Cloudy Morning Tripod Flight Second Edit
Educational YouTube Video
This 17-minute video contains an absolute ton of great bird photography tips. With today’s high frame-rate (30, 40, and even 120 fps) mirrorless camera bodies, selecting the best images from several thousand is a hugely important skill. Sit beside me at my laptop as I do a second edit of the folder of images created on the morning of 13 May. I discuss and compare photos made in the same second. And learn about (and see) a new technique I developed recently for using my car as a blind to break up the human form.
You can learn about how and why I use a tripod and a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro for flight photography with my 600mm f/4 in the last blog post (“Miracle of Miracles. And 600mm/a-1 ii Flight on the Tripod”) blog post here.
Leave a comment below and let us know which three images in the video you think are the strongest. Tip: you can either describe the image or pause the video and note the file number. Like this: _DSC6392, _DSC9366, and _DSC9987. Hint: none of those are my favorites.
Then, be sure to check the next blog post coming this Sunday morning to see my top three picks optimized.
For INFO on the Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro, the ballhead that performs like a gimbal (only better and more efficiently) click here. And be sure to watch the video.
New Sony Gear Announced
Very recently Sony announced the upcoming release of the Sony a7R VI Mirrorless Camera and the much needed upgrade to the old FE 100-400mm lens, the Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5 GM OSS Lens.
Looking at the specs, the a7R VI looks just like an a-1 ii for $2500.00 less. Appearances, however, are often deceiving. It is yet to be determined whether the new camera will be suitable for photographing birds in flight and in action. Stay tuned for a look at the potential problems. The new lens however is 1/4 pound lighter than the 200-600, features internal focusing (sorry Canon users), and most amazingly, a constant f/4.5 aperture.
I am of course trying to get my hands on one each of the items above.
What’s Up?
After several fabulous cloudy/foggy mornings of photographing flight (and more) off the tripod, Thursday morning dawned crisp and clear with a wind from the north that soon switched to the west. Therefore, flight photography was pretty much a no go. Not to mention that only two whistling ducks flew in. I did create my best ever photos of a breeding plumage Glossy Ibis. I will share one or two of those here fairly soon. Note that on the cloudy/foggy mornings with the breeze somewhere from the east and sun angle not a problem, the photography was a lot easier than on clear mornings with a NW wind.
Today is Friday 15 May 2026. As the forecast is again clear skies and a NW wind, I will be heading down to the lake 30 minutes earlier in hopes of making a few good images before the wind picks up. I fly to Islip this coming Monday for trigger finger surgery on my right ring finger. It will be done by the amazing Dr. Steven Puopolo. Whatever you opt to do, I hope that you too choose to have fun and enjoy life. Please remember that happiness is a choice — Byron Katie, The Work.Com
If an item — a Delkin flash card or reader, a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro, or a Wimberley lens plate or low foot — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match or beat any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedford by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BirdPhotographer’s.Net, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
B&H Simplified
To ensure that I get credit for your B&H purchases, you can always click here. The tracking is invisible. Using my affiliate links is greatly appreciated. And, with B&H, you can use your PayBoo card. You must use the website to order. You cannot get your free guides if you make a phone order. Once you have an item in your cart, you must complete the order within two hours. Huge thanks!
B&H
Many folks have written recently stating that they purchased a Sony a1 from B&H and would like their free membership in the Sony 1 Info and Updates Group, a $150.00 value. But when I check my affiliate account, their orders have not been there. When I let them know that they get credit for B&H purchases only if they use one of the many B&H affiliate links on the blog or begin their searches with this link, they are always disappointed. If in doubt, please contact me via e-mail and request a BH link. I am always glad to help and to guide you to the right gear.
Bedfords Simplified
Click here to start your search. Choose standard shipping, and when you get to the payment page, enter BIRDSASART in the discount code box and hit apply. You will be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your stuff ships. Using either my affiliate links is greatly appreciated and will often earn you free guides or discounts. To receive a free guide or free entry into a Sony Set-up and Info Notes e-Mail group, you need to shoot me your receipt via e-mail. The B&H receipts need to include the order number.
Bedfords Amazing BAA Discount Policy
Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can always use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase when your product ships. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or prior purchases.
You can visit the Bedfords website here, shoot Steve Elkins an e-mail, or text him on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592.
