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Can anyone help - I have a [Panasonic] Lumix FZ-7 camera.  I can get some great pics, but would like to know - what setting do I need to capture wings?  Here's an example - decent pic, but I wish I could do a better job on the wings.  I know hummingbirds are particularly difficult, but i don't have much luck w/other birds either.

I'll post another of a sparrow in flight so you can see my wing blur and offer suggestions.......

Is anyone familiar at all with this camera and can you give me any advice?

and a sparrow.......

 

 

Barb... freezing the wings on a hummingbird is a difficult thing to do.  The wings beat at 40-50 flaps a second.  I have been able to freeze the wings using strobe lights.  Take a look at my thread on Hummingbird Photograph... in General Discussions.  I'm not familiar with your camera but normal settings will not freeze the wings... unless the lighting is just right and the shutter speed is about 1/8000 of a second.  Even then the shutter speed is too slow.  You would need about 1/20000 sec shutter.  I set my strobes up at 1/40000 sec to get full stop action.

I post an example.

Fraser

One more...

Fraser

Fraser, those are absolutely beautiful!  It sounds like something beyond my camera's capacity.  It's a good camera, but not a great one when comparing to some of the really expensive ones. I've tried the auto sports setting/action settings, etc. but just can't seem to get it right.  As to the hummingbird, yeah, it's hard enough to capture them at all when they're flitting between flowers, let alone the beautiful shots such as yours!  I'm on a mission though, and I'll keep trying.  I've tried the redwing black birds in flight too, to get a good pic of their wing colors, but mine almost always end up blurry :(

Thanks for info - I'll see what I can do w/shutter speeds, etc. 

A little bit more info... Your attitude is great, and more often than not, the camera will take better pictures than you have been able to yet take.  Do some study and experiment. 

Moving flying birds brings in three problems, a moving target, camera shake, and focus issues.  I use manual focus on all my shots.  The cameras are just not quick enough to use auto focus.   Many shots are throw aways, take lots, throw away ALL bad shots.  Some will be OK and eventually a few will be good.

Keep at it.

Fraser

Barb Vee:

Fraser, those are absolutely beautiful!  It sounds like something beyond my camera's capacity.  It's a good camera, but not a great one when comparing to some of the really expensive ones. I've tried the auto sports setting/action settings, etc. but just can't seem to get it right.  As to the hummingbird, yeah, it's hard enough to capture them at all when they're flitting between flowers, let alone the beautiful shots such as yours!  I'm on a mission though, and I'll keep trying.  I've tried the redwing black birds in flight too, to get a good pic of their wing colors, but mine almost always end up blurry :(

To freeze motion you need a quick shutter.  In auto mode, your camera will do its best to give you a good image with the light that's available.  In normal circumstances, this is fine.  The problem is that your camera doesn't know what you're trying to do (the "sport" settings can help with this, but they might not quite be good enough). 

Start with an exercise.  Look in your manual and see if there is a "Shutter Priority" or "Shutter Variable" setting.  It's often indicated in the controls by "S" or "Sv".  When you find it, set the number as high as it will go (your camera apparently tops out at 2000, which means 1/2000 of a second).  In this mode, you tell the camera exactly how long you want the shutter open for each shot, and the camera adjusts the lens aperture to try to get the proper exposure.  PIck a subject (something in your backyard, for example), and take a shot.  Unless you're in direct sunlight, this first shot will likely be too dark to see anything, so reduce the number a bit and take another shot.  Keep trying this until you get a usable image.  This should give you a feel for how shutter priority mode works.

In the field, you obviously won't get a chance to experiment with different speeds when you're trying to shoot a subject, so try to figure out what settings to use before you find your subject.  This can be tricky, though.  For example, you may set up for a subject in sunlight, but then find one in the shade.  It will take some practice, but you'll figure it out eventually.  You'll need all the light you can get, so shooting on a bright, sunny day will help.

Fraser's advice about taking lots of shots is also spot-on.  The more frames you take, the better your chances of getting a decent picture. 

