So is the Canon R5 a bird photography body? (2 Viewers)

[Aladdin]

So I decided against the March firmware upgrade 1.8.1 but did install 1.7.0 as I was a few behind.
What I found was that I was then getting one or two total blackouts/ lockups with the camera and only battery removal would restore normal operation.
I have noticed though that this hasn't happened for a few outings now which is good.
The camera still performed well though.View attachment 1511112View attachment 1511113

Excellent!

I bought the R3 and the 100-500mm a couple of days ago. I traded in my 100-400 and two 5D bodies (with battery pack) + an x2 extender that I never got any good results with

I got out in the field to train with the new camera, and the first thing I noticed was the weight, much lighter than my 5D with the battery pack and the 100-400mm. So this was a very pleasant surprise.

Bird pictures, while studying the camera I discovered something called BACK BUTTON AF, available on my previous cameras as well, but now I heard about it for the first time. And my R3 was setup for BACK BUTTON. One with eye tracking and one without

The first bird picture, the camera spotted the eye on the bird quickly, and the other birds as well.

But the electric view finder, well, I liked it better when it was like looking through a binocular. I hope to get used to it, but the small birds in the bushes is very hard for me to find.

And the BACK BUTTON, will take some time to get used to as I shot many pictures forgetting to focus. I will fine tune my technique as all my fingers are occupied with the back buttons and I like to change exposure etc. with my thumb.

I went for a second day of practice and now I had fine tuned the back button settings.

Second day and it was even worse and I was not happy coming back home with my 9000 Dollar equipment. It would have been better with my old D5.

Most of the pictures from the second day went to the garbage.

I will post this and I will go to the park to practice with pigeons, so I will practice and maybe I will try the sparrows as well.

And thanks for all the pictures you post here, now I know it is me and not the equipment!

Kind Regards and happy birding
Aladdin

 

[mike nesbitt]

Whats wrong with that picture? I would give a million if my pictures turned out like that!

Great photo!

Kind Regards and happy birding
Aladdin

Lol.
I'm happy with it.

Excellent!

I bought the R3 and the 100-500mm a couple of days ago. I traded in my 100-400 and two 5D bodies (with battery pack) + an x2 extender that I never got any good results with

I got out in the field to train with the new camera, and the first thing I noticed was the weight, much lighter than my 5D with the battery pack and the 100-400mm. So this was a very pleasant surprise.

Bird pictures, while studying the camera I discovered something called BACK BUTTON AF, available on my previous cameras as well, but now I heard about it for the first time. And my R3 was setup for BACK BUTTON. One with eye tracking and one without

The first bird picture, the camera spotted the eye on the bird quickly, and the other birds as well.

But the electric view finder, well, I liked it better when it was like looking through a binocular. I hope to get used to it, but the small birds in the bushes is very hard for me to find.

And the BACK BUTTON, will take some time to get used to as I shot many pictures forgetting to focus. I will fine tune my technique as all my fingers are occupied with the back buttons and I like to change exposure etc. with my thumb.

I went for a second day of practice and now I had fine tuned the back button settings.

Second day and it was even worse and I was not happy coming back home with my 9000 Dollar equipment. It would have been better with my old D5.

Most of the pictures from the second day went to the garbage.

I will post this and I will go to the park to practice with pigeons, so I will practice and maybe I will try the sparrows as well.

And thanks for all the pictures you post here, now I know it is me and not the equipment!

Kind Regards and happy birding
Aladdin

Excellent!

I bought the R3 and the 100-500mm a couple of days ago. I traded in my 100-400 and two 5D bodies (with battery pack) + an x2 extender that I never got any good results with

I got out in the field to train with the new camera, and the first thing I noticed was the weight, much lighter than my 5D with the battery pack and the 100-400mm. So this was a very pleasant surprise.

Bird pictures, while studying the camera I discovered something called BACK BUTTON AF, available on my previous cameras as well, but now I heard about it for the first time. And my R3 was setup for BACK BUTTON. One with eye tracking and one without

The first bird picture, the camera spotted the eye on the bird quickly, and the other birds as well.