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This image was created on 12 May 2026 by yours truly down by the lake at ILE. Standing at full height near my SUV, I used the Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera (in APS-C Crop mode). The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 1000: 1/5000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 7:39:52am on a partly sunny morning. Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version. Image #1: Osprey with Bluegill |
More Tripod Mounted Flight
This image was made seventeen minutes after I created the two quite excellent Black-bellied Whistling Duck photos featured in the last blog post. By then, the sun was blocked by thick clouds so the sky in the raw file was a light grayish blue. To create the blue sky I selected it and created an ACR mask. Then I pulled down both the Exposure and Color Temperature sliders. All as detailed in the Digital Basics IV Video Series.
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Composite #1: All with the a-1 ii Mirrorless Camera body.
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The a-1 ii for General Bird Photography
I have found that eye-tracking for general bird photography with the a-1 ii is far, far better than with the original Sony a-1. It grabs the eye and tracks it faster and far more consistently and focus is rarely lost, even with backgrounds other than sky.
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Composite #2: All with the a-1 ii Mirrorless Camera body.
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The a-1 ii for Birds in Flight
For birds in flight, the a-1 ii Mirrorless Camera body has no equal. As Arash Hazeghi says, “It is better than the a-1.” When I am late getting on a bird in flight, I have consistently been amazed at how often the AF system of the a-1 ii finds and tracks the bird’s eye.
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Composite #3: All the result of using Pre-Capture with the a-1 ii Mirrorless Camera body.
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Pre-Capture with the Sony a-1 ii
When it comes to Pre-Capture with the a-1 ii Mirrorless Camera body, Arash and I agree 100%. And with my slower reflexes, Pre-Capture is more important for me than it is for Arash. Understand that in each of the images in Composite #3, I did not push the shutter button until after the bird took flight!
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All with the a-1 ii Mirrorless Camera body.
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Purchasing or Upgrading to a Sony a-1 ii
The Sony a-1 ii e-Mail Set-up and Info Guide
I now own and use two Sony a-1 ii bodies. Every day that I use them, the more I am amazed by speed and accuracy of the Bird Face-Eye tracking in AF-C and the overall performance of the camera.
Aside from the improved ergonomics as compared to the a-1, other nice features include the fact that the rear screen tilts both ways — the lack of a tilting rear screen on the original a-1 always ticked me off. Pre-capture has proven to be a huge plus almost exclusively for take-off flight images. In my opinion, the Speed Boost feature is a total waste for bird photography because you should always be utilizing the maximum frame rate. In addition, the resolution on the rear monitor has been improved dramatically. I must mention again that Bird Face-Eye tracking on the a-1 ii is vastly improved as compared to both the a-1 and the a9 iii and that the 51MP files are to die for.
So, the big question is, is the a-1 ii “worth” a gear upgrade. Remembering that I can never know whether or not something is worth it to you, I can say that I was not floored when first using my a-1 ii. The differences between the a-1 ii and the original a-1, seemed to be neither huge nor eye-opening. But over time, I have come to realize that I was 100% wrong. The huge difference between the new camera body and the a9 iii is, of course, the 51MP a-1 raw files (as compared to the 24MP files rendered by the a9 iii).
The price of a new a-1 is $5,898.00. The price of a new a-1 ii is $1,100.00 more: $6,998.00. As the a-1 ii is clearly far superior for bird photography to the original a-1, the choice for folks new to Sony or for those upgrading from lesser Sony camera bodies is an easy one. Prices for used a-1 bodies has not dropped drastically as I anticipated. At this point, a-1 folks who like showing flight and action and can afford an a-1 ii, are advised to purchase an a-1 ii. Please remember that life is short; we only get one ride on the merry-go-round.
If you do purchase an a-1 ii, be sure to use one of my two affiliate links so that you will receive my a-1 ii settings (in the form of a CAMSEa1ii.DAT file), the Buttons and Dials Guide, and an Info Sheet for free. Using my links will never cost you one penny and may actually save you some money. Folks who do not purchase their new a-i using my B&H link or from Bedfords here and entering the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout will be able to purchase the a-1 ii guide for $244.93. If you are at all confused and do not want to screw up your order, please get in touch via e-mail. If you would like to chat about upgrading, shoot me a text to 863-221-2372 and LMK a good time to call you.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
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