video footage or stills for bird id (4 Viewers)

[Earnest lad]

Please may I request shared experience if possible from birders:
I have a camera and long zoom lens for my birding. Principally the aim is to obtain a photo or photos for the purpose of later identification and study of the bird, so as to maybe clinch an id that way. Although achieving lovely images is nice, it is is not the primary goal. Rather one wants to record bird id features as best as possible to examine later on the computer.
I have recently thinking to achieve this aim better, it might be better for me to try for video footage rather than stills (with still photography, burst speed is only 4 frames per second-one misses a lot of action between frames).
I am thinking video footage on the one hand would provide many more frames to examine. Also video footage would show bird behaviour better. On the other hand, stills from video footage would, I presume be of inferior quality than the images obtained from photographs proper.
I am wondering if seasoned birders have more success with bird identification using video footage or still photography for their birding and would be grateful for tips in that regard if possible please. Thank you

 

[njlarsen]

I am using stills and only go to video for interesting behavior. It is my impression that the cameras I have used have better control of e.g., AF in still than in video. On the other hand, my current camera is able to shoot 50 frames per second with some special lenses and half of that with the rest; I use a setting of 12.5 frames for birds in flight and about 4 with stationary birds.
Niels

 

[Earnest lad]

I am using stills and only go to video for interesting behavior. It is my impression that the cameras I have used have better control of e.g., AF in still than in video. On the other hand, my current camera is able to shoot 50 frames per second with some special lenses and half of that with the rest; I use a setting of 12.5 frames for birds in flight and about 4 with stationary birds.
Niels

Thank you for sharing. 50 frames per second or even 25 per second is really good. So, for example, where a small bird is flitting around in a bush (going momentarily in and out of view) I guess with a such high frame rates available, fewer opportunities to snap the bird are going to be lost.
I was recently trying to photograph a Yellow-browed Warbler for quite a number of minutes as it was flitting in and out of the trees. Between one shutter movement and the next the bird had often moved out of view. I found that in spite of a couple of hundred images or more being taken, I only obtained about 2-3 meagre record shots,

 

[njlarsen]

Thank you for sharing. 50 frames per second or even 25 per second is really good. So, for example, where a small bird is flitting around in a bush (going momentarily in and out of view) I guess with a such high frame rates available, fewer opportunities to snap the bird are going to be lost.
I was recently trying to photograph a Yellow-browed Warbler for quite a number of minutes as it was flitting in and out of the trees. Between one shutter movement and the next the bird had often moved out of view. I found that in spite of a couple of hundred images or more being taken, I only obtained about 2-3 meagre record shots,

The other important issue with what you describe is how good the AF is to find the bird in the bush, (instead of thinking the leaf is what you want to photograph), and how good it is to stick with a target once it has been acquired. Which all varies from camera to camera and possibly can also be influenced by the lens.
Niels

 

[Earnest lad]

The other important issue with what you describe is how good the AF is to find the bird in the bush, (instead of thinking the leaf is what you want to photograph), and how good it is to stick with a target once it has been acquired. Which all varies from camera to camera and possibly can also be influenced by the lens.
Niels

Thank you again. I will bear that in mind too. My camera, the Nikon D7100 is quite old. It was old when I got it 5 years ago. It is the first proper camera I have had so I haven't tried any other model so far.