# My first attempt at stop action (hummingbirds)



## HeavenHell (Aug 21, 2012)

So I grabbed my 7D mounted with a 70-200 f/4 IS and sat on stool on my sister's deck and waited for something to visit her feeders. She mentioned that hummingbird's frequented them several times a day.

I didn't have much faith that I was going to see one and if I did that the photos would turn out any good. Well, sure enough one visited after only about 20 minutes. I took five photos. Here are three that I was pretty happy with. I know the composition isn't the greatest, but I think I did a pretty good job at freezing the action in two of them.

















They are really pretty birds, aren't they?


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## rwmson (Aug 21, 2012)

Nothing wrong with that bottom shot!


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## bjd (Aug 21, 2012)

HeavenHell said:


> So I grabbed my 7D mounted with a 70-200 f/4 IS and sat on stool on my sister's deck and waited for something to visit her feeders. She mentioned that hummingbird's frequented them several times a day.
> 
> I didn't have much faith that I was going to see one and if I did that the photos would turn out any good. Well, sure enough one visited after only about 20 minutes. I took five photos. Here are three that I was pretty happy with. I know the composition isn't the greatest, but I think I did a pretty good job at freezing the action in two of them.
> 
> They are really pretty birds, aren't they?



Nice shots. How did you focus? I ask because I am trying to capture small birds in flight, on a 5D3. But I guess a
hummingbird will hover a while in some places, different to other small birds that just fly away. What exposure
time did you set to freeze the wings?

Cheers Brian


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## Kernuak (Aug 21, 2012)

bjd said:


> HeavenHell said:
> 
> 
> > So I grabbed my 7D mounted with a 70-200 f/4 IS and sat on stool on my sister's deck and waited for something to visit her feeders. She mentioned that hummingbird's frequented them several times a day.
> ...


Actually, it's surprising how many birds do hover for short periods, it's only when you try to photograph them in feeding areas, that you notice it. That's one thing with photography, it can show behaviour you would otherwise miss. I've also photographed small birds flying backwards.


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## HeavenHell (Aug 22, 2012)

Photo 1 
Shutter speed: 1/800 sec 
Aperature: f/4.5 
ISO speed: 400 

Photo 2 
Shutter speed: 1/800 sec 
Aperature: f/5.0 
ISO speed: 400 

Photo 3 
Shutter speed: 1/500 sec 
Aperature: f/4.5 
ISO speed: 200


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## nonac (Aug 22, 2012)

They are fun to shoot. I've shot hundreds of pics of them this year. Here is a tip for you to catch one in a natural environment. Find a flower that they like such as a basket of petunias and hang it close to the feeder. Then when you get ready to shoot, mix up some of their food and put it in a spray bottle. Lightly spray the inside of several of the flowers on the plant. Trust me they will find the "nectar" that you added to the flowers. It may take some patience but you can get some great shots this way. 

Thie pic I attached was with my 5d MkIII, 100-400L lens. Shot at 400mm, 1/640 sec @f/8.0, ISO 400. The picture is cropped to about half of its original size.


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## HeavenHell (Aug 22, 2012)

Oh WOW nonac, that's a fantastic photo.


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## Ryan708 (Aug 22, 2012)

yeah Im really thinking I want a 100-400


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## chito (Aug 22, 2012)

nonac said:


> They are fun to shoot. I've shot hundreds of pics of them this year. Here is a tip for you to catch one in a natural environment. Find a flower that they like such as a basket of petunias and hang it close to the feeder. Then when you get ready to shoot, mix up some of their food and put it in a spray bottle. Lightly spray the inside of several of the flowers on the plant. Trust me they will find the "nectar" that you added to the flowers. It may take some patience but you can get some great shots this way.
> 
> Thie pic I attached was with my 5d MkIII, 100-400L lens. Shot at 400mm, 1/640 sec @f/8.0, ISO 400. The picture is cropped to about half of its original size.



Mine is with a 5D3, 70-200 IS II at 200mm, 1/2000 sec F3.5, ISO1000.. It is cropped at around 1/6 the size (sorta.. it is very cropped)

What kind of autofocus do you use? I was using 9 point zone AF in AI Servo but it was _hard_ most of my shots were out of focus, and the hummingbirds would move so fast...

All point AF was impossible, it was supposed to start with the single center point and start tracking from there.. but it would, just, not, pick up the bird...

I was also using the "case 5" AF.. for erratic subjects moving quickly in any direction.


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## nonac (Aug 22, 2012)

Ryan708 said:


> yeah Im really thinking I want a 100-400



I really like my 100-400 and have got some really good shots over the last couple of years since I bought it. Some people don't like the push-pull zoom of the lens, but it doesn't bother me.


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## nonac (Aug 22, 2012)

chito said:


> nonac said:
> 
> 
> > They are fun to shoot. I've shot hundreds of pics of them this year. Here is a tip for you to catch one in a natural environment. Find a flower that they like such as a basket of petunias and hang it close to the feeder. Then when you get ready to shoot, mix up some of their food and put it in a spray bottle. Lightly spray the inside of several of the flowers on the plant. Trust me they will find the "nectar" that you added to the flowers. It may take some patience but you can get some great shots this way.
> ...


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## DMITPHOTO (Aug 22, 2012)

Really like the 2nd and 3rd photo!! I'm shocked you caught those fast suckers at 1/800 lol


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Aug 22, 2012)

The 100-400mmL and the 300mm f/4 are excellent for small birds that will let you get close due to their short mfd and high magnification. The 70-200mm f/4L is also excellent, but benefits from a TC.
One of the things that concerns me with a non push pull new 100-400mmL is they might do away with that short mfd.


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## bjd (Aug 23, 2012)

Kernuak said:


> bjd said:
> 
> 
> > Actually, it's surprising how many birds do hover for short periods, it's only when you try to photograph them in feeding areas, that you notice it. That's one thing with photography, it can show behaviour you would otherwise miss. I've also photographed small birds flying backwards.
> ...


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## Ewinter (Aug 23, 2012)

chito said:


> nonac said:
> 
> 
> > They are fun to shoot. I've shot hundreds of pics of them this year. Here is a tip for you to catch one in a natural environment. Find a flower that they like such as a basket of petunias and hang it close to the feeder. Then when you get ready to shoot, mix up some of their food and put it in a spray bottle. Lightly spray the inside of several of the flowers on the plant. Trust me they will find the "nectar" that you added to the flowers. It may take some patience but you can get some great shots this way.
> ...


You said it was really cropped? How big was the hummignbird relativ
e to the af point? It sounds like with a 70-200 on ff you just didn't have enough reach to allow the af to perform at it's best


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## anand (Oct 15, 2012)

Fantastic.


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## Menace (Oct 15, 2012)

Stunning - well done


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## rpt (Oct 15, 2012)

Lovely! Just fabulous.


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