Tips for pelagic seabird photography - Nikon Z AF modes and Lens Choice

[Hypoleucos]

If one is used to the 500pf the 600pf is the same thing only a bit better imop. I love the 400f4.5 and if you are in a small boat and can get close it will do you well and it handles the 1.4 tc better then the 100-400 although it will work as well. If you are on a larger boat I would use the 600pf with greater reach and it also handles the 1.4tc well and I find on boats I usually need more reach not less. Having shot for years in the 400-500mm range it didn’t take long to adjust to the 600mm range although I do still struggle a bit at 840mm on fast subjects that are close. Also wind and waves makes a big difference As does light angle.

Thanks Macwalter, makes sense and I agree I need more time with the 600... Thanks for your help!

 

[Hypoleucos]

Bruce makes a good point about staying low. The reason that works is your backgrounds and out of focus areas have more separation and are less likely to pick up alternate subjects.

Whether that works depends on your ship. My ship was a bit taller above the water and we spent 6 consecutive nights on board. I found little consistency as to the location of birds relative to the ship - while some were viewed behind the ship, it was pure coincidence and just as many were viewed from each of the other sides. I ended up spending most of my time higher at the front and sides so I had a wider field of view.

Pelagic birding and bird photography trips are a lot of fun but very challenging. One technique you might use is to program a button to switch to DX. That gives you more ability to see the subject when it is distant and small in the EVF. More importantly - it's a quick adjustment you can make after finding the bird in the full frame viewfinder.

It's a lot better to have a couple of lens options than to have the wrong lens. It only took me a few hours on deck to decide my longest lens and a tripod were the wrong tools. I was struggling too much to find a bird in the viewfinder. I was very glad to have something shorter and wider - to allow me to photograph something rather than missing the only bird I saw in an hour long period.

We saw lots of birds near land - leaving the harbor and returning to the harbor. But those birds were relatively ordinary. The exceptional birds were sea birds that did not approach land.

One more idea if you are serious about birding. I used a Nikon GP-1 to capture GPS coordinates in every image. We had the ship's electronic log which recorded the GPS coordinates throughout our trip and could be used to match the time of the image to the location, but having the embedded coordinates in every file was a lot simpler. Of course, we were outside cell phone range so that tool was of no use.

I 100% agree that the best birds are out over the shelf I have resisted the idea of a DX button for a) fear of bumping it inadvertently (!) and b) thinking I can just crop post, but the better AF performance and finding the bird is another positive, something I will consider. My main issue is things too close for the longer lens to find when they are moving so fast. I use eBird on all these trips so that allows a GPS point which keeps things simple. Many thanks, Paul

 

[macwalter]

Getting low is always best but I find it hard when doing fast action as I’m not as spry as I used to be. Also on a boat of any size you may not be able to get to the water level easily. As for using DX I would not on a boat especially as you lose working area and you can always crop. I find one of the mid to wide AF areas to hand off to Auto AF often works great for birds over water and if the camera loses the bird in Auto AF it usually is too far away and I just let it go. I try to avoid too many flight shots with just a sky background but not always possible. I rarely use single point in this situation. I use bird subject recognition in most cases.

 

[rawla]

Thanks for that, on one hand good to know it is not just me, but also sad as fixing my technique is the easiest thing(!). Appreciate the response on FL as well, hopefully someone else has some proven methods, otherwise I'll try switching SD on/off more regularly.
Kind regards,
Paul

Pardon my ignorance. What is SD? And how will turning it on and off help?

 

[EricBowles]

Pardon my ignorance. What is SD? And how will turning it on and off help?

SD refers to subject detection. If you don't use subject detection, it's easier to pre-focus on a branch, an area of water, or something similar near your subject or near that distance. If you are using subject detection the camera will look for a subject somewhere - and it may not be where you intend to pre-focus or find a subject. I know with my equestrian work I can choose to focus on the rider's eye or the horse's eye, but if I want both in focus I need to turn off SD and focus on the rider's hands or the horse's shoulder.

 

[Hypoleucos]

Pardon my ignorance. What is SD? And how will turning it on and off help?

Sorry Rawla, as Eric said, I meant SD here. I normally put that on the joystick press custom button using focus recall. I had changed it to slow pan settings when shooting seabirds (e.g., f11,1/40), but think I'll go back to having it as SD and using that more regularly. It has been working so well on land that I find I rarely turn it off these days since the last firmware update.

 

[Roaring 40s]

I've done a bunch of pelagics, from 1 day to 17 days.

With birds against a plain sky I mostly shoot auto AF area with bird subject detection. I find it pretty reliable. Z8, Z600PF & 1.4xTC.

It also does a fair job against a textured sea but a medium area Wide AF with SD can help cut out distractions.

I get a not infrequent loss and regaining of focus sharpness in the course of a burst. Don't know why. Subject AF area coverage is good.

For shutter speed: on a rolling boat I add a stop, usually amounting to 1/4000s with BIFs. When the light isn't good I'll drop a stop or two and take my chances.

