• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Dslr bird video thread (1 Viewer)

I am off to Gigrin Farm on Tuesday, hoping for good weather, would appreciate some starting settings for video with 7d and 400mm f5.6 and Sigma 150mm f2.8 for the Red Kites etc this is after hopefully getting fed up shooting stills,

Thanks
 
Manual mode
iso 100, 1/50th.
set to 1080p24
then adjust your aperture as necessary to get the correct exposure.
Pray for decent light so you can get the aperture up to help keep as much in focus as possible as trying to keep a flying kite in focus would be an extremely difficult job.
Maybe aim it at the ground and let the kites fly thru the frame.

Also you could try the 720p50 mode and set your shutter to 1/100th.
then when you are in post processing you can reduce the speed by 40% to get a really good quality slo mo. That might look very smart with kites.

Good luck.
 
That's a nice video, had no idea there were a no Dippers on the IoM........well except that one obviously.........
 
Cheers. There hasn't been for years but last year we had two (although on the different sides of the island). But now it seems we are down to one.
The chances of another Dipper making it over and finding this one are very slim though.
I wish our gov would reintroduce Dippers. Its man fault they aren't here anymore.
My theory is mining pollution but now it looks like our streams have recovered.
 
Here's my latest one, a very tired Red Throated Diver in the local fishing harbour. Handheld (out of the car window) with a 7D/100-400L.

The sound is terrible, it was rather windy and I have a feeling my hand may have been touching the microphone. Plus the IS was on.

Anyone using external microphones? Not that it would have helped as I was handholding but for tripod work it must improve videos quite dramatically. With the crappy sound in mind I found this site, which has natural sound effects to download.

The Diver video is totally unedited but in the future I may splice some of my best clips together and some wave/wind sound effects may be OK.

Edited to add: actually imovie (Apple's free movie editing software) has an ocean sound effect, here's the resulting video uploaded to youtube.
 
Last edited:
Your videos are superbly sharp stu! I don't think I'm getting mine that sharp even using a 500mmf4.

Do you know what sharpness setting you have your picture type set at?
I'm tempted to move mine up as its at zero at the moment which is what I read to do when i first got my 7d.

gyrob is using an external mic. he has a rode mic. I was looking at a seinheisser a while ago as I read somewhere that it can cut out the IS motor noise but as I couldn't find proof i never went for it.
 
Hi Peteh, I have it set to '3' in standard picture style...........

My video settings in M mode are 1/50 sec at 24fps, F13, ISO 100, Spot AF with centre point, , standard picture style, AWB, and centre weighted average metering.

One problem I have noticed is that I often get blown highlights. I'm not sure how to stop that, should I change to spot metering? Should I enable Highlight Tone Priority?
 
Hi Stu
i always take a still shot at my video settings of the subject check the lcd and close or open the apeture ,then just switch to video at those settings .
Rob.
 
Hi Rob, if I open the lens up the shutter speed will increase (I understand this is not good as it produces jerky footage) plus the shallow DOF would create focus issues when the subject moves........

Mind you I don't really know what I'm talking about and I guess it isn't an exact science anyway.
 
Stu
it will be the standard picture style.
Go into that and do a custom one and knock down the contrast.

It was the first thing I read. Take the contrast right down to stop blown highlights in videos.
 
Stu
it will be the standard picture style.
Go into that and do a custom one and knock down the contrast.

It was the first thing I read. Take the contrast right down to stop blown highlights in videos.

Thanks Peteh, on my video setting (C3) I've now turned the contrast down a couple of notches. Thanks for the tip............
 
I am off to Gigrin Farm on Tuesday, hoping for good weather, would appreciate some starting settings for video with 7d and 400mm f5.6 and Sigma 150mm f2.8 for the Red Kites etc this is after hopefully getting fed up shooting stills,

Thanks

I see you have posted some photos of the kites did you do any video. Can't wait to see how it went.
 
Well, I had a good time shooting stills, with 2 8gb cards, I had ordered another 8gb but it came to late for my outing to Gigrin, I did take one video with a fly in form a Red kite on the floor, then I did not remember to take my settings with me I know excuses excuses, anyway will do a youtube of it and put the link up to-Morrow.
 
in zoom browser
right click the vid then properties.
Rob.

Cheers, both were taken at 1600/1 sec 800 ISO F8 Center weighted average with Sigma 150mm in HD, I sure did that all wrong. next time will have my extra card for video, and think a bit more on the settings...
 
Another Brent Geese video.

Handheld with 7D/100-400L again, I can't be doing with the hassle of carrying a tripod when I go walking. Not as wobbly as you might think, I could lean the lens on walls or on my knee.

Peteh's advice to knock down the contrast worked well. Shame the sound is a bit dodgy.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 12 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top