But the electric view finder, well, I liked it better when it was like looking through a binocular. I hope to get used to it, but the small birds in the bushes is very hard for me to find.

And the BACK BUTTON, will take some time to get used to as I shot many pictures forgetting to focus. I will fine tune my technique as all my fingers are occupied with the back buttons and I like to change exposure etc. with my thumb.

I went for a second day of practice and now I had fine tuned the back button settings.

Second day and it was even worse and I was not happy coming back home with my 9000 Dollar equipment. It would have been better with my old D5.

Most of the pictures from the second day went to the garbage.

I will post this and I will go to the park to practice with pigeons, so I will practice and maybe I will try the sparrows as well.

And thanks for all the pictures you post here, now I know it is me and not the equipment!

Kind Regards and happy birding
Aladdin

Don't despair!
The problems you are having with transition from DSLR to Mirrorless is one that's experienced by many. It's well documented on the net and there are many methods of overcoming the issues.
The use of BBF does take a bit of mastering - it did for me anyway and once you get the hang of it, you will reap the harvest in the long run.
The focusing or lack of it for bird in the bush is sometimes exasperating, it's a mirrorless thing and not restricted to Canon.
In this situation I have a suite of (emergency) settings mapped to the star button. IE, Center point focus, 1/1600th, f8, auto ISO, - 1/3 exp comp and it generally guarantees an image in that scenario.
Cheers
Mike.

 

[Aladdin]

Lol.
I'm happy with it.


Don't despair!
The problems you are having with transition from DSLR to Mirrorless is one that's experienced by many. It's well documented on the net and there are many methods of overcoming the issues.
The use of BBF does take a bit of mastering - it did for me anyway and once you get the hang of it, you will reap the harvest in the long run.
The focusing or lack of it for bird in the bush is sometimes exasperating, it's a mirrorless thing and not restricted to Canon.
In this situation I have a suite of (emergency) settings mapped to the star button. IE, Center point focus, 1/1600th, f8, auto ISO, - 1/3 exp comp and it generally guarantees an image in that scenario.
Cheers
Mike.

Thank you Mike Nesbitt

I skipped the park today and I went to the university next door. They play soccer there and I had planned to practice BIRDS IN FLIGHT photography using their foot ball, something I gave up pretty quick.

First time I get back home with my R3 and I am pleased with the pictures. I could sit down trying the BBF and I checked the menu at the same time so I think I learned something. The pictures came out pretty sharp but there are for sure room for improvements and I will go back to morrow again.

One of the problem is that I use the thumb and index finger at the same time so I cannot adjust the exposure for birds with light back ground. So I need to do the exposure before focusing.

But it was good as I could sit down adjusting the settings and test with the birds foraging in front of me.

And it is kind of fun as well, so I will get more training tomorrow. And as you say, as soon as I get used to it it will be like I have always been doing it and there is no looking back.

I will try your settings for my third BBF

Kind Regards and Happy Birding
Aladdin

 

[Dave Williams]

You can set up your custom functions 1-3 for different scenarios too. Just hitting the Mf-n button scrolls through each one and back to your main setting.
Unlike most people I have my shutter button set to focus and to take shots. I use a single centre point which allows me to focus in the area I want the camera to look. The back button AF-on button is set for eye detect so once I have found my subject using the shutter button the back button finds the eye and continues to lock on to it when I take the shots. If the subject is a bird in flight I use the back button straight away and it usually finds the target and sticks on it while I take the shots. Using my thumb for more than one button is hit and possibly miss for me as the buttons are small and close together on the R5. I think I have them all set for the same function!

 

[edenwatcher]

This is pretty much how I have set mine up. My default setting uses crop mode for perched birds, with a custom function setting for if I need to go to full frame. I use full frame for flyers. Had the camera 3 weeks and really loving it so far - unlike the love hate relationship with the R7.

