Help on focusing at a distance

mrjackphoto · Mar 17, 2008

I'm pretty new to photography. There is an eagle on the outskirts of my hometown. I've been wanting to photograph it but find it hard to get in close without it seeing me. If I could get to the spot I want to without him taking off it would be an awesome picture but that hasn't happened yet. So I decided to shoot it from a long ways away. I bought a Nikkor 70-300 4-5.6 to shoot it. I know not a great lens but I thought it would do ok for shooting the eagle. The problem is trying to shoot and eagle at this distance is hard to focus in on such a small subject in the viewfinder. Just looking for advice. Thanks in advance. I'm zoomed in all the way too.

Jack

EOS_JD · Mar 17, 2008

Put your camera into tracking mode (with Canon it's called AI Servo not sure about Nikon). All you do is keep your focus button pressed and the camera will track the movement trying to keep the subject in focus.

This is tough to get used to especially with birds.

Big Mike · Mar 17, 2008

Welcome to the forum.

How far away are you? After a certain distance, the lens will be at 'infinity' focus, which means that anything at that distance or farther away, will be in focus.

Either way, you might not need to focus exactly on the eagle. You just need to focus on something that is the same distance away as the eagle...so a tree or branch that it might be sitting on etc.

Socrates · Mar 17, 2008

Big Mike said:
Welcome to the forum.

How far away are you? After a certain distance, the lens will be at 'infinity' focus, which means that anything at that distance or farther away, will be in focus.

Either way, you might not need to focus exactly on the eagle. You just need to focus on something that is the same distance away as the eagle...so a tree or branch that it might be sitting on etc.

Actually, the hyperfocal distance would be ideal but nowadays it's really tough finding it.

To the OP --- When you focus, the depth of field extends in front of the focus point AND behind it (actually most of the DoF is behind the focus point). If you focus on infinity, you're wasting most of the DoF because there's nothing beyond infinity. The "hyperfocal" distance is the distance where the DoF ranges from some finite value to infinity, but no further. In the "good old days," we could figure it out by the focus markings on the lens.

mrjackphoto · Mar 17, 2008

Big Mike said:
Welcome to the forum.

How far away are you? After a certain distance, the lens will be at 'infinity' focus, which means that anything at that distance or farther away, will be in focus.

Either way, you might not need to focus exactly on the eagle. You just need to focus on something that is the same distance away as the eagle...so a tree or branch that it might be sitting on etc.

I'm almost 1/4 of a mile. Not quite though. And I'm zoomed in completely which maybe that is why it's not focused infinity. Here are a couple of the pics I took today http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...dID=87379592&albumID=1465416&imageID=23028473

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...dID=87379592&albumID=1465416&imageID=23028469

Thanks for all the advice.

alabama1980 · Mar 17, 2008

Im not an expert, but just throwing this out there...

Are you using a tripod? They look out of focus, but the second one looks like a little camera shake as well...tripod may help to obtain the correct focus.

A

mrjackphoto · Mar 17, 2008

alabama1980 said:
Im not an expert, but just throwing this out there...

Are you using a tripod? They look out of focus, but the second one looks like a little camera shake as well...tripod may help to obtain the correct focus.

A

Yes it was on a tripod but it was a bit windy out plus I was curious about the mirror slap maybe even. I was cold too and maybe shaking when I pressed the shutter. Thanks for the reply.

Jack

Socrates · Mar 17, 2008

mrjackphoto said:
Yes it was on a tripod but it was a bit windy out plus I was curious about the mirror slap maybe even. I was cold too and maybe shaking when I pressed the shutter. Thanks for the reply.

Jack

Aha! Said I.

When there's reason to use a tripod (and there was), there is also reason to use a cable or remote release. Even if it weren't cold, you will shake the camera when you push the shutter button.

sultan · Mar 17, 2008

I suggest turn the focusing ring to infinity, then get a very tiny bit closer than that.

Socrates · Mar 17, 2008

mrjackphoto said:
I'm almost 1/4 of a mile. Not quite though. And I'm zoomed in completely which maybe that is why it's not focused infinity. Here are a couple of the pics I took today http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...dID=87379592&albumID=1465416&imageID=23028473

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...dID=87379592&albumID=1465416&imageID=23028469

Thanks for all the advice.

Why don't I see your pics when I click on the links? Your link flashes in the address bar for a second and then my browser simply goes to the MySpace home page.

Socrates · Mar 17, 2008

sultan said:
I suggest turn the focusing ring to infinity, then get a very tiny bit closer than that.

Actually, I'd back off from infinity and guesstimate the hyperfocal distance.

Joves · Mar 17, 2008

For eagle shots I try to get out there before sunrise. Especially if your eagle loves to sit on one particualar tree. I also have some of those temporary blinds that I use as, cammo. But getting in before they can see you is the way to go.

iriairi · Mar 17, 2008

Socrates said:
Why don't I see your pics when I click on the links? Your link flashes in the address bar for a second and then my browser simply goes to the MySpace home page.

I can't see them either. Must be the only people to not have myspace pages. It seems to want us to log in first...

Big Mike · Mar 18, 2008

What shutter speeds are you using?
They might be blurry because of shake at slower shutter speeds...it might not be a focus issue at all.

As mentioned...if you are using a tripod, you can loose most of the advantages of it by pressing the shutter release with your finger. Try using a remote or even the self timer. Also, use Mirror Lock Up, if you have it.

Shooting with a telephoto lens is an art unto itself. It takes good technique and that comes with practice.

perfik · Mar 18, 2008

Get out your ghillie suit and sneak up on the little bugger...
Also you may want to try using a 2 second delay on your shutter so that the picture is taken after the delay once you and your shakey hands are away from the camera...
Just my 2c