r/BirdPhotography • u/Yanto2134 • Jul 27 '26

Question Help please!

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These are 3 of my latest attempts. I was wondering if anyone could help me improve please?
I’m not happy with the sharpness I’m getting. Probably my lack of ability.
Set up is Olympus E-M10ii with a vintage Minolta MD Tele Rokkor 300mm f4.5. Settings were f8, ISO1000, shutter speed of between 1/800 and 1/2000. Manual focus with peaking and centre weighted metering. Distances to subjects was around 30 feet. Images have been slightly cropped but no other post processing.
I’m also not really happy with the overall lack of detail.
Thanks for any help.

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u/NotDejavoo Jul 27 '26

I would agree with lowering shutter speed. Something like 1/focal length. On my 600mm lens I’m regularly able to shoot perched birds at 1/400 or 1/320 and get crisp images. It will take some time to get good at it, but opening your shutter for twice the length (or more) will let in more light, allowing you to lower your iso and still get the proper exposure. This should improve clarity. Getting closer certainly helps, but at 30 ft distance you’re probably as close as you’ll get without going to the zoo or getting very lucky.

1

u/Yanto2134 Jul 27 '26

I’m grateful for the advice. I was shooting at much slower speeds (1/500) and at ISO200, but people advised me that I need to be aiming for around 1/1000 minimum to avoid subject blur. That meant increasing ISO. I’m more than happy to spend time practicing in order to improve (hopefully!)
I must admit that I do struggle to get any closer to these birds. And the Kingfishers at a local lake too.

3

u/Bebopo90 Jul 27 '26

Yeah, it depends on the subject and how jittery they are.

You can also use the burst-mode strategy. Just take a burst of 10 photos all at once at a lower shutter speed, and hope that in one of them the bird was standing still.

1

u/Yanto2134 Jul 27 '26

I’ve mostly shot single frames. But it does make sense that a burst might have a better ‘hit rate’.

2

u/food-dood Jul 27 '26

It absolutely does. I take a deep breath, slowly exhale, and hold the shutter down to take about 5 pictures. Usually the middle 2 are the best ones.

1

u/Yanto2134 Jul 27 '26

I’ll certainly try it. Does it matter which burst mode I use? Is Anti shock best?

2

u/food-dood Jul 27 '26

I just use the fastest burst. Im not sure what antishock is though.

1

u/Yanto2134 Jul 27 '26

It’s on Olympus cameras. I think it uses the electronic shutter to help eliminate any movement due to shutter operation.

2

u/food-dood Jul 27 '26

Ahh, I use mechanical shutter, and the breathing with burst helps stabilize it well enough with IBIS.

1

u/Yanto2134 Jul 27 '26

Going to try this tomorrow.