With dolpins porpoising near the ship I use 24-120mm. The wider field of view provides a better rate of near-chance captures. With dolphins riding the pressure wave, I hang my phone over the bow and take a vid!

Using 600mm and also using it in 840mm mode with a TC to capture BIFs takes a lot of practise to get the bird in the frame. Steve Perry has a vid on this. One tip is to look through your VF, not into it, if that makes sense. I'd recommend starting your practise with slow moving birds and a shorter t/p lens if you have one. And see if one eye can see past the body while the other is on the VF. Can work to roughly track the bird visually.

It's hard to recommend an optimal focal length for seabirds IF. They can be curious and come close to check you out - then my 840mm is too much - or they can hang off and then my 400mm is too little. My std choice is 840mm but many of my pelagic colleagues shoot shorter.

 

[macwalter]

Generally when im shooting BIF and I lose AF it’s because the subject got out of the box or in the case of Auto AF the subject got lost in the clutter and the movement may have caused the subject to drop out of focus. When shooting BIF if I have a good lock I will hold the shutter down and let her rip but as soon as I see the green box go away or change color I will let off and try to reacquire. If it’s a big bird it’s easier to use
auto AF but smaller birds usually require a handoff or just a smaller AF area. I would imagine the larger AF areas require more processing and hence are a bit slower. I agree to up the shutter speed when on a boat if the light allows.

 

[Hypoleucos]

Thanks for the update, your advice is pretty much what I've settled on since I first posted. I ended up springing for a 400mm 4.5 Nikon lens, and it's a great lens for pelagics. If the birds are quite distant I can add a 1.4TC and have it be manageable, and for closer albatross etc it is still a very usable focal length. I'm not sure if I've gotten better or if there has been a firmware update (both?) but I find now that I get lock in most cases and certainly enough now that I find I'm just shooting as I would on land, rather than feeling like I'm 'fighting' the AF system!

I too notice that sharpness in a burst can wander even though SD has a good lock, more so than on land. I think as per earlier in the thread that this seems to be heat haze/distortion from temperature differentials?

In any case I feel like I'm winning, although tracking Cookalaria types zinging past the boat remains a challenge - off to try again this weekend!

 

[macwalter]

The sharpness will vary for sure. That is one of the tips a got from SteveP early on. Especially in low light and slower shutter speeds take a longer burst. The camera will refocus on each shot and sometimes it hits better, could be the subject has moved to a more obscure area or your pan may have wobbled a bit or it turned its head or something. I don’t worry too much at 20fps I will get something in most cases.

 

[Hypoleucos]

Yep, that is one of the joys of faster fps. One pays for it back at the computer, but finding the sharp gem in the mix makes up for it!

 

[macwalter]

I’ve gotten pretty fast at going through lots of photos. It helps to have a fast CPU.

 

[mrt]

I use a Z600TC on a Z9 and a 100-400 on a Z8 with and without a TC for most of my wildlife shooting. For me the 100-400 provides alot of flexibilty. On pelagic trips that chum, the birds are very close, and somewhere between 100 and 400 allows you to fill the frame and not clip the wings. At 100mm it is relatively easy to acquire flying birds and fast to move to 400, and along with the smallest AF area you can get away with before handing off to Auto makes for a relatively smooth process. For birds that are sitting on the water I either use wide small or single point on a calm day. If the bird flies then a handoff happens.

On a boat that tosses bait fish in the air to feed surrounding birds such as gannets the 100-400 also works well. Action is close and fast. 100 or so also allows you to fill the frame. I also like the 100-400 on Zodiacs where people are sitting shoulder to shoulder and since they aren't chumming the action may be farther away. With a TC you can get out to 560. If you're around whales as well the 100-400 allows you to get most if not all of the whale or other large mammal in the frame should they happen to come close. Also I didn't knock a single person into the water since the lens is small. Light is not often a problem out in the ocean so shooting at f5.6 or 8 works well.

I was recently on a cruise ship in the Arctic off Greenland and Norway. The ship had three decks. The most numerous photo opportunities came on the upper deck where most of the photographers and birders gathered. Lots of observers and the best field of view. Here I used the 600TC. Whales, dolphins, and seals were not right on top of you and many were far away. At 840 I could get pictures that others couldn't. I could have, but didn't use an extra TC. I also spent time at the sides near the rear on the lower deck so I could move quickly from port to starboard. Our stateroom was at the stern so if I saw something from the room I could access the rear deck quickly. The 600TC worked well here too with the seabirds that were flying by and taking off as we approached such as auks, fulmar, kittiwakes, puffins, and guillemots. Some fulmar were too close for the 600, but since there were so many it didn't matter. https://mrtk.smugmug.com/Cruise-to-Svalbard-528-6624/i-mCpQntD

In a kayak I like the 100-400 because it fits easily in the cockpit on your lap and with the Z8 is light and is easy to bring to bear thanks to finding flying birds at 100mm and moving to 400. You can also get relatively close to birds both on shore and in the water. In a canoe I bring both cameras and lenses in a dry bag.

