Attempting to photograph a bird that is flying in to a crowd of other birds can often be an auto-focus challenge for our camera gear. This article shares a selection of 15 consecutive photographs of a drake Black Duck flying in to a crowd of other ducks situated on a frozen harbour.
The more that I have been using my OM-D E-M1X’s Bird Detection AI subject tracking, the more comfortable that I am using this technology in these types of challenging situations.
The photographs featured in this article were captured handheld using an OM-D E-M1X fitted with an M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS zoom along with the M.Zuiko MC-14 teleconverter. All images were captured at an equivalent field-of-view (efov) of 1120 mm, using Bird Detection AI subject tracking..
Let’s have a look at this series of 15 consecutive photographs. It starts with the drake Black Duck flying by itself, then slowing down and flying in to a crowd of other ducks. The subject bird was approximately 50 to 56 metres (~164 to 184 feet) distant from my shooting position.
Our thanks to one of our readers (Glen Fox) for identifying the duck in these photographs as a drake Black Duck. We made a correction to the original article.
NOTE: Click on images to enlarge.
The bird photography settings that I use were outlined in a previous article. Another earlier article provided some Bird Detection AI tips.
For my style of handheld bird photography the OM-D E-M1X along with my M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 zoom and M.Zuiko teleconverters (i.e. MC-14 and MC-20) have proven to be perfect for my needs. I am continually amazed at the flexibility and performance that this equipment provides. Technology like Pro Capture and Bird Detection AI further expands ‘what is possible’ when I’m out photographing birds.
Technical Note
Photographs were captured hand-held using camera gear and technology as noted in the EXIF data. Images were produced from RAW files using my standard process. Crops are noted as appropriate.
How you can help keep this site advertising free
My intent is to keep this photography blog advertising free. If you enjoyed this article and/or my website and would like to support my work, you can purchase an eBook, or make a modest $10 donation through PayPal. Both are most appreciated. You can use the Donate button below. Larger donations can be made to tom@tomstirr.com through PayPal.
Word of mouth is the best form of endorsement. If you like our website please let your friends and associates know about our work. Linking to this site or to specific articles is allowed with proper acknowledgement. Reproducing articles, or any of the images contained in them, on another website or in any social media posting is a Copyright infringement.
Article and images are Copyright 2021 Thomas Stirr. All rights reserved. No use, duplication or adaptation of any kind is allowed without written consent. If you see this article reproduced anywhere else it is an unauthorized and illegal use. Posting comments on offending websites and calling out individuals who steal intellectual property is always appreciated!
Awesome article. When i first loaded the 100-400 on my EM1X, I was disappointed. Then I went back out and tried again, not using the Bird AI. I had a better keeper rate. However, I still needs lots of practice with this setup and the Bird AI. Thank you for the read!
Hi Randy,
Bird Detection AI does take some time, technique and patience. My first attempt with birds-in-flight did not go as well as I was hoping. The main issue was my lack of skill and understanding on how to use it.
Tom
Love it! Great sequence! Thanks.
I’m glad you enjoyed the images Kathleen!
Tom