You have two SD card slots, great battery life, weather-sealing and a good continuous shooting speed of 10fps – although, as with the A6400, I prefer to use the 8fps mode to keep a live view. I got a few with the A7RIII, but not nearly as many as with the A6400. Thankfully, the latest firmware has increased the score to 50%/69% when the animal is against a busy background. The G9 is the camera that gave the most disparate results depending on the specific settings or background. These variables rarely influence the score dramatically, but it is fair to point them out. It shares the same AF system as the A6400, so you can expect a similar score. Power OISNumber of images taken: 667 in two daysFirmware version when last tested for BIF: 4.00. Firmware version when last tested for BIF: 1.00Version 4.10 added an updated AF algorithm to improve the tracking of animals and detect their texture better. Sony Alpha A6400 (α6400 / ILCE-6400) mirrorless camera equipped with a 24.2 MP Exmor APS CMOS sensor and BIONZ X image processor engine delivers excellent image quality and excellent low-light performance. My understanding was that the 2x won't do the OSPDAF. Although a lot of people only upload images to Instagram from their smartphones, the app is much more than just a mobile photography platform. I am new to Sony. Naturally, now that I’ve been doing it for the past four years, I do a better job than when I first started. Top birds in flight settings for Sony … Check the price of the Canon EOS R onAmazon | Amazon UK | B&H Photo | eBay, Average: 68% / 90%Lenses used: XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR, XF 200mm f2 R LM OIS WR (+ TC 1.4x)Number of images taken: 5,600 (I know, it’s a lot! I also have A7RIII and am happy with AF for birds. Firmware version when last tested for BIF: 1.00Version 2.0 added Eye AF for Animals, but it doesn’t work for birds. The ergonomics, like the A9 mark I, are not its strongest point, especially with large telephoto lenses. There is a difference if you try to use the new Real Time Tracking mode. Each score contains the two percentage calculations: The average score is important to show how different settings can affect the performance (for some cameras it can be like night and day). If you use it in APS-C crop to benefit from the extra reach, you still get 18MP which is not bad at all. Add in 8K video capture and you have a really impressive package. On other days, the birds may decide to keep their distance until no humans are present on the site, or wait until the sun goes down (between 4pm and 5pm). Here is an example with the OM-D E-M1 II (firmware 3.0) which demonstrates that the 5×5 Target Group and the 18fps burst with the electronic shutter give the best result. Check price of the Sony a6500 onAmazon | Amazon UK | B&H Photo | eBay, Average: 60% / 87%Lens used: XF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WRNumber of images taken: 1034Firmware version when last tested for BIF: 3.10. When I tested the A9 after its release in 2017, it gave me the best score of all the mirrorless cameras I’d tested (80%/95%) and was very close to the Nikon D500. Having less time means that if I haven’t guessed the correct settings right away when testing a new camera, I can come home with a rather poor score. Otherwise, the performance is rather good but you need to make sure to have the correct settings. If you decide to buy something after clicking the link, we will receive a small commission. As long as you can perceive all the details and don’t pixel peep, the photo can be used for certain applications. We take a look beyond the specs to see what it offers to filmmakers. The performance on the mark IV is significantly better with a score close to the best I got with Zone Area (59% / 92%). The camera often struggled to lock onto the subject both when the bird was against the sky and when against a busy background. That being said, some mistakes on my part can still happen on occasion, or I might have days when my tracking skills are not as sharp as they should be! The EVF refresh rate goes up to 100fps in Boost mode. The fastest apertures are not exciting, but the lens is compact, superbly built and one of the sharpest zooms of this kind I’ve ever tested. With the kite against blue sky using the mechanical shutter, I got a score of 78% / 94%. So how does it perform? The goal is to capture the entire bird in sharp focus and to do that you’ll need a quick exposure. This camera is a bit of a mystery to me because at other times with much slower subjects (runners), the performance was not that impressive. The grip is not the best in class, and some buttons are a bit small (things that Sony has improved with the mark II model). It also allows me to write a more precise analysis of the camera’s performance. If you look at our wildlife round-up, where we analyse all these things, Olympus and Sony are the brands that tick the most boxes. Check the price of the Sony A7R III onAmazon | Amazon UK | B&H Photo | eBay, Average: 60% / 90%Lens used: FE 200-600mm f5-6.3 G OSSNumber of images taken: 298Firmware version when last tested for BIF: 1.00. Can't help you with the a6400, but you will only have CDAF at f/11 on the R3 - to my knowledge, you can only