Filming fast-moving targets at long distance...

[Danest]

There's a bald eagle in the neigborhood! I haven't seen it land yet, so I'm trying to got a shot (or even a movie of it) at long distance. Without a zoom, I get a black fleck on the screen and people have to trust me that it's an eagle. With a very large of zoom, it's almost impossible to keep it in the frame for more than a fraction of a second, or even get it in the frame in the first place ( I feel like I'm sweeping the sky, hoping that the camera will go over the eagle, which is turning out to be harder than I expected.)
I know it's possible, since I've seen nature shows about birds, and baseball games where they track a baseball, keeping it perfectly in the center of the screen.
I know that professional photographers must have some amazing skills that I lack, but I have a feeling something else is going on -- excellent technology.
If that's true, well, I have no idea what this feature or technology is even called. Some kind of ... er... bird tracking? I've been googling but haven't really found anything concrete. I assume it's something only a certain DSLR lens can do, or maybe even just a professional movie camera? I don't know. Anyone know what it's called exactly, if indeed it is at least in part technology? I'd like to do some research on it.

 

[gsgary]

Keep both eyes open

 

[tirediron]

It's called panning. Very simple... you just follow the subject with the camera. Start by zooming as far as you can, but still being able to find him easily, and then center him in the viewfinder and as you pan along zoom in the rest of the way and take the shot. Just make sure you have a nice, high shutter speed to account for the focal length of the lens and subject movement (1/500 +)

 

[Jace]

I'm not being a smart ass, but I assume it's mainly called practice. I imagine the guys following balls, or shooting those nature films have been doing it for a while, and just know how to track well based on previous experience.




Edit: Or what tired said!

 

[Danest]

There isn't a technology on a really expensive camera, like some kind of zoom or framing assist? That's pretty surprising, but ok if you say so.
Anyway, I suspect this isn't actually forum for actual beginners. My mistake.

 

[o hey tyler]

There isn't a technology on a really expensive camera, like some kind of zoom or framing assist? That's pretty surprising, but ok if you say so.
Anyway, I suspect this isn't actually forum for actual beginners. My mistake.

There's a zoom, depending on what the focal length of the lens in use is. What do you mean by framing assist? What would you expect it to do? I'm just trying to understand what you're asking better.

 

[o hey tyler]

I know that professional photographers must have some amazing skills that I lack, but I have a feeling something else is going on -- excellent technology.
If that's true, well, I have no idea what this feature or technology is even called. Some kind of ... er... bird tracking?

Kind of naive to think that excellent technology makes you a better photographer. It doesn't. If you don't have the basics down like subject acquisition, and tracking the subject, an expensive camera will not help you do that. Don't you think if they did have some kind of subject tracking lens, that they'd implement that in military sniping technology? Optics are optics, and if we had that kind of tech it would be on sniper scopes. It really does take practice and familiarity with your equipment. Just practice with using a long focal length lens and it will come easier to you.

 

[KmH]

And the longer the focal length the lens you use, the harder it is to keep the subject in the frame when panning.

All those pro shots we see are the best-of-the-best and not the out-takes that were for ****. Plus they are using lenses that cost in 5 figures: Nikon 600mm f/4.0G ED VR II AF-S SWM Super Telephoto Lens for Nikon FX and DX Format Digital SLR