Hummingbirds are another matter altogether.  I've seen pictures of hummingbirds taken by a DSLR camera with shutter speeds of 1/8000 of a second.  Although they come close to stopping the wings, there is always some amount of blur to them.  The only way to get those crystal-clear shots is to use flash, and usually more than one, as Fraser explains in the other thread.

Thanks to both of you!  So far, I've mainly just used the point and shoot feature w/various settings [i.e., dusk, sports, etc] and haven't fooled too much w/shutter speed.  The auto focus does seem to take longer than some birds are willing to sit still.  But there are those occasions when one is busy and I can get a pretty decent shot!

I do take MANY multiples and do wind up deleting most.  I often think how much this hobby would cost if I had to pay to develop each of these blurs.  I do love the digital age!!

So far, I pretty much stick to my yard.  Once I get better, I'll venture out for more exotic and elusive pictures.  In the meantime tho, I've had great luck w/these guys:

 

 

Barb Vee:

I do take MANY multiples and do wind up deleting most.  I often think how much this hobby would cost if I had to pay to develop each of these blurs.  I do love the digital age!!

I try NOT to think about it!  I started in photography when DSLR's were still many thousands of dollars, so I had a 35mm Nikon N70.  $5 for a 36 shot roll of film, and then another $5 each for processing.  Plus, another $5 if you want the pics on a CD as well (which I always did!).  Plus, changing film every 36 frames, and missing the perfect shot while the camera back is open.  Plus, making sure you have the right ISO film for the situation (Nuts!  I brought ISO 100 and it's overcast!).

I took my N70 to the Dayton Air Show in 2003 (the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers Flight).  In one day, I developed 8 rolls of 24 exposures each, plus got them put on a CD.  It cost me $50 just for the processing (the film itself was extra!).  Today, I can spend that $50 on a 4GB memory card that holds almost as many pictures, and when I'm done, I can erase it and use it again tomorrow!

Yeah, I'm a HUGE fan of the digital age! 

 

Barb Vee:

So far, I pretty much stick to my yard.  Once I get better, I'll venture out for more exotic and elusive pictures.  In the meantime tho, I've had great luck w/these guys:

Very nice!  I was lucky enough to see a couple of Goldfinches on my North Carolina trip this summer.  They're certainly pretty to look at, but what struck me was the sweet musical song they have.

lyceel:

Very nice!  I was lucky enough to see a couple of Goldfinches on my North Carolina trip this summer.  They're certainly pretty to look at, but what struck me was the sweet musical song they have.

 

I don't quite know about that, I always think that Goldfinches sound like they're laughing at someone (perhaps the birder in question!)  Still, they are nice and colorful birds that can be found in all months of the summer. Good to have them around!

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Total birds seen: 205
Latest lifers:
Brown Creeper, Field Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow
Favorite lifers:
Black-billed Cuckoo, Reddish Egret, Wood Stork

Kryptos18:

I don't quite know about that, I always think that Goldfinches sound like they're laughing at someone (perhaps the birder in question!)  Still, they are nice and colorful birds that can be found in all months of the summer. Good to have them around!

Hmm, perhaps I let the "new lifer" rush cloud my perception.  

Photgog:

Barb... freezing the wings on a hummingbird is a difficult thing to do.  The wings beat at 40-50 flaps a second.  I have been able to freeze the wings using strobe lights.  Take a look at my thread on Hummingbird Photograph... in General Discussions.  I'm not familiar with your camera but normal settings will not freeze the wings... unless the lighting is just right and the shutter speed is about 1/8000 of a second.  Even then the shutter speed is too slow.  You would need about 1/20000 sec shutter.  I set my strobes up at 1/40000 sec to get full stop action.

I post an example.

Fraser

Photogog, I meant to tell you earlier - that shot is absolutely perfect!  It's gorgeous!  To get a shot of a hummingbird in flight that clear is just awesome!

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Life List: 139
Latest: Cedar Waxwing!!!!!!!

Thank you Curlybird....

Fraser