Rob

 

[Aladdin]

You can set up your custom functions 1-3 for different scenarios too. Just hitting the Mf-n button scrolls through each one and back to your main setting.
Unlike most people I have my shutter button set to focus and to take shots. I use a single centre point which allows me to focus in the area I want the camera to look. The back button AF-on button is set for eye detect so once I have found my subject using the shutter button the back button finds the eye and continues to lock on to it when I take the shots. If the subject is a bird in flight I use the back button straight away and it usually finds the target and sticks on it while I take the shots. Using my thumb for more than one button is hit and possibly miss for me as the buttons are small and close together on the R5. I think I have them all set for the same function!

This was good information!!

I have seen a lot of videos and read instructions and this is the first time I learn that I can use the shutter button for AF and to have the back buttons at the same time. I thought you had to have the shutter button half press "MEASURING ONLY" to be able to use the back buttons.

Honestly, after using the camera two times I was pondering to only use the shutter button, but now I get more end more used to the back button. But your set up seems to be something for me and I will try it out.

Cheers!

 

[edenwatcher]

Check out videos by Fabian Fopp. He uses the shutter button for AF with back button for eye detection.

Rob

 

[Aladdin]

Check out videos by Fabian Fopp. He uses the shutter button for AF with back button for eye detection.

Rob

Cheers!

I watched his video s before, but now I found the

and it was quite interesting and I will try it our.

Kind Regards
Aladdin

 

[Aladdin]

This is pretty much how I have set mine up. My default setting uses crop mode for perched birds, with a custom function setting for if I need to go to full frame. I use full frame for flyers. Had the camera 3 weeks and really loving it so far - unlike the love hate relationship with the R7.

Rob

Hello again Rob!

It is working beautifully! Now I have the shutter button in a classic style. It is easy to find the birds and when I have the bird in focus I use one back button for eye detection, servo and following the eye.

Before I had a hard time to see the birds in the view finder as all the auto focus points moving around in the view finder making me sea sick. Now it is clean with centre focus point on the bird. Starting the eye detection, servo and follow target with the back button.

The pictures start to turn out good and I can keep the pictures compared to before, everything went to the garbage bin.

And you are right, the R3 is a really nice camera and it is actually fun again, thanks to your setting. I was about to give up in the beginning.

Thanks again, your really helped out!
Aladdin

 

[Dave Williams]

Hello again Rob!

It is working beautifully! Now I have the shutter button in a classic style. It is easy to find the birds and when I have the bird in focus I use one back button for eye detection, servo and following the eye.

Before I had a hard time to see the birds in the view finder as all the auto focus points moving around in the view finder making me sea sick. Now it is clean with centre focus point on the bird. Starting the eye detection, servo and follow target with the back button.

The pictures start to turn out good and I can keep the pictures compared to before, everything went to the garbage bin.

And you are right, the R3 is a really nice camera and it is actually fun again, thanks to your setting. I was about to give up in the beginning.

Thanks again, your really helped out!
Aladdin

I'm pleased that at last I have found some people acknowledging that the setting works well ! I have been advocating it in reply to queries on several web sites ever since I started using it back in 2020 but never had a positive response before!!

 

[Aladdin]

I'm pleased that at last I have found some people acknowledging that the setting works well ! I have been advocating it in reply to queries on several web sites ever since I started using it back in 2020 but never had a positive response before!!

Yes, I am very happy!

Seriously, I look forward to go out looking for birds again. All these focus points floating around made me very confused and I could not see the birds. But now, shutter button and a clean view. Then the back button when I had focused on the bird.

Working perfect and now I get OK pictures even of the small birds. The white eye is in ISO 25600 so not very sharp, but excellent for the ISO speed with just a bit of denoising

Thank you again!
Aladdin

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Out yesterday with my R5 for birds for the first time in a year (my R7 has taken over the role of bird camera).

A red-footed falcon arrived a few days ago on moorland just up the road. When I arrived yesterday it was sitting resting and preening on a fence, after having eaten a vole. It stayed there a while, until it had enough appetite to resume hunting for the large black beetles it was catching in the heather. I took the opportunity to grab a quick video (hand held) as it preened. I'm not usually one for videos, but I've been tempted to grab some shots lately.

EOS R5 plus RF 100-500 + 1.4x converter.

Uploaded at 4K quality.