get PDAF at f11 on the a9 and the a7iii. I used only the green AF score to simplify, and I used the burst speed found in the recommended settings for each camera throughout the article. There are occasional fights among kites themselves or with other birds. The feast can last for several hours depending on the day, the number of kites present and the season. Sony are keen to promote the new a6400, an E mount camera. It does retain interesting functions for birds such as Pro Capture, and comes with weather-sealing despite the plastic build. Before today’s launch of the Sony a7R IV in the U.S., I had the opportunity to use the new 61-megapixel camera on a few occasions. The EVF is also good with a resolution of 3.69M dots and a refresh rate of 100fps. Well captured. I don’t think Eye AF is really necessary for birds in flight, but it could be useful for close-ups when certain species allow you to photograph them at short distances. Also what settings should I have everything, iso, S, A, Etc. The autofocus was a bit slower when I tested the camera with the TC 2.0 III but, with the teleconverter 1.4x and the compact 300mm f4 PF, it is one of the most interesting setup in this article. It's freakishly good, and freakishly accurate. I can't say for sure with the 6400, but on the 6300 and 6500, the tracking sensitivity setting was only applicable for video - so that may be the case with the 6400 as well. I have found it for movies , but not stills. The A6400 has a fast continuous shooting speed of 10fps, but I prefer to use the setting below (8fps) because I get live view (with blackouts) in the EVF. One last question , if attaching the 2XTC to the 100-400 , will f/11 still give you PDAF. However I didn’t keep the photos and I suspect many were taken with the bird against the sky, where the DfD autofocus performs better. One year later, I got the chance to try it again, this time with the compact 300mm f4 PF, the 2.0x teleconverter and the latest firmware update. What settings are best to get a good focus instantly, Auto, Manual? I used the E-M1 to review the 300mm Pro lens which was at the time the first extreme telephoto lens designed for wildlife. Here are a few more images of birds in flight taken with the Tamron. While the AF proved its value, the overall speed of the camera leaves a lot to be desired. Check the price of the Olympus OM-D E-M1 III on:Amazon | Amazon UK | B&H Photo | eBay, Average: 66% / 89%Lens used: M.Zuiko ED 300mm f4 Pro ISNumber of images taken: 833Firmware version when last tested for BIF: 1.0. Gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/156719406@N07/Instagram: @issai.campos. Read on to find our wildlife photography review of the Sony 200-600mm lens, including sample raw files for you to download and check out. Is it an option on the A6400 for stills. The A6300 and A6500 did well before, and the software improvements brought to the A6400 did the rest. For example the X-T4 speed decreases when using Focus Priority, which is an important setting to improve the AF rate. I understand that when the firmware upgrade happens for the A7RIII, its AF will be improved. Now, Nikon comes up with the 500 PF 5.6 that's a game changer. For $998 on Amazon, the a6400 packs a lot of Sony’s tech into a compact size. This is caused by variables that I explain below. The animal eye autofocus locked on a squirrel and a mockingbird. It was a cloudy day and the kites didn’t stick around for long, but the EOS R did admirably well concerning focus speed, locking speed and tracking. If it wasn’t for the occasional misfocused shots on the background, the R6 would probably be at the very top of this list. The good news is that even with non-ideal settings, the hit rate doesn’t go below 83%. Best Mirrorless Cameras for Wildlife and Birds, Guide:Wildlife and Birds with Sony A7 / A9, Published January 21, 2020 By Mathieu Filed Under: Best Of Tagged With: Best Cameras. Thanks! One last question , if attaching the 2XTC to the 100-400 , will f/11 still give you PDAF. If last year the Z6 showed to be very capable already, this time it proved to be one of the very best mirrorless camera when it comes to autofocus and keeper rate. So will take the responsibility for the misses until I have some more time with the gear. The AF performance was a tad below, perhaps because of the lens, or simply because the AF algorithm is not exactly the same. The ergonomics is good on the other hand and the image quality, while not at the same level as Sony, is more than decent. As with the other OM-D models, choosing the correct settings is important to get the best performance, especially when it comes to the AF Target. Check the price of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 III onAmazon | B&H Photo | eBay, Average: 56% / 81%Last lens used: M.Zuiko ED 300mm f4 Pro ISOther lens used: Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm f4-6.3 Power O.I.S. Power OISNumber of images taken: 1292Firmware version when last tested for BIF: 2.0. Compared to a full-frame camera, like the a7iii, the a6400 is compact because it’s built around a smaller APS-C sensor. The Z6 can shoot up to 12fps but live view is deactivated and you see the last image taken instead. The improvement for birds was