Both the still and video AF performance are different in almost all the camera. Here is one of the video AF with
– CANON EOS R6, CANON EF 500mm F4 IS2, CANON 1.4x, CANON EF=EOS-R adapter
– Tripod
– AF method : the only method using Full sensor area in R6
+Tracking
– Subject to detect : Animals ; Eye detection : On
The AF seem slower lock focus to the object compare to still AF. which normally require 1-4 seconds to lock the object. After locked focus, the tracking seem work well but still 20-40% chance lost focus especially bird eye/head not detectable. But it will get the object refocus very fast as long as we able to follow the bird movement.
After use the powerful R3, which it is almost not missing to find a bird when the bird within the sensor. (we dont use AF point to focus to the bird but let’s the camera to find the bird/bird eye and lock focus than track). Glad that I am able to get R5/R6 for more test on this entry level of full frame camera.
I am trying to sharing different kind of environment to lets the Camera find the bird itself and this may keep update later.
Condition 1 : Bird with contrast again Backgroung
– CANON EOS R6, CANON EF 500mm F4 IS2, CANON 1.4x, CANON EF=EOS-R adapter
– M mode, Auto ISO, F5.6 (biggest aperture), 1/200
– Handheld
– AF method : the only method using Full sensor area in R5/6
+Tracking
– Subject to detect : Animals ; Eye detection : On
THE FOCUS almost immediate lock on the bird head/eye and track.
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Condition 2 : closer Bird with lesser contrast again Background
– CANON EOS R6, CANON EF 500mm F4 IS2, CANON 1.4x, CANON EF=EOS-R adapter
– M mode, Auto ISO, F5.6 (biggest aperture), 1/200
– Handheld
– AF method : the only method using Full sensor area in R5/6
+Tracking
– Subject to detect : Animals ; Eye detection : On
THE FOCUS almost immediate lock on the bird head/eye and track.
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Condition 3 :further Bird with lesser contrast again Background
– CANON EOS R6, CANON EF 500mm F4 IS2, CANON 1.4x, CANON EF=EOS-R adapter
– M mode, Auto ISO, F5.6 (biggest aperture), 1/200
– Handheld
– AF method : the only method using Full sensor area in R5/6
+Tracking
– Subject to detect : Animals ; Eye detection : On
THE FOCUS require a bit time to look for a bird but very quick to get the bird focus locked and track on the head and eye
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Condition 4 : small bird low contrast over the similar and messy Background
– CANON EOS R6, CANON EF 500mm F4 IS2, CANON 1.4x, CANON EF=EOS-R adapter
– M mode, Auto ISO, F5.6 (biggest aperture), 1/200
– Handheld
– AF method : the only method using Full sensor area in R5/6
+Tracking
– Subject to detect : Animals ; Eye detection : On
THE FOCUS almost not possible to find the bird (trying to moving the camera at various position of the sensor). What we need to do just move the focus ring so the focus area near the bird than very soon it will be get the Bird/Bird eye focus and track.
R3 can easily use eye-Control AF to resolve this or I found R3 capable to find the even at this kind of environment.
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Condition 4 : very small bird with contrast
– CANON EOS R5, CANON EF 500mm F4 IS2, CANON 1.4x, CANON EF=EOS-R adapter
– M mode, Auto ISO, F5.6 (biggest aperture), 1/200
– Handheld
– AF method : the only method using Full sensor area in R5/6
+Tracking
– Subject to detect : Animals ; Eye detection : On
THE FOCUS almost not possible to find the bird (trying to moving the camera at various position of the sensor). What we need to do just move the focus ring so the focus area near the bird than very soon it will be get the Bird/Bird eye focus and track.
it is another series of picture captured while I am testing the CANON EOS R3
this bird sudden flying from sea toward mangrove, with the canon R3.. it is effortless just lock focus and track the bird even flying backlit BG and different BG
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– video clip create from a series of pictures captured with CANON R3
– while I am shooting Tern flying at Selangor coastal area. this Heron sudden flying from beach toward mangrove area.
Spend another morning for test one of the most difficult photograph objects, swift and swallow.
*** I will updating all the swift AF test here.
There are some setting that I change for this fast moving object which I think it may affect the performance
CANON R3, CANON EF 500mm F4 IS2, EF 1.4x TC III
AF area (whole sensor)
AFC, eye-control AF off
Drive mode: H (15fps) and H+ (30fps)
AI Servo (AF-C)
cRAW and use DPP straight convert to JPEG and resize.
