# Review of R5 for bird photogaphy



## AlanF (Aug 11, 2020)

Nice review with some tips for settings


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## langdonb (Aug 12, 2020)

Brillint video. As an african wildlife photographer I have been patiently awaiting a capable mirrorless camera for action photgraphy. Looks like the R5 is it! Thanks mery much for your detailed, well presented review!


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## digigal (Aug 12, 2020)

Thanks for posting that, Alan. I look forward to his next video on what tracking modes he used. Went to a Zoom meeting today with a Canon EOL shooter who said he had a 1 hr conversation with one of the guys about setting up the tracking modes. This guy has been working on the R5 for the last 1 year and shooting it over the last year during its development told him that the best mode to use was Auto. I had been using a modified Case 2 since I got mine and was very pleased with the results, but have changed it to Auto to see what that does. We're leaving to shoot bears in Alaska so that will give me something to test although will not be as challenging for the most part as birds.
Catherine


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## Bert63 (Aug 12, 2020)

Just once I'd like to see a birding review where the shooter didn't have a $12,000 piece of glass hanging off his camera.


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## Deleted member 381342 (Aug 12, 2020)

Oh smashing, great video and even giving some hints with a good AF button setup for birds.


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## Kit Lens Jockey (Aug 12, 2020)

I have to say, in my limited experience with this camera, between the smooth motion through the EVF, and the advanced AF tracking features, if you can't get good bird photos with the R5, that's not the fault of the camera, that's a "you" problem.

(Yes I know this is a pretty rare species, but I'll never give away my secret birding spots. Also this is a 1:1 crop, so don't get too excited if it seems a little noisy. I only had a 70-200 with me at the time, and I wasn't actually planning to take bird photos, just seeing what the camera would do.)


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## Click (Aug 12, 2020)

Great video. Thanks for sharing.


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## steven_diexplora (Aug 14, 2020)

Great video, looking forward to a similar video of the R6


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## AlanF (Aug 14, 2020)

Kit Lens Jockey said:


> I have to say, in my limited experience with this camera, between the smooth motion through the EVF, and the advanced AF tracking features, if you can't get good bird photos with the R5, that's not the fault of the camera, that's a "you" problem.
> 
> (Yes I know this is a pretty rare species, but I'll never give away my secret birding spots. Also this is a 1:1 crop, so don't get too excited if it seems a little noisy. I only had a 70-200 with me at the time, and I wasn't actually planning to take bird photos, just seeing what the camera would do.)
> 
> View attachment 192107


The bird is 1300 px wingtip to wingtip - I am surprised at the level of noise for an image of that size and colour. What iso were you using and how did you process it?


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## Kit Lens Jockey (Aug 14, 2020)

AlanF said:


> The bird is 1300 px wingtip to wingtip - I am surprised at the level of noise for an image of that size and colour. What iso were you using and how did you process it?


It was pretty badly underexposed to begin with. So yeah this was not under ideal conditions.


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## AlanF (Aug 14, 2020)

Kit Lens Jockey said:


> It was pretty badly underexposed to begin with. So yeah this was not under ideal conditions.
> 
> View attachment 192143


Again, what iso and was it from RAW?


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## Kit Lens Jockey (Aug 14, 2020)

AlanF said:


> Again, what iso and was it from RAW?


Yes it was RAW, at ISO 100. I did crank up the sharpening to about 80 in Adboe Camera Raw though, and I don't think hardly any noise reduction. I really don't think it's that bad, given that it's a crop down from this.


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## AlanF (Aug 14, 2020)

Kit Lens Jockey said:


> Yes it was RAW, at ISO 100. I did crank up the sharpening to about 80 in Adboe Camera Raw though, and I don't think hardly any noise reduction. I really don't think it's that bad, given that it's a crop down from this.


Here is something I posted a week or two ago in https://www.canonrumors.com/forum/threads/show-your-bird-portraits.1280/page-1067
I walked into a bird hide with my camera set at 1/3200s and iso320 for BIF but I saw a wren struggling against a closed window. I took a quick shot or two and rushed over to let it out rather than spend time resetting as it was struggling. I had to push through 5 stops from what looked like pitch black and was able to get something cropped a bit larger than yours. I routinely push through 2 stops.


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## Kit Lens Jockey (Aug 14, 2020)

AlanF said:


> Here is something I posted a week or two ago in https://www.canonrumors.com/forum/threads/show-your-bird-portraits.1280/page-1067
> I walked into a bird hide with my camera set at 1/3200s and iso320 for BIF but I saw a wren struggling against a closed window. I took a quick shot or two and rushed over to let it out rather than spend time resetting as it was struggling. I had to push through 5 stops from what looked like pitch black and was able to get something cropped a bit larger than yours. I routinely push through 2 stops.


Ok, so what are you getting at with posting this?


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## AlanF (Aug 14, 2020)

Kit Lens Jockey said:


> Ok, so what are you getting at with posting this?


That I am not impressed by the huge amount of noise you got pushing iso100 through a couple of stops. I would be very unhappy with that. You shouldn't see any noticeable noise from that exposure.


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## Kit Lens Jockey (Aug 14, 2020)

AlanF said:


> That I am not impressed by the huge amount of noise you got pushing iso100 through a couple of stops. I would be very unhappy with that. You shouldn't see any noticeable noise from that exposure.


I guess I'm really not seeing the egregious amount of noise that you are in that photo. Maybe a little, but in a photo that is pretty monochromatic, I'm not too surprised by it.

Here is the same photo just with the exposure and shadows raised to an acceptable level, with just what I think is the default level of noise reduction in camera raw, and without also tweaking the sharpness and clarity. Is this better?


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## AlanF (Aug 14, 2020)

Kit Lens Jockey said:


> I guess I'm really not seeing the egregious amount of noise that you are in that photo. Maybe a little, but in a photo that is pretty monochromatic, I'm not too surprised by it.
> 
> Here is the same photo just with the exposure and shadows raised to an acceptable level, with just what I think is the default level of noise reduction in camera raw, and without also tweaking the sharpness and clarity. Is this better?
> 
> View attachment 192155


In your opinion, is it now acceptably sharp? If so, then fine.


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## Kit Lens Jockey (Aug 14, 2020)

AlanF said:


> In your opinion, is it now acceptably sharp? If so, then fine.


Looks a little soft to be honest, which is why I boosted the sharpness/clarity to begin with. It was at f2.8 on the EF 70-200 2.8 ii.


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