D / 6D / 5D or Mirrorless EOS R / M bodies).

Delegates will be able to select specific areas to suite specific photographic applications / genres depending on personal requirements and current / future lens selections. Training may be scheduled over a period of time and does not have to be completed on a specific date.

Flexible Modules
The training will be from any combination of the Canon EOS / Photography training I offer via workshops or private training sessions. All training will be structured around a general Canon EOS Menu / Exposure Modes module and then elective application / genre modules.

Cost for 4x Five Hour Sessions
Training programme cost for 4x five hour sessions - 20 hours (of any of the below training options) R2 450-00 with ongoing technical support.

Specific Learning Areas (to select from)
  • Introduction to Photography / Canon EOS More
  • Birds and flower Photography Kirstenbosch More
  • Birds / Birds in Flight Photography More
  • Landscape / Long Exposure Photography More
  • Macro / Close-Up Photography Workshop More
  • Canon Speedlite / Ring Lite Flash Photography More
  • Digital Workflow / Lightroom Post-Processing More
  • Any combination of above

Image Post Processing
The complete image management / workflow process will be discussed (if required) with an introduction to Adobe Lightroom Classic CC either as an introduction or a hands-on post-processing learning module (depending on delegate genre / module selection).

Duration of the Training
Four sessions of up to five hours per session during the day, evening or Saturday mornings. All training will be inclusive of practical applications (depending on application / genre selection). 

Contact me from this website

Contact me via WhatsApp: Direct link wa.me/27608878087 or 060 887 8087

Visit the Vernon Chalmers Photography Website for More / Rates 

Birds in Flight Photography Training
Birds in Flight Photography Training Cape Town

Landscape / Seascape Photography Training
Landscape / Seascape Photography Training Cape Town

Action / Motor sport Photography Training
Action / Motor sport Photography Training Cape Town


Fashion / Portraiture Photography Training
Fashion / Portraiture Photography Training Cape Town

Bees and Butterfly in Flight Photography

Bees and Butterfly in Flight - Cape Town

Bees and Butterfly in Flight - Cape Town
Macro and Close-Up Photography with Canon EOS 6D / EOS 7D Mark II / EOS 70D

A few bees and a butterfly in flight, first with the Canon EOS 6D / EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L ISM lens (with Canon Extension Tube 25 II) and then with the Canon EOS 70D / EF 100mm USM Macro lens and finally with Canon EOS 7D Mark II / EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens.

Shooting Conditions: Sunny, mid-morning

Location: Woodbridge Island Cape Town

Canon EOS 6D / EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens
Images captured in Manual Mode: Multi-shot / continuous mode at 4.5 fps AI Servo. Single-Point AF. f/8 ISO 1600 - 6400 1/4000s Handheld.(Canon EF25 II Extension Tube) FL 112mm

Bees in Flight Challenge
From all the photography genres I am currently working in, this is the most challenging - not so much for the exposure settings, but for selecting the best body and lens combination. I prefer the Canon EOS 6D full frame body with the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM lens (with an Extension Tube fitted between body and lens) for close-up photography. 

This pairing allows me for shooting with a longer working distance between lens and subject (compared to my 100mm macro lens) and I can shoot at much higher ISO's without losing to much detail (at 1/4000s). Unfortunately the highest shutter speed of the Canon EOS 6D is only 1/4000 seconds and when I go out again will experiment with High-Speed Sync flash with some of my Canon Speedlite / Ring Lite flashes.
Post-processing done with Adobe Lightroom 6 CC. RAW to JPG conversion with some sharpening and noise reduction applied.

(Click to Enlarge)
Bee in Flight Canon EOS 6D / EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens @ ISO 2000
Bee in Flight Canon EOS 6D / EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens @ ISO 2000

Bee in Flight Canon EOS 6D / EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens @ ISO 1600
Bee in Flight Canon EOS 6D / EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens @ ISO 1600


Canon EOS 70D / EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens

Images captured in Manual Mode: Multi-shot / continuous mode at 7 fps AI Servo. Zone AF. f/8 ISO 6400 1/5000s Handheld.

Post-processing done with Adobe Lightroom 6 CC. RAW to JPG conversion with some sharpening and noise reduction applied

Bee in Flight  Canon 70D / EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens @ ISO 6400
Bee in Flight Canon 70D / EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens @ ISO 6400


Bee in Flight Canon 70D / EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens @ ISO 1000


Canon EOS 7D Mark II / EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens
Images captured in Manual Mode: Multi-shot / continuous mode at 10 fps AI Servo. Wide Zone AF. f/6.3 ISO 400 - 1250 1/5000s Handheld.

