Photo at the top: Holland dragonfly (Libelle) 2 meter – they are not shy at all – sun Z50 Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF VR equivalent 750mm standard camouflage. ISO Sensitivity Control automatic Max ISO 6400 Min Shutterspeed 1/2000 second. Actual values 1/2500 second 560 ISO. Manual mode camera and techniques “BBAF” and “Smart Point & Shoot” used.
This is workshop page 9 Modes & techniques
Modes and techniques frequently used in digital photography
In digital bird and wildlife photography one generally uses APERTURE or Manual mode in combination with a few special techniques to optimise image quality in low available light, shooting subjects at great distance or fast action and or always be prepared for unexpected situations or activities. Nature is not a zoo and it is continously offering surprises including unpredicted rain and the like.
We will give some popular techniques a name and abbreviation (if they don’t already have one), not to sound more “expert” but only to be able to easily refer to them and give you a better overview of the many various critical camera settings required for each particular mode or technique.
At this page we will first give you an overview of some widely used methods and techniques. Therefter you can then consult this overview any time when reading through the Workshop at this site. In our favourite combination “APERTURE Mode P&S“, reviewed in detail at page 12 APERTURE Mode P&S you will see that we use quite a few of these methods and techniques:
- Camera in APERTURE mode,
- No stopping down lenses
- Underexpose image sensor -0.5 – 2.5 EV
- Whitebalance Automatic
- “Back Button Autofocus” (BBAF)
- “Auto ISO” (Photographer sets limits ISO and Shutterspeed and camera caculates ISO and EXPOSURE Time)
- EASY EXPOSURE Time Compensation (button +/-) asigned to subdial camera
- One hand operation camera & Eye constantly at the Viewfinder and situation”
- “Point & Shoot” (repeatedly in this APERTURE Mode P&S).
We also show the complete settings of DSLR D500 and Z50 at page 15 Complete Settings D500/Z50. You can consult these two pages any time you feel like it.
(qqq table mb yet to be converted)
Overview of camera (P A S M)-modes and some special “techniques”. The “techniques” are usually initiated by a particular (combination of) camera or lens settings.
| MODES | FUNCTION | ADVANTAGE | DISADVANTAGE | RELEVANCE IN BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Mode (P) | 4 standard camera modes | easy | no control whatsoever | default mode after settings reset camera | |
| Aperture Mode (A) | photographer sets APERTURE | birds, wildlife, sport | |||
| — | |||||
| Speed Mode (S) | photographer sets EXPOSURE | ||||
| Manual Mode (M) | photographer sets APERTURE & Shutterspeed | Occasionally over-/underexposed pictures | sometimes used in bird photography in combination with Auto ISO | ||
| TECHNIQUES: | — | ||||
| Set camera to One-Hand-Operation | assign function EXPOSURE Compensation +/- to subdial | Photographer keeps eye at viewfinder, left hand free for operating head/tripod, etc. | b4 at Z50, b2 at D500 | ||
| “WB automatic” | Camera sets WB, photographer corrects in post production | ||||
| “Back button Autofocus” (BBAF) | Separates AF function from Release | Enables Focus and recompose and Enhanced APERTURE P&S mode | |||
| “Auto ISO” Automatic ISO sensitivity Control | Camera measures light & sets ISO. Photographer sets limits ISO & Shutterspeed | Enables “Enhanced APERTURE P&S” mode | 1) ISO value limited by Max. ISO & Min. shutterspeed. 2) Setting Min. Speed totally ignored by camera in APERTURE P&S mode qqq ??? qqq | ||
| EXPOSURE Time Compensation (button +/-) | Camera will overexpose or underexpose picture | ||||
| EASY EXPOSURE Time Compensation (button +/-) | Function assigne to subdial | enables one hand- operation camera | WARNING: occasionally set when photographer changes ISO without properly pressing ISO button | ||
| — | |||||
| Stopping down lens | Photographer decreases APERTURE lens eg. 0.5 -1.0 stop | bit more overall resolution image | effect varies by lens | ||
| — | |||||
| Underexpose picture | Photographer deliberately uses EXPOSURE compensation +/- | protects detail in highlights picture | usually -0.5- 2.0 stops | ||
| — | |||||
| APERTURE Mode P&S | Photographer uses only main dial and sub dial to set correct EXPOSURE Time | quick & easy camera handling and shooting, correctly exposed in-focus pictures | our preferred method in lightweight bird photography |
Characteristics of back button autofocus (BBAF)
- Camera focusses at full press AF-ON button (or any button assigned to function as AF-ON like button AE-L/AF-L at Z50)
- Camera will hold focus until AF-ON button (or reassigned button) is pressed another time
- BBAF is a logical element of P&S-method (element in determe EXPOSURE TIME in APERTURE Mode enhanced P&S)
- BBAF separates autofocus-function from Shutter Release-function
- BBAF facilitates focus and recompose–technique when this is required.