quite significantly, making the camera more reactive and increasing the keeper rate. Below are additional cameras I’ve tested for birds in flight but I didn’t keep all my notes about the AF performance and the keeper rate. Most videographers and vloggers will hold their cameras out in from of them via their arms, or attached to a mini tripod. The E-M1 II is an excellent camera for many reasons: it is compact yet features a very comfortable grip (one of my all times favourites), so holding the camera with a large lens is not a problem, even without the battery grip. I can't find in any of the Sony videos or info  on the camera. Note: the code above is invalidwhen the software is on pre-order. So it’s not surprising to see a similar performance and keeper rate. Cropped about 50% as the birds were still a bit away. Published bird photographer and YouTuber Mark Smith loves his Nikon D850 and D500 cameras. Reminder: the links below are affiliate links. The blackout-free live view when shooting at 10fps or 20fps with the electronic shutter makes it so much easier to follow the kites. Shoot them every chance you get. If I’m not satisfied with a session, I always try to go back another day, unless there is a reason that stops me from doing so (bad weather or rented gear that needs to be sent back). A Bit About The Sony a6400. The battery life is the best you can find and the body is weather sealed. The Z7 can shoot up to 9fps but you don’t get live view. Again that could be me , as I am still trying to learn how the Sony operates. Then we have weather sealing, in-body stabilisation, a good viewfinder and two SD card slots. Handheld Sony A6400 with Sigma 100-400 F5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary stabilized in Apple Final Cut Pro X I can not find Auto Focus Tracking Sensitivity for stills on the A6400. In all my other tests, the G9 did admirably well, outranking the OM-D cameras and proving to be as good as some of the best Sony models. It too has received improvements via firmware, although Animal Detection has been left out for some reason. Under A6400 Birds in Flight Started 3 months ago | Discussions thread Forum: Parent: First: Previous: Next: Flat view: ... Ricoh GR III 5.8% Sony a6400 3.0% Olympus OM-D E-M1X 2.8% Fujifilm X-T30 2.4% Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 (Lumix DMC-TZ100) 2.0% Sony a7 III 1.8% Canon EOS M100 1.7% Nikon D850 1.6% Fujifilm X-T3 1.6% Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II 1.5%. By the way, I never use tripod for birds-in-flight because it limits your movement for quick action. It does the job well, without the need to fuss with settings more than the strictly necessary. The autofocus proved to be really good and I can’t say I’m surprised. Thank you. Average: 96% / 99%Lens used: FE 200-600mm f5-6.3 G OSSNumber of images taken: 1621 in two daysFirmware version when last tested for BIF: 1.00. Just like with the Z6, to get live view you need to decrease the speed to 5.5fps which is not the fastest for capturing animals, but that is the setting where the camera performs best. Thanks. I was eager to test the X-T4 and its updated autofocus algorithm. Check the price of the Canon EOS R6 onAmazon | Amazon UK | B&H Photo | eBay, Second-hand Canon cameras onMPB US | MPB UK, Average: 88% / 96%Lens used: Z 70-200mm f2.8 VR S with TC 1.4xNumber of images taken: 437Firmware version when last tested for BIF: 3.12. Last updated: January 11, 2021 Go to Comments. The sensor resolution of 20MP might seem a bit low for birds and wildlife if you need to crop (this is where its sister R5 could be more interesting), but the high ISO performance is good and there is plenty of dynamic range to work with. Ideal weather conditions and familiar settings led to no disappointment with the A7 mark III. 50%Lens used: M.Zuiko ED 300mm f4 Pro IS / Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm Asph. The score I got with the GH5 is not far off the G9 and it makes sense since they share the same AF system. At the top of our list of the best Sony lenses for wildlife photography is the Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G OSS. The Red Dot Scope appears to be the answer to my problem of photographing birds in flight. In this video I compare the autofocus and tracking capabilities between the Sony a7RIV and Sony A9 for shooting birds in flight. To know more about our ethics, you can visit our full disclosure page. Since we test the autofocus performance of many cameras at the same red kite feeding station, why not publish a list of all the cameras we used with their keeper rate score for birds in flight? The high price of the X-H1 and some missed opportunities (better battery life) that could have made it better than the X-T range didn’t convince many photographers to switch, despite the larger and more comfortable grip. That said, despite the improved AF system, the A7R IV performed in a similar way to its predecessor. How would you compare the AF?. What’s the best camera costing over $2500? There are more kites during the winter and they can eat all the food in half an hour, which doesn’t give me a lot of time to try different settings. The A6500 shares many similarities with the A6400 including the fastest burst