… so, I received my new Canon R5 MK II’s last Thursday and spent the day and part of Friday setting them up to suit my particular taste and then it was down to Bubbling Ponds to try the camera out. I initially set the camera up for high-speed shooting … 30 frames per second, up from the 20 in the R5. I also set them up to use the pre-capture feature which is available to go back and get the previous half second before you depress the shutter button fully. Basically, the camera is shooting at 30 frames per second but not recording the shots until you fully depress the shutter and then you get the previous 15 frames from when you hit go plus 30 fps after you start shooting.
Small birds are almost impossible to anticipate their takeoffs, so by the time you depress the shutter button they are already a couple of feet from their perch … going back a half a second gets the shots you really wanted … with larger birds this is less of a factor since they signal a takeoff half a second to a full second before they go, still it is cool to have the pre-capture feature for them.
In the shot above, I was using the pre-capture feature as the Osprey perched on the branch and when he signaled his takeoff, I fully depressed the shutter button, and this photo was in the group of photos before I did the deed. I love it because as he is thrusting himself into flight, I got the talons just as they were free of the branch.
In the shot below I was holding on the male Finch as he was perched on the edge of the feeder in my backyard when another finch came into the viewfinder, so I fully depressed the shutter button and in the pre-capture series of shots I got this one with the male peeling off and going into flight and the female coming in for a close proximity landing.
While the 30 fps is amazing, most of the shots I want are in the landing or takeoff phase of flight … the ability to capture the half second before I fully depress the shutter is critical, it is less important to have the high frame rate, so I have reduced my frame rate to 15 fps and I have fewer photos to sift through when I get home! How many you ask? In forty minutes focusing on the bird feeder, I took 957 shots … now down to about 30 images.
Into a new week … it will be an amazing week … keep breathing, smile and share the joy you find in life.
Smiles,
Ted
Sleep quietly, now that
the gates of the day are
closed. Leave tomorrow’s
problems for tomorrow.
The earth is peaceful
Only the stars are abroad,
and they will not
cause you any trouble.
Sleep by Max Ehrmann
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The easiest way to reach Mr. Grussing is by email: ted@tedgrussing.com
In addition to sales of photographs already taken Ted does special shoots for patrons on request and also does air-to-air photography for those who want photographs of their airplanes in flight. All special photographic sessions are billed on an hourly basis.
Ted also does one-on-one workshops for those interested in learning the techniques he uses. By special arrangement Ted will do one-on-one aerial photography workshops which will include actual photo sessions in the air.
More about Ted Grussing …