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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Tord" data-source="post: 2701264" data-attributes="member: 40738">Hi Miles,Welcome to this forum. Regarding the handheld shooting, it can be done but requires a three-hand grip. Left hand supporting the scope, right hand operating the focuser. The third hand operates the shutter. What I did was to use a cable remote control, easiest is probably to operate with the right hand thumb but it can be done with left hand as well.The reason for shooting hand-held is that often I shoot not from a static spotting point but tend to visit several spots, driving along small roads with interesting surroundings and seize the opportunities as they come. Most often these will be birds of prey in flight and there is simply no time to deploy the tripod.Some samples:Post #5 in <a href="http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=251711" target="_blank">http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=251711</a>The Red Kite in Post #1059 in <a href="http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=194789&page=43" target="_blank">http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=194789&page=43</a>Post #993, #995 and #997 in <a href="http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=194789&page=40" target="_blank">http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=194789&page=40</a>(not the Yellowhammer)I am using Olympus E-620 and the built-in IS comes in handy so shake blur is mitigated and I could probebly achieve sharp pictures down to 1/500s or so, which is too long times anyway to capture BIF. In sunshine or light overcast 1/1000s or faster is easily achieved at F/7.5 and the shake blur should be virtually eliminated by the IS. I use an AF confirm chip when shooting BIF, which helps quite a lot in addressing the challenge of getting sharp focus. The audio/visual confirm signal provides a good starting point. From that starting point try to get at least one sharp frame from from a sequence while refocusing to compensate for the subject motion. The depth of field is quite narrow with the SW80 F/7.5. According to DOF master it should be about 50cm for a subject at 25 meters distance and increasing to almost 2m at 50 meters. At close range, 25 m, I get maybe 1:4 keeper rate. At longer range, 50 m, maybe 3:4. I have tried with 1.4 TC as well but at F/11 it becomes dark/difficult and most shots are waste. Hope this helpsTord</blockquote>

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