Canon Community

garymak · ‎06-23-2024

Requesting advice on how to successfully focus specifically on hummingbirds in flight.

I’m asking this only of photographers with direct, successful experience specifically photographing hummingbirds in-flight for any tips and tricks you have found that have worked well with focusing issues.

(Please, if you do not have direct, successful experience specifically photographing hummingbirds in-flight, then with all due respect and appreciation for your good intentions, please refrain from offering ideas, thoughts, conjectures, or other experiences with other birds or animals.)

Background:

I have used 4 different methods for photographing hummingbirds in flight:

1) “The Usual”: high SS, medium ƒ-stop, high ISO.

2) “Strobe for high speed shutter” with a high-shutter speed sync, a very low ISO, a very high ƒ-stop, utilizing the strobe burst of the flash (usually 1/10,000th or so) to stop-action the hummingbird in flight. The high ƒ-stop also creates a much wider DoF in which to capture the bird in focus.

3) In turn, both of these methods have utilized 2 different types of focusing methodology:

A. Autofocus (various different settings and areas)

B. Manual pre-focus on the area the hummingbird will most likely come and hover for a brief moment before setting down on the feeder.

All of these methods have yielded just 3-5 decent shots each, based purely on luck, because the main issue is FOCUSING. The R5 auto-focus mechanism is the worst of the two, practically useless, as it simply isn’t fast enough or sophisticated enough to react to the sudden appearance of a tiny hummingbird and focus on it, and usually the autofocus misses the bird entirely and focuses on the farthest background item in the frame (the distant hedges.) Manual focus has worked the best, but still yielded only about half a dozen out of about 1,000 shots, only by luck of the hummingbird being in the exact plane of the pre-focused area. All successes can be attributed entirely to “luck.”

Give the above, does anyone have any direct, successful experience specifically photographing hummingbirds in flight? If so, what did you do differently that worked, or at least yielded better results than 5 lucky shots out of 1,000? Thanks!

normadel · ‎06-24-2024

The only way I have gotten good shots of hummingbirds is when they are hovering at my feeder. And you only have a second to get the shot. Manually focus on the spot it is going to, or autofocus on the spot and wait for the bird. You don't have time to focus on the bird when you see it standing still. Take high-speed sequences so you can pick the best image. Framing, stopping action and focus are trial and error.

The best, suitable for framing image i have taken was on film with my trusty old Canon AE-1 Program. No digital technology and gimmicks involved.

garymak · ‎06-25-2024

Yeah, I agree, that's the "golden moment," the brief moment as they hover before landing! Anna's seem to hover for oh, say, 0.4", while the Rufous seem to hover much longer, around 0.9"... twice as long. 🙄 And yes, it requires fast reflexes, intense concentration, and again, luck of focus, because if you are not focused exactly where they are "hovering", even if you catch them hovering, your autofocus will never work, so again, it gets back to pre-focusing where you think they might hover.

My issue with the above high-speed-pick-your-best-shot-later is that it requires a very high ISO, and generally wide aperture/ shallow DoF even on a very bright day, which then degrades the image upon enlargement...and of course the shallow DoF increases the need for exact focus...

Tintype_18 · ‎06-25-2024

We take photos of hummingbirds at a feeder outside the kitchen window. Fast speeds and appropriate ISO (or set at automatic) are a must. Wife uses a SX530 HS and I use a T7. I have sat in the kitchen with the camera set, focused and on a tripod. I have a cable remote to "fire" the camera. We probably have a couple hundred photos. Will dig through the archives and post one on the Gallery. My wife has a goal of finding a hummingbird nest.

John
Canon EOS T7; EF-S 18-55mm IS; EF 28-135mm IS; EF 75-300mm; Sigma 150-600mm DG

garymak · ‎06-25-2024

I use all of the above as well. The issue is still "focus in flight." Taking an image of a bird (any bird) sitting at a feeder is a no-brainer. They are still, so manual or auto-focus doesn't matter. Heck, shutter speed hardly matters at that point. This issue is of how to capture accurate focus on hummingbirds in flight.

Tintype_18 · ‎06-26-2024

All of our photos were the hummingbird hovering at the feeder. Never had one land on the feeder. There are "roosts" available that look like a trapeze for them to land on. Ours fly up to a hickory or poplar tree and sit on a limb. Last year, we have one that would land on a limb in the hickory tree. If another h'bird came to the feeder outside the kitchen window, he would dive bomb it and chase it away.

John

John
Canon EOS T7; EF-S 18-55mm IS; EF 28-135mm IS; EF 75-300mm; Sigma 150-600mm DG

jmaurophoto · ‎08-25-2024

Good luck with that. I have a feeder hanging off my deck. I capture them at or as they approach the feeder. The approach is more-or-less "in-flight," so what you might consider is caching them at about the feeder, and then removing the feeder from your photo with PS. I have tried Av with the flash at sync speed (1/200) and have gotten pretty decent results, but even at that, there is no way to "stop" the wings. Right now I am trying Tv set to 1/1600, f/5.6 and ISO 800, with the flash set to ETTL/HSS, and also without the flash. The flash EX600II-RT helps stop the wings. The feeder is in bright sunlight. I am using an EOS R5 with RF 70-200 f/2.8 and triggering it remotely with an RF remote trigger. So far it looks like I have gotten a few decent shots. It takes a lot of patience. There was a ruby throated HB flying around but this one kept chasing him away :-).

