More Thoughts on Cameras and Lenses

I have found myself getting really interested in the consumer electronics side of photography. This was probably inevitable, given my existing interest in consumer tech, but I was not prepared for the thoughts of “oh, I need to be X and Y so that I can get this shot!” And truthfully, I was close to pulling the trigger. Right now, it seems to me that my “ideal” would be a Canon R7 and a Canon 200-800mm lens. But what about next year? And what happened to my “ideal” beginner stack I just bought?

Instead of buying anything in that moment, I just went out to shoot. And don’t get me wrong: I am sure some newer gear would help. But nothing is stopping me from getting good shots today. I also realized a few things to keep in mind to get those good shots.

1. Obviously: Get Plenty of Light and a Stationary Subject

Yes, I know. That’s beyond obvious. It’s just that it’s one thing to “know” that from an academic standpoint and another to “learn” it from actual practice. And what I am noticing more and more is that with ample light and a still subject, my older gear can get some nice shots.

2. Keep Balance in Mind

I have been getting more interested in capturing bird in flight shots, which seems to be something that modern cameras can handle much better. They have more FPS for burst shooting, better autofocus on moving subjects, and pre-capture options to help “getting the shot.”

That being said, while I am not satisfied with any of the “in flight” shots I got, they at least show to me that the camera could capture a good one. I just need to keep in mind that I must balance a high shutter speed with a wider aperature and a bright scene so the ISO doesn’t dip too low.

3. Closer is Better

Again, I know, this is obvious. While there are plenty of modern cameras that have a lot of megapixels that allow for enhanced cropping potential, my camera is not as capable. So when I end up with a subject that is further away and is small in the frame, the cropping will not look as good (the image below being an example of that), though even then it’s not too bad as long as the subject is in focus.

An obvious compensation to that is to be closer to the subject. This is easier said than done, but I’ve found that being still in some location where a lot of birds hang out increases your odds of getting something to come “in range.” When you are in motion, the birds are much more flighty.