The worst feeling ever

[JacaRanda]

I just had a perfect example of setting defaults in C3 on 7dm2 or any camera that allows it.

I grabbed my camera and put it in TV and auto ISO to see if I was missing anything. As I panned around, both ISO and aperture bounced all over the place, but the aperture never reached F8-the sweet spot.

While testing that out, an Osprey with a fish flew right towards me. I jumped out of the car, zipped the dial away from TV directly to C3 and popped off 3 quick shots. I will try to upload them when I get back to work by taking a cellphone pic of cam. preview screen.

My C3 shutter default is 1600th not 1250th as stated above, with partial metering also set as a default.

Here is the 3 shot sequence. (Hope you don't mind me posting here)
1 20150724_120550.jpg by jsteve5506, on Flickr
2 20150724_120608.jpg by jsteve5506, on Flickr
3 20150724_120618.jpg by jsteve5506, on Flickr
#3 without histogram. 20150724_114259.jpg by jsteve5506, on Flickr

I also have C1 & C2 setup with slightly different defaults; both having some exposure compensation for those times I get a white bird with primarily dark background. I've blown out Egrets many many times.

Hope this helps a bit.

 

[robbins.photo]

I guess I'm just old school but I shoot birds manually too.

A lot can depend on the type of camera being used as well. When I used the D5200 it had a single control wheel, so I could adjust one parameter "on the fly" but not more than one. As a result I normally shot wildlife/birds using Shutter priority mode, allowing me to adjust the shutter speed as needed and let the camera select the ISO and Aperture.

Since upgrading to a D7100 with the extra control wheel I do use manual mode far more often, I can adjust both shutter speed and aperture on the fly that way and let the camera choose the appropriate ISO. If I want to bring the ISO down I can just adjust either my aperture or shutter speed accordingly depending on what's best for the shot.

I wouldn't use manual mode on the 5200 for action shots, it was just too clunky with only one control wheel. On the 7100 it works like a charm.

 

[Rgollar]

The reason I shot manual is because of all the reading I have done from arthur morris where he explains why manual is more reliable. I have gotten pretty good with manual now. The shots that were overexposed was when I was in tv mode. The first one was in the same burst of shot as the second one. The second one was almost white but turned the exposure way down just to see it. once the bird left the sky and was in the darker area of the lake the exposure just got blown out. When I shoot manual I just expose for the area I am shooting and just adjust the shutter a few clicks up or down depend on the bird color. Most bird photographers shoot in manual from every where I am reading. But when guys like Kristopher Rowe are getting the shots he gets using auto ISO and exposure comp you have to pay attention. Because Kris is amazing. I guess I have alot of practicing to do. Thanks for all the tips

 

[dennybeall]

Once again the D5300 gets a bum rap.... In Manual Mode the wheel changes shutter speed but if you press the little +/- button, right beside the shutter release, the wheel changes aperture. So it's just as easy, perhaps easier, than having two wheels.