No CROP
Len set to >10m which anything near than 10m will not be focus
no feeding, no fix location/direction for the bird. Everything here just a bird flying and I just point my Len direction and lets the camera lock the focus (on bird) and track by following the flying direction
few test, trying to show
i. near object
ii. far object
iii. flying at same Background (Green, sky)
iv. flying cross various background
– can see below, the birds will flying crossing sky, water surface, green etc
I am glad to given a chance to have a unit CANON EOS R3 to have a series of test on Birds/Nature Photography.
As for other camera, I plan to have series of tests which related to Tropical forest birds Photographer concerns eg. ISO performance, AF performance, Raw files dynamics range etc.
After days of basic understanding the camera (actually it is like a upgraded version of my old CANON EOS 1dxm2). I will try share other view of the camera later in other posts, here lets share one of the major concern : AF performance.
For this test, I am using
CANON EOS R3
CANON EF 500mm F4 IS2
CANON 1.4x TC III
No feeding, No nesting and no idea what bird flying to/from which directions. Just base on what you see and trying the Camera capability to focus and capture.
Setting
AF area (whole sensor)
AFC, eye-control AF off
Drive mode: H (15fps)
AI Servo (AF-C)
RAW and use DPP straight convert to JPEG and resize.
I am glad to given a chance to have a unit CANON EOS R3 to have a series of test on Birds/Nature Photography.
As for other camera, I plan to have series of tests which related to Tropical forest birds Photographer concerns eg. ISO performance, AF performance, Raw files dynamics range etc.
After days of basic understanding the camera (actually it is like a upgraded version of my old CANON EOS 1dxm2). I will try share other view of the camera later in other posts, here lets share one of the major concern : AF performance.
For this test, I am using
CANON EOS R3
CANON EF 500mm F4 IS2
CANON 1.4x TC III
Handheld inside car
No feeding, No nesting and no idea what bird flying to/from which directions. Just base on what you see and trying the Camera capability to focus and capture.
Setting
AF area (whole sensor)
AFC, eye-control AF off
Drive mode: H (15fps)
AI Servo (AF-C)
RAW and use DPP straight convert to JPEG and resize.
All of sudden a White-throated Kingfisher flying infront of us, with immediate response I just point the Len toward the bird and lets the camera lock focus on the bird and track … capture the images in ~3-4s
– Smaller than Himalayan snowcock, this species has a grey head and neck with a white patch behind the eye and above the dark cheek. Chin, throat and breast are white, with two grey bands on the breast. Grey wing coverts and tertials have a white trim. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_snowcock
most of the species are winter visitors to Malaysia. Small and active birds, look-alike, and sometimes difficult to ID without pictures taken and call recording.
– in North Borneo (KNP, Crocker Range etc) both Yellowish and this Gray-light greenish exist
– 小而活跃。通常在海拔800米以上
– 黑头。翅膀没纹。在北婆罗洲（沙巴）有黄 或 这灰-浅绿 两种。
201603, KNP, Sabah, Malaysia
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2. Yellow-browed Warbler, 黄眉柳莺, 黃眉柳鶯, Phylloscopus inornatus, キマユムシクイ, CEKUP-DAUN KECIL BIASA
– Small, active warbler with greenish upperparts, white underparts, distinct pale yellowish eyebrow, and distinct pale wingbars (upper wingbar short and less distinct) *Ebird
– Dull, relatively unmarked olive-brown warbler with a prominent yellowish-white eyestripe, faint wingbars, and pale whitish underparts. Visually inseparable from Japanese and Kamchatka Leaf Warblers; listen for song, an electric chattery trill. Also gives a metallic two-noted call and a short harsh buzz. Breeds in shrubby areas, often near water, throughout the Eurasian taiga. Breeding range extends to Alaska, where it is the only leaf warbler. Winters in lowland and foothill forest, forest edge, and gardens, primarily in Southeast Asia. (Ebird)
One of a number of mind-numbingly similar Seicercus warblers. Greenish-yellow above and bright yellow below, with a faint wingbar, a yellow eyering, and a grayish crown marked by two black stripes. Gray of the crown is weaker than that of White-spectacled and Plain-tailed Warblers, but this feature is difficult to see in the shade of the understory, where it usually forages. Breeds in submontane and montane forest up to the treeline; averages higher Martens’s Warbler. Descends into submontane and hill forest in the non-breeding season. Song is an unremarkable but lively burst of whistled notes, lower in pitch than that of Plain-tailed Warbler. [Ebird]
A tiny warbler with a sudden flash of “yellowish” plumage appeared, and I immediately thought, “It’s a new bird!” Naturally, everyone quickly grabbed their cameras to capture it. It only showed up briefly while we were casually waiting for birds to come to the water.
+Tracking
