Foto at top: Holland May 2023 Grey Heron (Blauwe Reiger) sun, size 94cm distance 30m, equivalent 750mm D500 Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF VR total camouflage APERTURE Mode Birds 1/1500 sec. f/5.6 ISO 100 -1.5EV.
Most significant settings “standard” APERTURE Mode D500
- Settings “standard”:
- ================================== Camera handling: ============================
- Underexpose structurally: -0.5 – -2.0 EV (protect detail highlights picture)
- EV Increments: 1/2 stop (easy counting and resetting during actual photography)
- Camera switch Lock: Lock (unless you use multiselector for AF-point selection)!
- Language: English (matches camera buttons, keyboard shortcuts Lightroom, etcetera)
- Release mode: Continuous high (be ready for fast bird action).
- Beep: Pitch: low, Volume: lowest (useful signal that bird is in-focus if strong wind, etc.)
- ========================================= Light: ===================================
- Automatic light measurement: Spot metering: we always position bird in centre viewfinder during photography and recompose in Lightroom. (You may do otherwise).
- Centre weighted sensor area autom. light measurement: 6mm (average size bird in 24 x 16 picture).
- Camera switch PASM: A (APERTURE Mode).
- APERTURE value preferably f/2.8, … f/8 (reliable AF and AF 3D acc. to Nikons “F8 support”).
- Quality: 14 bits RAW lossless compressed (files untouched by camera, edited in post production).
- Colour space: Adobe Color Space: (also in Lightroom, ViewNX, Faststone, etc.).
- ========================================= Focus & track ====================—–=========
- Autofocus mode: AF-Continuous 25d (25 AF points & continuous anticipating AF & tracking)
- Autofocus parameter: a1=focus (priority focus, not Release)
- Autofocus parameter: a3=1 (fast start, dive, etc. bird). Motion: steady (Kingfisher, Crane, Buzzard), erratic (Tern, Woodpecker) medium (our “default” setting)
- ==================== When shooting a (series of) picture(s): ===================
- Press Release (camera performs automatic light measurement and starts autofocus (tracking).
- ================================== Thereafter: ================================
- OR do nothing and wait while camera holds AF position …
- OR Full press Release: camera shoots picture(s).
- FINALLY Check result if you have the time.
- IF YOU HAVE CHANGED SOME SETTINGS: reset settings and leave D500 as it was before !