All processed in Lightroom and noise reduced with Topaz AI. The camera was set to AF on animal's eye. For the most part it worked very well.

ISO800, f/2.8, 1/1600, 89mm Flash did fire

ISO1000, f/6.3, 1/800, 100mm, Flash did not fire

ISO 1000, f/6.3, 100mm, 1/800, Flash did not fire

johnrmoyer · ‎06-25-2024

I also have an EOS R5 and I use tracking and eye focus. I hope some of this might be helpful. I usually autofocus on a flower at about the same distance as the bird and then focus on the bird.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) on Salvia greggii in Norman, Oklahoma, United States, July 22, 2023

The above photo is at https://www.rsok.com/~jrm/2023Jul23_birds_and_cats/2023jul22_hummingbird_IMG_4930c.html and was made with these settings as reported by exiftool:

EXIF:Image	ExposureTime	1/500
EXIF:Image	FNumber	6.3
EXIF:Image	ISO	2000
MakerNotes:Camera	ContinuousDrive	Continuous, High+
MakerNotes:Camera	FocusMode	AI Servo AF
MakerNotes:Camera	CameraISO	Auto
MakerNotes:Camera	MeteringMode	Evaluative
MakerNotes:Camera	FocusRange	Auto
MakerNotes:Camera	CanonExposureMode	Flexible-priority AE
MakerNotes:Camera	ImageStabilization	On (2) (mode 3)
MakerNotes:Camera	SafetyShift	Disable
MakerNotes:Camera	DigitalLensOptimizer	Standard
MakerNotes:Camera	PeripheralLightingSetting	Off
MakerNotes:Camera	DistortionCorrectionSetting	Off
MakerNotes:Camera	AFConfigTool	Case 1
MakerNotes:Camera	AFTrackingSensitivity	0
MakerNotes:Camera	AFAccelDecelTracking	0
MakerNotes:Camera	AFPointSwitching	-1
MakerNotes:Camera	AIServoFirstImage	Equal Priority
MakerNotes:Camera	AIServoSecondImage	Equal Priority
MakerNotes:Camera	OneShotAFRelease	Focus Priority
MakerNotes:Camera	AutoAFPointSelEOSiTRAF	Enable
MakerNotes:Camera	LensDriveWhenAFImpossible	Continue Focus Search
MakerNotes:Camera	SelectAFAreaSelectionMode	Single-point AF, Auto, Zone AF, AF Point Expansion (4 point), Spot AF, AF Point Expansion (8 point), [6], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14]
MakerNotes:Camera	AFPointDisplayDuringFocus	Selected (constant)
MakerNotes:Camera	SubjectToDetect	Animals
MakerNotes:Camera	EyeDetection	On
MakerNotes:Camera	RollAngle	-0.7
MakerNotes:Camera	PitchAngle	-3.4
MakerNotes:Camera	FocalLength	300 mm
MakerNotes:Image	FocusDistanceUpper	3.68 m
MakerNotes:Image	FocusDistanceLower	3.35 m
MakerNotes:Image	ShutterMode	Electronic First Curtain
MakerNotes:Time	TimeZoneCity	Chicago
MakerNotes:Time	DaylightSavings	On
MakerNotes:Time	TimeStamp	2023:07:22 08:56:38.15
Composite:Camera	LensID	Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM

Since you wrote that you only wanted responses from those who had photographed hummingbirds, these are most of the hummingbird photos that I have put on my web server. I have become more skilled as time has passed.

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https://www.rsok.com/~jrm/

garymak · ‎06-25-2024

Much thanks for the details and nice photo. I will review the images later. Yes, in this scenario, the "flower" becomes the substitute focal point, and makes for a nice, natural shot, such as you have posted. Good technique (which still requires patience to be sure!) Unfortunately, I don't have that in my yard. I'm trying to isolate the birds as they come into the feeder - at that "golden moment" mentioned in the exchange with "normadel" above. Examples:

Graphic Converter shows focus area, which was PRE-FOCUSED, and luckily the bird hovered right in it.This was the result.Talk about "luck" - autofocus grabbed the hook of the feeder but the bird flew into the exact same plane as the focus......resulting in this headshot.

johnrmoyer · ‎06-26-2024

If I start with the focus distance near the distance of the hummingbird or other bird, then I find that the EOS R5 will often focus on the eye of the bird when eye detection is enabled. To get the focus to nearly the right distance, I auto focus first on something high contrast at near the same distance as the bird, or turn the focus ring on the lens to get close. For birds with wings moving rapidly, I sometimes hold down the shutter button and keep the photo that has the wings in the position that pleases me most. I do not put out a humming bird feeder, but try to have some flowers in pots near a chair I sit in outside my house.

I also miss many shots. I am old and slow. But I am getting better with practice.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) in Norman, Oklahoma, United States, July 22, 2023. The bird was partially obscured by out of focus foliage, but the eye detection on the EOS R5 managed to find the eye.Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) on Salvia farinacea in Norman, Oklahoma, United States, September 28, 2023. The humming bird was going from sunlight to shade to sunlight, but the EOS R5 eye detection managed to find the eye. The wings are blurry from motion, but the eye is not because the bird had stopped at a flower. I held down the shutter button and kept the best photo.

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https://www.rsok.com/~jrm/