Me and my shadow(s)

[neuroanatomist]

I was out for a walk yesterday, and looked up to see a great blue heron flying by in a long, graceful arc. Good thing I had my 7D with the 100-400mm lens slung over my shoulder on a BlackRapid strap, 'eh? []


As I spun the mode dial to C3 (my BIF setting) and lifted the camera to my eye, I noticed there was a smaller bird flying little circles around the heron. I fired off a couple of bursts as the heron and his 'wingman' flew toward me, then overhead. It wasn't until after I uploaded the shots to my computer that I noticed it wasn't one smaller bird, but a succession of three different ones accompanying the heron across the sky - first, a tern of some sort (I think), then a grackle, then a red-winged blackbird.


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This is actually the first GBH I've seen in person - although I've seen some great images of GBHs on the ground and in the air,I've come to the conclusion that from certain angles while in flight, they look downright funky! [:O]


This 100% crop shows what I mean...


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(All shots with EOS 7D,EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6<span style="color: red;"]LIS USM @ 400mm, 1/2000, f/6.3, ISO 250-320)

[mikehillman89]

Haha! Weird looking things. They look so graceful from far away...


I'm too much of a technology guy. The first thing that came to mind was AF1 in movies with fighter escorts... Ha

[Sheiky]

Nice shots John, it's always hard to get a good exposed underbelly and background at the same time [:P]


And yes Mike, it does kinda look like air force 1 in the movies [Y]

As I spun the mode dial to C3 (my BIF setting)

Still don't know what they do...the C1,3 and 3 modes... perhaps I should check them out. I always thought they were some sort of P-modes and so I never used them.

[mikehillman89]

Still don't know what they do...the C1,3 and 3 modes...
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The C modes are custom modes. They're useful for setting exposure and shutter for a particular environment and then saving them so you can quickly recall them. This is really handy when shooting movies when you're moving between indoors and outdoors for example and want to keep even looking shots.

[neuroanatomist]

Thanks, Jan!


Yes, as Mike said, C1-C3 are useful to store certain configurations. Each is linked to a shooting mode (Av, Tv, or M) and other settings are also stored (AF parameters, image format, picture style, many C.Fn's too). Some C.Fn's apply across all the C# settings (e.g. AF Microadjustment)


For example, I use the following:


C1, tripod shots: Av, One Shot, mirror lockup, 2-sec timer, single AF point, ISO 100


C2, wildlife: Av mode, high speed drive, AI Focus, spot AF, spot metering


C3, BIF: M mode,high speed drive,1/2000+f/6.3+Auto ISO, AI Servo, AF Point Expansion


You could set one up for HDR, for example, withAv mode so your DoF doesn't change,auto exposure bracketing active, etc.


Essentially, you dial in the settings you want, then Register them to a C# using Setup Menu 3. You can change the stored settings by adjusting them and re-registering to the same C# (but you cannot change the shooting mode associated with a particular C# unless you start over from Av, Tv, or M).

[Sheiky]

Wow thanks guys! See ... I can learn a lot around here []


I'm definitely going to check that out! Most interesting part of it is that I could make a dedicated macro-setting. At least for me it would be very interesting.


Video-mode sounds good as well, although I have to update my firmware first I guess...


And yes a specific HDR-setting also sounds pretty usable [H] and makes it a lot quicker and so easier to do stuff like that in between other types of shooting.


I can imagine myself photographing a sportsevent and having about half a minute before action arrives and I see the perfect setting for a HDR photo...man I really have to check it out! [:P]


Thanks a lot! Much appreciated![]

[mikehillman89]

No problem! Those instances are bound to happen. Post some video stuff if you shoot any!

[Sheiky]

I've only done a few video attempts, but I can't say I'm really happy with the results. Happy with quality of it, but not with what I did. I'll keep trying [A]

[mikehillman89]

Keep it up. I don't know if you saw this in my other thread but i posted some video tests I did with my buddy's 7D I'm getting another one with more to upload soon.

[Sheiky]

Yea Mike I saw your video [Y] great stuff! Also those roads look so HUGE...


I'll try out some stuff later on, but I'm also not such a hero with premiere etc. I can do a simple time-lapse, but that's about it [:P]


Ps: what settings did you use? Photo style etc? Did you use extra/less contrast/saturation/vibrance/etc etc... I assume manual focus?