Holland may 2022 Mersander (Middelste Zaagbek) (body sharp, head slightly moving!) 25 meter sun Z50 Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E equivalent 1050mm standard camouflage.

“Point and Shoot“

You noticed that if you are photographing in APERTURE mode you are in fact all the time working ISO driven. This is because the value of APERTURE is more or less constant in lightweight bird photography, when using (super)tele lenses and converters or at least for considerable periods of time when changing or stopping down our lenses or using converters from time to time.

So, if you automatise the setting of ISO sensitivity also, you can photograph in some kind of “point and shoot” fashion like using a simple digicompact or smartphone. If you like to try this out, do this:

• Set your camera to so called “back button focus”
  • either: menu item DSLR : AF-ON only AF-ON button a Nikon DSLR
  • or: assinging AF-On function to AF-L /AE-L button on a Nikon Z camera.
• Set menu item ISO sensibility settings to:
  • Sensitivity setting ISO: automatic
  • Maximum ISO: 6400 (our very personal criteria)
  • Minimum shutter speed: 1/2500 second (anticipating fast bird action)
  • Maximum ISO flashlight: automatically equal to using no flashlight.

After you have set these menu items, all that is left for you to make pictures is:

• Point your camera at the bird(s)
• Press and hold AF-ON (D500) or AF -L / AE-L (Z50)
• Press Release every time you want to make a (series of) picture(s).

You have transformed your clever camera into an ordinary Point and Shoot device however it will act in the way you wish whenever you press shutter Release button. You are now working in “Point and Shoot mode” like using a digicompact. This way of photographing will save you lots of time and enable you to concentrate on the birds, their surroundings and their activities and photograph all this at the right moments yet get high quality pictures. It works beautifully!

A warning: be realistic! Don’t force your clever camera to accomplish the impossible like staying below 400 ISO and 1/4000 second in dark cloudy wheather! And also: when setting ISO sensitibity settings we never use setting Minimum shutter speed to Auto because camera will then apply classical reciproke rule (eg. 1/500 sec if 500mm lens used). This rule does not make sense in modern bird photography.

Afterwards

All you have to do after you have set your camera to work in this “point and shoot mode” is from time to time check and, if required, reset EXPOSURE CORRECTION +/- (mainly when the direction of light changes from frontlight into backlight or vice versa) and possibly the value of Minimum shutterspeed and Maximum ISO when available light conditions or other circumstances like (expected) speed of bird(s) change drastically.

Don’t bother any more about White Balance or optimal ISO value whenever the wheater changes a bit. Your programmed point-and-shoot camera will take care of it. It knows what you want. And you always still got Post production for minor corrections: 7. Post production

(Just as a reminder) before you start photographing, some checklists:

Generally in lightweight bird photography:

1. RAW workflow.
2. Minimally camouflaged equipment, hat & gloves if shy birds. Always sufficient camouflage or coverage.
3. Lightweight equipment: eg. Nikon camera-lens-converter, eg. Coman tripod, eg. Sirui head.
4. APS-C type sensor (or full frame DX / FX mode): “more” reach (bereik) if high quality sensor D7200, D7500, D500, Z50, Z7 [II], Z6 [II], Z5 (2 processors & 2 card slots) full frame/FX mode: large viewer & prints.
5. Consider TC-20E III converter for Nikkor lenses: more reach (bereik) at minimal loss of image quality.
6. Consider F-mount Nikkor lenses like 300mm f/4E VR PF and 500mm f/5.6E VR PF at Nikon System camera’s (Nikon DSLR: stay preferably below f/9 protecting reliable AF & advanced 3D and auto).
7. Consider Nikon Z System lenses like 50-250mm 1/f 4.5-5.6 non S-line (striking image quality and quite affordable!), 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 S-line, 200-600mm non-S line. (S-line: high qality, not very affordable). Converters TC-1.4X TC2.0X.

Default setting lenses:

1. Default setting lenses: A/m (Autofocus with temporary manual focus override)
2. VR ON (VR Off if on tripod or with any other solid support!).

Default settings camera’s:

1. Assign EXPOSURE correction +/- to back wheel via b3 (quicker handling).
2. WB auto (or correct in post production).
3. A (APERTURE) mode: minimize noise and protect detail shadows & darks.
4. Set APERTURE largest value combination, preferably no stopping down if action photography!
5. EXPOSURE TIME CORRECTION +/- button -1.5 EV protect detail in highlights.
6. Nikon DSLR’s: 3D or auto are not supported at 1/f = 1/9, 1/11, 1/13, etc..
7. Set AF mode = d25 (or auto if unpredictably not too fast moving birds like Sandwich Tern, Lapwing, etc.).
8. Set a3 = 3, movement = average.

Enjoy and lots of luck!

---