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X-T3 for bird photography (1 Viewer)

To briefly revive this thread, I have been using the X-T2 and got myself an X-T3 a few weeks ago after reading the reports of other users in the DPReview Fuji forum. I'm really pleased with the purchase; the AF is noticeably snappier and I was already a fan of the high ISO performance (my main reason for choosing Fuji over the G9 or E-MI mkII) and quality of the SOOC JPGs.

Re: the earlier discussion on available lens -- choice paralysis put me off Canikon, especially since I didn't have a preference for one or the other. There is definitely such a thing as too much choice!
 
Adding my experience to the thread: I changed from the m43rds systems to the X-T3 and have been far happier with the AF and detail in my bird photography.
 
X-T3 Focus settings

I have been trying to use the X-t3 and 100-400 to take pictures of small birds in trees at my local reserve. I have tried a few of the Auto Focus modes. There are still situations where I can see the outline of say a Robing within the single point focus area but I am unable to get Focus.

Do people create their own custom mode.

I am very happy with the results when I do get focus.

I came from the 7dII and 100-400 Canon setup. I wonder if there is still a gap in AF performance.

Thanks
 
I have been trying to use the X-t3 and 100-400 to take pictures of small birds in trees at my local reserve. I have tried a few of the Auto Focus modes. There are still situations where I can see the outline of say a Robing within the single point focus area but I am unable to get Focus.

Do people create their own custom mode.

I am very happy with the results when I do get focus.

I came from the 7dII and 100-400 Canon setup. I wonder if there is still a gap in AF performance.

Thanks
I have the same experience with the 100-400 +1,4 TC but when the camera focusses then the results are phenomenal. Maybe I must learn more about the camera. I gladly hear from others and their experience with this combination.
 
I have the same experience with the 100-400 +1,4 TC but when the camera focusses then the results are phenomenal. Maybe I must learn more about the camera. I gladly hear from others and their experience with this combination.

I am looking at another system for small birds in trees. It seems that on cloudy days and in the winter there is not enough light for the X-t3 to auto focus without setting the ISO so high the the images are poor.

I am waiting to see if there is a replacement for either the d500 or 7d mkii. I would like to test the a6400 and the 200-600mm from sony
 
Also I'd like to share with you some advices.
Bird photography, especially wild bird photography can be quite challenging. There are many articles on the Internet that cover everything from “bird photography tips” to “the art of bird photography”, but I found that many of them are not detailed enough and do not contain as much information for an amateur bird photographer. After several years of photographing birds, I decided to write this “How to photograph birds” guide and include everything I know about taking good pictures of birds, so in a way, it is an introduction to bird photography. Parts of this article also apply to birding or bird watching, so if you like birds and just want to be able to approach and watch them closely, read the Locating Birds and Approaching Birds sections below.
 
Here are my birding / nature AF settings, in case anyone is interested:

basic AF settings: AF-C, custom setting 6, shutter priority: release
- tracking sensitivity (0 - 4): usually 1 or 2, depending on what I'm photographing. If the trajectory is unpredictable or hard to track, I'll choose 1; for more predictable objects (e.g. birds like geese or aeroplanes), 2.
- speed tracking (0 - 2): 2
- zone switching: either auto or front; auto is good if you're trying to pick out a target amongst other complicated objects both in front of and behind the subject, such a bird in reeds or a butterfly visiting flowers. If I know I'll always want the camera to focus on the foreground, I'll choose front.

For static subjects, I use single point AF with the box set to the second smallest setting. For moving subjects, if I'm really on my game I'll use the largest box size or the 3x3 zone setting. Occasionally I'll use the 5x5 box if the subjects are very unpredictable or fast and/or the background has little in it that will compete for focus.

I find the XF100-400 is best stopped down to f/7.1 or f/8.0 when at 400mm; although I have the 1.4x TC, I don't find the photos for it really sharp unless it's stopped down to f11, which makes AF more difficult.

There are a few shots here that I posted a little while ago, and I've attached a few shots from a recent trip to the Farne Islands.
 

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