speed of 10fps and the 24MP APS-C sensor. Check price of the Olympus OM-D E-M1X onAmazon | B&H Photo, Second-hand Olympus gear onMPB US | MPB UK, Average: 70% / 84%Lens used: AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR and TC 1.4x IIINumber of images taken: 1080Firmware version when last tested for BIF: 2.01. Birdie. The scenario is ideal because in a couple of hours I can take lots of images, try different settings, capture the birds when they are in the sky (plain background) and against the hill or trees (busy background). The X-T3 has a fast sensor readout that allows you to shoot up to 20fps with live view and no blackouts by using the electronic shutter, just like the Sony A9. DPReview TV: Sony a7 III vs. Fujifilm X-T4 - who's the king of enthusiast cameras? Additional Resources. At the time, the hot topic was AF compatibility with Canon EF lenses, and this is why I tested it with the Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary, a popular budget lens for wildlife photographers. Firmware version when last tested for BIF: 1.00Version 3.0 added Eye AF for Animals, but it doesn’t work with birds. Check price of the Fujifilm X-T4 onAmazon | Amazon UK | B&H Photo | eBay, Second-hand Fujifilm cameras onMPB US | MPB UK, Average: 77% / 96%Lens used: FE 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 GM OSS + TC 1.4xNumber of images taken: 407. Bigger, slower birds are easier to start with. Then there is my own skill in photographing the birds. I label it yellow if the focus is slightly off, or red if the picture is out of focus. Nikon Z 70-200mm 2.8, TC 1.4x, bird photography and more In a recent video published on our YouTube channel about using the Nikon Z50 and Z6 for birds in flight, some viewers asked me if I … The process is pretty much always the same: close to 3pm (2pm in winter), the kites start to gather in the sky in large numbers (up to 150, more in the cold season). Before I conclude, let me tell you about the one thing that surprised me the most while writing this article. I would like one but reluctant to move to E mount. Check out our in-depth comparison to find out. What brand/type/size is best for photographing fast moving birds in flight? Using the fastest burst with the electronic shutter also helps. The E-M1 didn’t do badly overall thanks to its phase detection system, and performed equally well when testing the Panasonic / Leica 100-400mm. The best high-end camera costing more than $2000 should have plenty of resolution, exceptional build quality, good 4K video capture and top-notch autofocus for advanced and professional users. You can also shoot with a 1.25x crop to get extra reach (16MP output). In this buying guide we’ve rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing over $2500 and recommended the best. It does an excellent job of understanding where the bird is and locks onto it really fast. As we test newer products, we will update this article with our findings. Third, I used the burst speed that gave me the best result for each camera, which is not always the fastest. It is therefore not surprising to see that its score has improved to the point that it is on par with its successor the A9 II, with whom it shares the same sensor and AF system. Check price of the Sony A9 II onAmazon | B&H Photo | eBay, Second-hand Sony cameras onMPB US | MPB UK, Average: 95% / 98%Last lens used: FE 200-600mm f5-6.3 G OSSOther lens used: FE 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 GM OSS + TC 1.4xNumber of images taken: 1249Firmware version when last tested for BIF: 6.00. Find out all the details in our field review. When I tested the Z6 in 2019 with the Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary lens, I got a respectable score of 73% / 88%. Limitations of the lens ? The Sony Alpha 1 is Sony's flagship mirrorless camera for, well, just about anything. The E-M1 III is very similar to the mark II concerning other specs. Sony's FE 35mm F1.4 GM is an impressively sharp and long-awaited pro-level 35mm optic for full-frame Sony E-mount cameras. Thanks so much for your reply Birdied . Article Updates2. Sometimes they can fly quite close too. The a6400 is perfect for travel and intended to replace a smartphone with much better photos. Enter your email and click the blue button below to open the subscription form. Speed and reactivity are not as good as the E-M1 II however. It is built like a tank, is very comfortable to hold and has a superb battery life. The Best Mirrorless Camera for BIF Ranked, Guide: Settings for Wildlife and Birds on Sony A7 / A9 Cameras, Guide: Settings for Wildlife and Birds on Sony A7/A9 Cameras, Nikon Z 70-200mm f2.8 with TC 1.4x for BIF, Nikon Z6, 300mm f4 PF and TC 2.0x III for BIF report, Fujifilm X-T4 Birds in Flight Review and Tutorial, E-M1 II, birds in flight and firmware 3.0, Panasonic G9, birds in flight and firmware 2.0, the X-Pro2 optical viewfinder proved an unexpected ally when taking pictures of birds in flight, you get 20 shots (15 good and 5 bad) at 5fps with an AF rate of 75%, you get 48 shots (33 good and 15 bad) at 12fps with an AF rate of 69%. The A7R IV features a stunning 60MP sensor but, despite the huge resolution, the buffer is surprisingly good when shooting at 8fps.