Examples of using some camera modes and photographic techniques
@dik review gallery
Next page workshop: 10 APERTURE & ISO
(qqq come from old verso ion RAW Workflow:)
Modes and techniques frequently used in digital photography
Note: we will give some techniques a name and abbreviation if they do not have one and wuold like to be able refer to it frequently in this blog. We are doing this not to sound “impressive” or “professional” but only to be able to more easily refer to them and in this way to give you a better overview of the many various critical camera settings required for each particular mode or technique.
Names and abbreviations of some techniques
Below we show an overview of some widely used methods and techniques.
Stopping down lenses
Deliberately use APERTURE values of the lens 0.5-1.0 stop smaller to get slightly better detailed pictures, avoiding the relatively great optical aberration of the outer concentric glass parts of ths telelens.The amount of stopping down depends om the type of lens used. More information at 10 APERTURE & ISO.
Underexpose image sensor
@dik qqq
White Balance Automatic
@dik qqq
“Auto ISO”
@dik qqq
Eye constantly at Viewfinder & One hand Operaton assigning EXPOSURE Compensation +/- to back dial camera (b4 at D500, b2 at Z50)
@dik qqq
“Smart Point & Shoot“. (“APERTURE P&S“)
In digital bird and wildlife photography one generally uses APERTURE mode or Manual mode in combination with some of the afore mentioned techniques to optimise image quality in low available light, shoot birds at great distance or to be prepared for exceptionally fast action or unexpected situations.
Back button autofocus (“BBAF”)
@dik qqq
“APERTURE Mode “Point and Shoot” (“P&S“) implies”:
qqq
Modes and techniques frequently used in digital photography
Note: we will give some techniques a name and abbreviation if they do not have one and wuold like to be able refer to it frequently in this blog. We are doing this not to sound “impressive” or “professional” but only to be able to more easily refer to them and in this way to give you a better overview of the many various critical camera settings required for each particular mode or technique.
Names and abbreviations of some techniques
Below we show an overview of some widely used methods and techniques.
Stopping down lenses
Deliberately use APERTURE values of the lens 0.5-1.0 stop smaller to get slightly better detailed pictures, avoiding the relatively great optical aberration of the outer concentric glass parts of ths telelens.The amount of stopping down depends om the type of lens used. More information at 10 APERTURE & ISO.
Underexpose image sensor
@dik qqq
White Balance Automatic
@dik qqq
“Auto ISO”
@dik qqq
Eye constantly at Viewfinder & One hand Operaton assigning EXPOSURE Compensation +/- to back dial camera (b4 at D500, b2 at Z50)
@dik qqq
“Smart Point & Shoot“. (“APERTURE P&S“)
In digital bird and wildlife photography one generally uses APERTURE mode or Manual mode in combination with some of the afore mentioned techniques to optimise image quality in low available light, shoot birds at great distance or to be prepared for exceptionally fast action or unexpected situations.
Back button autofocus (“BBAF”)
@dik qqq
“APERTURE Mode “Point and Shoot” (“P&S“) implies”:
- Camera in APERTURE Mode
- Basically no stopping down lenses
- Underexpose image sensor -0.5 – 2.0 EV
- Whitebalance Automatic
- Back Button Autofocus (“BBAF”)
- Auto ISO (with Base ISO, Minimum Shutterspeed and Maximum ISO)
- “One hand Operation (eyes constantly at the viewfinder following bird action; one hand is operating camera dials and buttons, seconf hand tripod, head/handheld telelens)
- “Smart Point & Shoot” (no continuous check and reset camer, anticipate action, photograph birds).