Post-processing done with Adobe Lightroom 6 CC. RAW to JPG conversion with some sharpening and noise reduction applied.


Bee in Flight  Canon 7D Mark II / EF 400 f/5.6L USM Lens @ ISO 800
Bee in Flight Canon 7D Mark II / EF 400 f/5.6L USM Lens @ ISO 800

Bee in Flight  Canon 7D Mark II / EF 400 f/5.6L USM Lens @ ISO 800
Bee in Flight Canon 7D Mark II / EF 400 f/5.6L USM Lens @ ISO 800

Butterfly in Flight Canon EOS 7D Mark II / EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens @ ISO 1250
Butterfly in Flight Canon EOS 7D Mark II EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens @ ISO 1250

Birds in Flight Photography with Canon EOS 6D

Birds in Flight Photography with Canon EOS 6D /  EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens
Birds in Flight Photography with Canon EOS 6D Full Frame DSLR

Capturing Birds in Flight with a basic Autofocus (AF) System and the reasonably slow frame rate of the Canon EOS 6D Full Frame body and EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM zoom lens.

Generally,  when I capture Birds in Flight at Woodbridge Island Cape Town, I prefer the extra fps and reach of a faster APS-C (crop) body paired with a 400mm prime lens.


This morning I took the Canon EOS 6D (4,5 fps) and the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens while everybody around me captured birds in flight with the Canon EOS-1D X / Canon EOS 7D Mark II and the Canon EOS 70D - all of which have superior frames per second (fps) continuous shooting rate and superior AF systems compared to the humble Canon EOS 6D with its basic 11-Point AF system.

Location: Woodbridge Island, Cape Town

FPS (Frames Per Second Rate in continuous shooting mode) of the EOS bodies mentioned:

  • Canon EOS-1D X  14 fps
  • Canon EOS 7D Mark II 10 fps
  • Canon EOS 70D 7 fps
  • Canon EOS 6D 4.5 fps

Autofocus
(AF) Points of EOS bodies mentioned

  • Canon EOS-1D X 61 AF Points
  • Canon EOS 7D Mark II 65 AF Points
  • Canon EOS 70D 19 AF Points
  • Canon EOS 6D 11 AF Points

These 4 consecutive images of the Pied Kingfisher are substantial crops, but the point is that Birds in Flight photography is possible without the most advanced fps / AF systems and / or fast(er) prime lenses.

Canon Equipment Used
  • Canon EOS 6D
  • Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens
  • Manual Mode:  Auto ISO @ 300mm focal length

(Click to Enlarge)
Birds in Flight Photography with Canon EOS 6D /  EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens
Birds in Flight Photography with Canon EOS 6D /  EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens 

Birds in Flight Photography with Canon EOS 6D /  EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens
Birds in Flight Photography with Canon EOS 6D /  EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens 

Birds in Flight Photography with Canon EOS 6D /  EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens
Birds in Flight Photography with Canon EOS 6D /  EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens 

Birds in Flight Photography with Canon EOS 6D /  EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens
Birds in Flight Photography with Canon EOS 6D /  EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens

Birds in Flight Photography with Canon EOS 6D / EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens - View

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

Birds in Flight Photography Cape Town View

Canon EF Lens Full Time Manual Focus Override

Canon EF Lens Full Time Manual Focus Override
Canon EOS 6D / EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens
I often use the lens full time manual focus override function on my Canon USM zoom lens when doing close-up photography with the Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM lens (without a tripod).

Canon Full Time Manual Focus Override
Full time manual focus override is a lens focusing function for fine-tuning focus while in camera / lens Autofocus mode. Its not always possible in the field (without a tripod) to go manual focus when doing close-up photography - for this purpose I gently turn / fine-tune the lens focus ring for pin-point focusing (whilst in AF Mode).


Link to all Canon EF / EF-S / EF-M lenses compatible with the Full Time Manual Focus Override function - View>>

When to use Full Time Manual Focus Override

  • Fine-tuning focus when in AF Mode 
  • During close-up photography (not on tripod) 

Canon Equipment

  • Canon EOS 6D
  • Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens
  • Canon EF25 II Extension Tube

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens Focus Ring
Canon official nomenclature showing the focus ring. Most Canon lenses will have the focus ring just behind the the front lens element, but with the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM lens it is located more towards the back of the lens.


