How do you set up your R5 for shooting video of wildlife and birds in flight?

[LaneW]

As a long time still shooter, I am a newbie to shooting video. Looking for advice on R5 setup.  Interested in all advice - frame rates, resolution, everything - but specifically how do you set up AF. It’s so different from my back buttons set up for stills. Tracking, zones, etc?

Thanks!

[March411]

Josh from the Youtube channel walks you through a pretty nice setup for the R5. I started there and tweaked it a bit for my style. It's pretty in depth, he walks you through the menu at a decent pace.

[LaneW]

Thanks for the reply and link, Marc!

Its an excellent video that I have seen before.  However, my question is in regard to set up, AF and other settings, for video, this one is focused on still photography.

Thanks agian

Lane

[March411]

Sorry Lane I missed the video comment. I should get better at reading ;o)

[esimavi]

I use autofocus the entire area mode. Turn on auto track and Choose animals as the subject to auto track. Preferably use 8k video recording and don't try to zoom in all the way to the subject. Later open up final cut, zoom and stabilize your subject within a 4k frame. I always use wide open aperture, auto ISO and auto shutter speed. 30 fps. Ofcourse you can do higher fps if you want to do slow motion. Although final cut is getting better at their optical flow for slowed down footage. 

By the way I'm no pro, I just like taking videos with telephoto lenses. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfYT-Ek5_GQ

[LaneW]

Esimavi

Thank you! This is the kind of help I'm hoping for.  Some questions:

I, too, am set to use the full are focus and tracking. It works, most of the time.  But I am also setting my camera up to be able to switch to a zone, when needed. Do you find that this is necessary, or just stay with full zone for a bird, like the crane you posted, moving across varying backgrounds?

You say to shoot in 8K, which I can do, even though I have been using 4K to date.  But to process in a 4K frame, what do you mean? Opening it in a 4K timeline or?

Regarding what you say about using auto ISO and Shutter Speed: Most of what I read says to set a fixed value for both, using the 180 degree rule for SS because otherwise your exposure will change in the middle of the video - do you find that to be true?

I don't use Final Cut, but Premier Pro.  And I do like to shoot a little higher fps so I can slow down. Usually at 60 fps so that I have audio.  I'm shooting an R5.

Finally - did I see that you are using an R5 ii? If so, how does video capability compare? I"m considering upgrading.

Thanks again

Lane