'Boost Your Autofocus Performance'

[Panther_99FS]

http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/how-to/shooting/boost-your-af-performance.html

[will_b]

Thanks for sharing, there's lots of good info in that article.

[Kiwikat]

Nice article!

I need to start pumping up my ISO a bit more. I have too many blurry BIF shots.

The 50D isn't great at ISO performance, but with today's noise reduction algorithms, there's no reason I should avoid using 400-800. After all a noisy shot is better than no shot. :salute:

[Cazzie]

That is a good article. I find anything over 800 ISO is impossible to make good with any Noise Reduction. I use Neat Image. Over 800 using any Noise Reduction is going to cause mottling in areas of a photo and most all sharpness will be lost.

Caz

[JorisVandenBerghe]

On my NEX-5, ISO 1600 is still incredibly good...it's like ISO 400 on my A350 :).

Some interesting information in that article, but little I hadn't heard or read of yet really...

[Panther_99FS]

On my NEX-5, ISO 1600 is still incredibly good...it's like ISO 400 on my A350 :).



Hmmm...
I noted a comment about a BIF photographer (birds in flight) who talks about the effect of NR on feather tips - now this is intense! Obviously, his "acceptable" level of NR is different....

[Panther_99FS]

On my NEX-5, ..

So are you going to get the NEX-C3 now :ques: :bump:

[JorisVandenBerghe]

Hmmm...
I noted a comment about a BIF photographer (birds in flight) who talks about the effect of NR on feather tips - now this is intense! Obviously, his "acceptable" level of NR is different....Obviously there are very different 'standards' of how much noise reduction is acceptable :). I have to admit that I don't apply as much NR to shot 'y' as I do with shot 'x' for instance...every shot is different. But generally spoken I have to use little noise reduction, even on ISO 1600 shots.

And there is always AMB mode or HHT mode (or whatever they are called) ;)...

Instead of getting yet another camera I'd rather get the upcoming Sony E-mount 50mm ;)...

[Panther_99FS]

Sounds like a good deal - hopefully the 50mm will get to the US market much quicker than the 18-200....:monkies:

[jmig]

This was shot at ISO 1600. Sigma 50-500 mm at 500 mm 1250 shutter and f/9. It is cropped to about 1/4 the original image.

[Panther_99FS]

So ya' got the big Sigma eh? :wiggle:

[Cazzie]

Wish mine had less noise at that ISO John, great shot. :applause:

Caz

[jmig]

So ya' got the big Sigma eh? :wiggle:

Yes P. I did. I have had it for several months now. It is very sharp and good in good light. However is quickly drops off as the light falls. In good light it is phenomenal. Here are some pictures taken with the lens. To give you an idea of its ability, the spoonbills were at least 300 yards away.

[jmig]

Wish mine had less noise at that ISO John, great shot. :applause:

Caz

The D7000 is amazing with Hi ISO. Here is a shot at 3200 ISO using a polarizing filter with the same 50-500 BigMa Sigma lens. This is an untouched right out of the camera shot. No post processing was done.

[Panther_99FS]

Drops off in low-light?
From what I've seen of the D7000, ISO 6400 shots are very usable...:wiggle:

[jmig]

Yes, they can be quite usable, if that is what you are looking for. However, any one who thinks enough about photography to come here is looking for more than usable shots. We seek excellence.

Don't get me wrong for $1500 this lens is an excellent value. If you want to photograph wildlife, especially birds, a long telephoto is a must. The next step up is the $10,000 f/4, 400 mm. At least at this time, I can't justify spending that much money on a hobby. So, I live with the compromises.

You take a long focal length, high shutter speeds and the light of early morning or late afternoon and you quickly find the ISO climbing. While the D7000 can handle the higher ISOs well there are tradeoffs in sharpness. Below are two images I shot this morning. The white Ibis is at 3200 ISO. The Blue Heron and her chicks was shot at 1250 ISO. The difference was the sun had come out with the Heron. I think it is a much sharper image.