Bird photography is a popular hobby, especially among aspiring wildlife photographers. Unlike other wildlife creatures, birds are everywhere and can easily be photographed. Although they are readily available, birds are sensitive and quick photography subjects.
Birds are incalculable creatures. Therefore, your camera shutter speed, aperture, and ISO range are vital for high-quality images of these swift creatures. In photography, professional photographers have distinct and commonly used camera settings that are a great starting point for any situation – for fast or slow flight birds. In this article, we will be introducing you to these settings and how you can use them to capture the best shots of bird images.
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Expert Quick Camera Settings To Capture The Best Bird Photographs
Here is a quick camera setting to capture the best bird images in any situation.
- ISO – around 200 to 800
- Aperture – between f/5.6 to f/8
- Shutter Speed – 1/800th to 1/1500th of a second.
- White Balance – Auto
- Metering – spot or center-weighted metering
- Camera Mode – Full manual mode or Manual mode with Auto ISO and exposure
- Image Format – Raw
Professional Camera Settings For Bird Photography
The section of this article will discuss in detail the best camera settings for still, walking, slow flight, or fast-flying birds.
ISO
When it comes to ISO settings for bird photography, there are a few things to consider:
- The type of camera you are using
- The speed of the lens
- The size of your camera sensor
- The lighting condition at your location
The ISO setting will determine how sensitive your camera sensor is to light and how much noise it captures in low-light environments. Different cameras have different sensitivities, so you should consult your manual or read reviews before choosing which one suits you best.
Suppose you are using a high-quality lens with a large aperture. An ISO setting between 100-800 will work well for you because it will allow more light into your sensor and produce less noise than if you were using an ISO setting between 1600-3200 or higher.
Aperture
A wide aperture between f/4 and f/5.6 is commonly used in most situations because there never seems to be enough light to use the fast shutter speed. So, it’s helpful to shoot with your aperture wide open whenever possible.
You can step down your aperture a little for large birds slightly out of focus or in a different plane or, best still, shoot with the same wide opening.
Therefore, you are advised to start with a wide aperture opening and only step down when necessary.
Shutter Speed
Shutter speed is the most vital camera setting in bird photography. The creatures are often in constant motion, so you will need a fast shutter speed to freeze the actions. The right shutter speed for a still or perched bird is between 1/100th to 1/200th of a second. However, you will have to quickly change to between 1/1500th to 1/2000th of a second if the bird takes off.
If the bird is strolling, you can use a shutter speed between 1/500th to 1/800th of a second. But if the bird is running or skipping, you are recommended to set the shutter speed between 1/2000th to 1/3200th of a second. And finally, for birds in slow or fast flight, use between 1/3200 to 1/8000th of a second shutter speed to prevent blur images.
These values are our recommendations and not compulsory. It would be best to experiment with different ranges to determine the most suitable for you.
However, note that different species of birds have distinct characters and features. Certain species of birds have long feathers waving in the air, so you must use a faster shutter speed to capture their sharp blade images. On the other hand, you will need even a faster shutter speed for birds that like twitching or flicking their tails when sauntering.
Learn fast moving objects photography tricks and tips.
ISO – 1600, 1/1600s, f/6.3
Metering
You will have to depend on your camera if the camera automatically sets your ISO, aperture, and shutter speed in terms of metering. But, if you are in full manual mode, the metering will appear in the viewfinder to tell you the exact camera estimate you are using.
Professional photographers often use the spot or center-weighted metering options because these tend to consistently produce the most suitable and balanced exposure for bird photography. Spot mode is best when you want to focus on one specific area of your photo. It will ignore any other areas that might be too bright or dark and give you a more accurate reading of just what is in your frame. However, this mode has a downside because it doesn’t work well if your subject isn’t in the center of your frame. Contrastingly, center-weighted metering evaluates light in the middle of your frame and ignores the surroundings or corners. It does not look at your selected focus point; instead, it assesses your images’ center areas.
Matrix/evaluative metering is the most advanced and suitable mode when you have an evenly lit subject with no dark or bright areas. However, spot and center-weighted meterings are great when you want to get the best possible exposure reading of the photos. Different cameras meter distinctly, so you should experiment with your camera to find out how it evaluates light.
White Balance
White balance settings are also an essential part of bird photography. They help control the color of the bird photos and make them look more natural. To get the best color effect, use the auto white balance option.
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Additional Settings And Tips For Bird Photography
- Shoot in RAW format for the highest image quality.
- Use the advanced matrix/evaluative metering mode to get precise exposure for the images.
- Shoot in full manual mode or manual mode with Auto ISO and exposure compensation.
- Shoot in continuous autofocus mode.
Conclusion
This article has highlighted the most commonly used and professional camera settings to capture the best shots of bird images. Your ISO, aperture, shutter speed, and metering are some of the crucial settings for bird photography.