Panning flight shots with a Gimbal head (1 Viewer)

I have recently purchased a sigma 500f4.5, and am still getting used to it's handling. It's a bit heavy for prolonged handholding, so I also got a manfrotto 393 head. Up until today I had only used the lens, whether tripod-mounted or handheld, on static or slow moving subjects, but after reading a thread on the 40D and BIF I felt I needed to test myself with the new kit.

So... camera and lens mounted on gimbal head, trying to track swallows and martins as they zoomed along the water's edge at a local reservoir should be a good learning experience! They were coming in fast and close - indeed a few birds flew between the legs of my tripod! Even tracking the little rockets was hard, let alone keeping a focus lock, but after 30mins or so, I was beginning to get some reasonable results (about 5 shots out of 80!)

I've solved some of the problems - have the 2-leg side of the tripod base facing you so as you dont trip over the rear leg; start tracking a fast-moving bird when it's still heading away from you, and follow it's flight path back round (otherwise it's gone before you've found it!). With these birds, which were very mobile and eratic even when on a relatively predictable general flight path, I found having all the focus points active worked best, except perhaps when they headed straight in towards the camera - in this case the centre point only was better if I could keep it on the bird!

Here's my best efforts from today - I'm still learning how to handle this set-up, so any pearls of wisdom will be gratefully received.
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/158823/ppuser/28570
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/158824/ppuser/28570
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/158825/ppuser/28570

Looking good Gordon - that light looks pretty dull to attempt Swallows! I think you just need to press the trigger later when they are a bit bigger in the frame

I agree with your choice of using all-points for this but only because you have the magic 45-point AF system on your 1Ds mkII. With these fast, little birds and a non-1 series body, you would really struggle to get and keep lock with all points switched on.

It also looks like you got their basic flight pattern sorted which means you can guess where and what they will do next...all about knowing your subject.

Thanks Mark!
I found that I couldnt keep the close ones in the frame, they where moving too fast. But overall I was quite pleased for a first try at tripod-mounted flight shots. I think I need to practice the footwork most; when that's sorted, the rest will follow.
Despite the dull light, the shutter speeds were mostly 1/500th or faster, even with some overexposure dialed in to compensate for the reflected light off the water. (Mind you that was at ISO800!)

I've got the 393, a bit of overkill for my 30D and 100-400 combo but it was at a good price secondhand and I needed something better than my 128 head.
The one thing I found with the 393 is not to have the side tensioners too loose. They need to be loose enough to allow easy movement but if too loose I find tracking birds much harder as the lens rocks around too much.
Having re-read what I have just written it doesn't make much sense, try it for yourself and you'll see what I mean.

I found the same thing when setting mine up. I took a good hour or so fine tuning the balance and resistance. I leave the QR plate on the lens permenantly now, with the balance point marked. This way it's really quick to set up on the tripod.
One thing I might adjust though is the vertical axis resistance - it was a bit stiff for these fast flyers, though ok for everyday stuff.
What I was (still am) having to adapt to was panning on a tripod. Previously I handheld exclusively for flight shots using my Bigma. Having the camera on a pivot a few inches in front of you instead of pivoting your body with the camera stationary in relation to you is a completely different technique, which I think is going to take a little time to master. I'll have to practise some dance steps!

Thought you might find this interesting.

Shows how far you can push the 393. This is a 1000mm FL scope with an overall length of about 50 inches as set up here. Controls it pretty well but the tilt clutchs need to be very tight.

Don't like the pan clutch very much. It's set up to adjust and then lock at that setting. I use four different scopes on the 393 all with different settings so it gets to be a chore changing pan frictions for the different scopes.

One of my few attempts at a pan shot through a 620mm spotting scope at 38x.

SF

gordon g said:

I have recently purchased a sigma 500f4.5, and am still getting used to it's handling.
Here's my best efforts from today - I'm still learning how to handle this set-up, so any pearls of wisdom will be gratefully received.

Click to expand...

Hi Gordon,

I am no photographer myself, at the moment, but can I say that your technique has improved from picture one onwards here, as you have shown yourself.

Picture one, has the sea reflecting the birds outline, as it did do, and the wings looks a bit out of sync. It looked a bit out of proportion to the eye.

As for picture three, well that is a super shot in my eyes. Well done, and as you say practice makes perfect. The detail is there, and the outline of the species of the bird is obvious.

It appears it is the clear detail, and the way the animal moves is mainly something to get to grips with for you.

Just a little observation here. :t:

Regards
Kathy

SF - wow, that's some set-up. Glad I dont have to carry that around! And panning with a spotting scope... I gave up digiscoping because I couldnt get everything together before the perched birds had got bored and walked off!

Kathy, thanks for taking the time to comment. If only the first shot were the first shot I took - more like 51st! There were an awful lot of OOF's, air shots and other misfires to produce the 3 shots I posted!
Managing the exposure technique isnt the challenge here, as you suggest. What I was struggling with was the panning. Sussing the flight paths helped, but I need to increase my speed of movement to keep the bird in the frame and in the AF zone. Admittedly, these werent the easiest subjects to pick to practice on, but there's nothing like a challenge. If I can improve my aim, I think the camera will do the rest.
(The photographer in me cant believe I just typed that, but realistically, flight shots are very dependent on automation)