So all in all I really like the Z100-400 in boats for so many reasons that I'm glad I went that route. As so many people suggest, you may want to rent those lenses for a few days and shoot in a variety of situations if possible.

 

[Hypoleucos]

Thanks for that and the link, some cracking shots there! That trip and then Svalbard itself is definitely on the bucket list. Helpful to know what your limits were, I am finding that the 2TC is in my bag but not coming out, but will likely try and use the 1.4 more. Instead of a zoom I'm enjoying trying for different types of images, so with the 400 I can nicely go from whole bird when at a distance to headshot/portraits if the birds come in super close on the water or in flight. Working well thus far, fingers crossed.

One issue that I've noticed is a tendency to get a magenta cast to white balance from presumably the preponderance of blue in pelagic images. I've gone from using Auto Natural light to setting a WB through the Direct Sun/Cloudy/Shade options instead, which seems to get me closer to the desired WB in camera. Curious as to other's approach on that?

 

[mrt]

Thanks for that and the link, some cracking shots there! That trip and then Svalbard itself is definitely on the bucket list. Helpful to know what your limits were, I am finding that the 2TC is in my bag but not coming out, but will likely try and use the 1.4 more. Instead of a zoom I'm enjoying trying for different types of images, so with the 400 I can nicely go from whole bird when at a distance to headshot/portraits if the birds come in super close on the water or in flight. Working well thus far, fingers crossed.

One issue that I've noticed is a tendency to get a magenta cast to white balance from presumably the preponderance of blue in pelagic images. I've gone from using Auto Natural light to setting a WB through the Direct Sun/Cloudy/Shade options instead, which seems to get me closer to the desired WB in camera. Curious as to other's approach on that?

Hi Hypoleucos.
As far as color cast I am in an interesting position since I'm colorblind and maybe a little color ignorant. I do know what is pleasing to me though, and while I don't mess with bird color I do tweak background with vibrance and saturation and very rarely a tint so that I can find a balance that complements the bird and makes it stand out. White balance is tweakable in post processing as well.

 

[Hypoleucos]

Interesting perspective, but I reckon if you like it then that'll do! I find I'm getting more used to picking up colour casts, but as they can be a pain post-processing to get right I'm trying to get closer in camera. Always something to learn... Thanks for your input, happy snapping

 

[JoelKlein]

Maybe the Z9 bird AF is simply better than the Z8 with birds close to the deck.

 

[AlanB313]

I use a Z600TC on a Z9 and a 100-400 on a Z8 with and without a TC for most of my wildlife shooting. For me the 100-400 provides alot of flexibilty. On pelagic trips that chum, the birds are very close, and somewhere between 100 and 400 allows you to fill the frame and not clip the wings. At 100mm it is relatively easy to acquire flying birds and fast to move to 400, and along with the smallest AF area you can get away with before handing off to Auto makes for a relatively smooth process. For birds that are sitting on the water I either use wide small or single point on a calm day. If the bird flies then a handoff happens.

On a boat that tosses bait fish in the air to feed surrounding birds such as gannets the 100-400 also works well. Action is close and fast. 100 or so also allows you to fill the frame. I also like the 100-400 on Zodiacs where people are sitting shoulder to shoulder and since they aren't chumming the action may be farther away. With a TC you can get out to 560. If you're around whales as well the 100-400 allows you to get most if not all of the whale or other large mammal in the frame should they happen to come close. Also I didn't knock a single person into the water since the lens is small. Light is not often a problem out in the ocean so shooting at f5.6 or 8 works well.

I was recently on a cruise ship in the Arctic off Greenland and Norway. The ship had three decks. The most numerous photo opportunities came on the upper deck where most of the photographers and birders gathered. Lots of observers and the best field of view. Here I used the 600TC. Whales, dolphins, and seals were not right on top of you and many were far away. At 840 I could get pictures that others couldn't. I could have, but didn't use an extra TC. I also spent time at the sides near the rear on the lower deck so I could move quickly from port to starboard. Our stateroom was at the stern so if I saw something from the room I could access the rear deck quickly. The 600TC worked well here too with the seabirds that were flying by and taking off as we approached such as auks, fulmar, kittiwakes, puffins, and guillemots. Some fulmar were too close for the 600, but since there were so many it didn't matter. https://mrtk.smugmug.com/Cruise-to-Svalbard-528-6624/i-mCpQntD

In a kayak I like the 100-400 because it fits easily in the cockpit on your lap and with the Z8 is light and is easy to bring to bear thanks to finding flying birds at 100mm and moving to 400. You can also get relatively close to birds both on shore and in the water. In a canoe I bring both cameras and lenses in a dry bag.

So all in all I really like the Z100-400 in boats for so many reasons that I'm glad I went that route. As so many people suggest, you may want to rent those lenses for a few days and shoot in a variety of situations if possible.

The gallery of your trip is awesome! Thanks for sharing.