(Click to Enlarge)
Canon EF 70-300mm 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens Showing the Focus Ring
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens

Exposure / Lens Settings
  • M Mode: f/5.6 - 6.3 
  • ISO 100 - 2500
  • Shutter Speed 1/500
  • Lens AF / IS on

Handheld / Focal Length: 170-300mm

Shooting location / Conditions

Table Bay Nature Reserve / Woodbridge Island, Cape Town. Sunny early morning


(Click to Enlarge)
Canon EF Lens Full Time Manual Focus Override
Canon EF Lens Full Time Manual Focus Override Source

Canon EF Lens Full Time Manual Focus Override
Canon EF Lens Full Time Manual Focus Override Source

Canon EF Lens Full Time Manual Focus Override
Canon EF Lens Full Time Manual Focus Override Source

Canon EF Lens Full Time Manual Focus Override
Canon EF Lens Full Time Manual Focus Override  Override

Advanced Canon Autofocus Systems - keep it simple...

When it comes to camera Autofocus (AF) configuration(s) and tuning I try and keep settings at their default for as long as possible (will only change the size of the active AF-area).

The image of the the Egyptian goose was only the fourth image that came out of my Canon EOS 7D Mark II soon after its launch about 5 years ago. The week or so before this I tested the same body from Canon South Africa and used the default AF settings - and was more than satisfied with the results.

Setting / EXIF Data of Egyptian Goose Image

Canon EOS 7D Mark II : AI Servo Autofocus / FPS Test
Canon EOS 7D Mark II : AI Servo Autofocus / FPS Test
On the day I received my own body I took it out the box, paired it with my 400mm lens and walked down to the Diep River (Woodbridge Island) and up to today use the same AF settings. I have worked through the numerous configurations of many modern (Canon) AF systems, but have found the default is good to go in most cases.

When I work with new and experienced (Canon) photographers I ask them to return the AF configuration to the default and we shoot for long periods of time just on this (only changing the AF-Points / Zones if required). This extended frame of reference it will assist the photographer to understand future tweaking (if / when required).

Source: Canon EOS 7D Mark II : AI Servo Autofocus / FPS Test

Grey Heron in Flight Photography Cape Town

Birds in Flight Photography Cape Town: Grey Heron
Grey Heron Fly-Past: Woodbridge Island Cape Town
I've waited a long time for these captures on / above the small island adjacent to Woodbridge Island, Cape Town- on most mornings he's already sleeping on his spot.


Canon AI Servo AF: EOS iTR AF Testing 
These low-flying Grey Heron captures are still part of my ongoing Canon EOS 7D Mark II EOS iTR AF Testing - determining enhanced tracking capabilities for moving subjects.

Conditions and Location

Crisp early morning sun with no wind at Woodbridge Island, Cape Town (just off the small island). Woodbridge Island Map.

Canon Camera / Lens Settings

  • Canon EOS 7D Mark II 
  • EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens 
  • M Mode: f/5.6 ISO 640 1/5000s 
  • AI Servo: Case 1: Wide Zone
  • 10 fps 
  • Handheld

Post-Processing
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 6: Colour correction / noise reduction / lens profile correction.


(Click to Enlarge)
Grey Heron in Flight Woodbridge Island Cape Town - Canon EOS 7D Mark II / 400mm Lens
Grey Heron in Flight Woodbridge Island Cape Town - Canon EOS 7D Mark II / 400mm Lens

Grey Heron in Flight Woodbridge Island Cape Town - Canon EOS 7D Mark II / 400mm Lens
Grey Heron in Flight Woodbridge Island Cape Town - Canon EOS 7D Mark II / 400mm Lens

Grey Heron in Flight Woodbridge Island Cape Town - Canon EOS 7D Mark II / 400mm Lens
Grey Heron in Flight Woodbridge Island Cape Town - Canon EOS 7D Mark II / 400mm Lens

Grey Heron in Flight Woodbridge Island Cape Town - Canon EOS 7D Mark II / 400mm Lens
Grey Heron in Flight Woodbridge Island Cape Town : Canon EOS 7D Mark II / 400mm Lens

Birds in Flight Photography Cape Town

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