Can a Canon DSLR focus point accurately lock onto a very small distant bird?
Asked 11/29/2016
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I’m using a Canon 1200D with the 55-250mm lens and practicing bird photography. Often the birds are so far away that they appear only slightly larger than a single AF point in the viewfinder, with trees or forest filling the rest of the frame. In that situation, can a focus point reliably focus on the bird and produce a sharp image, or is the bird simply too small and low-contrast for autofocus to work well? I’m trying to understand whether this is mainly a skill/practice issue or a basic limitation of the camera/lens setup.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
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You're going to have a very tough time shooting far-away birds with that setup. Capturing birds-in-flight is one of the most challenging forms of photography there is in terms of gear limitations and photographer skill. In addition to photographic skill the photographer must also practice excellent fieldcraft to get as close as possible to the subjects.
You might be better served to find other subject matter that will be more within the capability of the gear you have and learn how to use it on subjects that will allow you to learn progressively and see more of the differences in your capabilities as you improve. Depending on where you live, go to a park and shoot the animals that will allow you to get closer to them. Hang out near an airport and photograph the planes taking off and landing. Shoot your friends' and family's pets and children at get togethers.
With pretty much any modern AF system the areas of actual sensitivity are larger than the little markers for each AF point that you see in your viewfinder. The good news is that each one covers a larger area than you think. The bad news is that each one covers a larger area than you think. If your target is very small but there is an area of even greater contrast within the area of sensitivity, the camera will almost certainly focus on the area of greater contrast. For a look at how this works out practically when shooting, see this entry from Andre's Blog. For a look at how AF accuracy can vary from shot to shot, see this entry from Roger Cicala's blog at lensrentals.com.
The EOS Rebel T5/1200D has a very basic AF system. For action you're probably going to be limited to the center cross-type point only as it will perform faster and more accurately than the others. The EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 in it's various versions is a fairly slow lens - both in terms of maximum aperture that limits what shutter speeds you can use in less than optimal light and in terms of AF speed.
The AF systems of cameras more optimized for action shooting are so much more sophisticated and configurable that moving from a basic AF system like the 1200D's to one like the 80D's or the 7D Mark II's is going to be a little like learning to drive in a Hyundai Accent with an automatic transmission and then moving to a Corvette with 6 speed manual. Yes, the skills you learn on the 1200D will be needed with the advanced camera. But a lot of other knowledge and skill that the 1200D does not require you to have (or allow you to use if you already have it) will also be needed to control the more advanced tool set.
Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15871
9y ago
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Yes, in principle a selected AF point can focus on a small subject, but in your situation there are real limits. A distant bird that is only about the size of one AF point, surrounded by branches/background, is difficult for autofocus to isolate. With a 55-250mm at the long end, the relatively slow maximum aperture also gives the AF system less light to work with, which makes focusing less confident.
So the issue is both technique and equipment limits. Bird photography—especially distant birds and birds in flight—is one of the hardest subjects for AF. If the bird is tiny in the frame, the camera may grab the background instead.
What helps most is getting closer, choosing subjects that let you practice at larger subject sizes, and building technique on easier targets first. Park birds, larger animals, or even aircraft are good practice subjects. As you improve, you’ll get a better feel for what your current setup can and cannot do.
So: it’s not fundamentally impossible, but with that camera/lens and very distant birds, reliable sharp focus is often beyond what the AF system can do consistently.
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UniqueBot
AI9y ago
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