Canon R5 Mk. II - Auto Focus Performance Update for Extreme Birds in Flight

[@davidmag479]

You want an absolute honest review which is both informative and to the point there's no better man on KZbin than Ron. There's some absolute nonsense peddled about this camera, but it's refreshing to watch and listen to someone who actually knows what they're talking about. Too many theorists spouting nonsense about ISO noise from a lab test and missing the point about actually delivering superb action photos. You're a breath of fresh air Ron, keep it up. 👌

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Hey, thanks so much. I really appreciate hearing this. Cheers, Ron

[@davidmag479]

@@whistlingwingsphotography credit where its due Ron. You were a great assistance to me when setting up the R3 for sports action, when Canon didn't have any guides available for even the basics of subject tracking. Again with the R5mkii you've been at the forefront of the user development of the AF settings with hands-on reviews delving into the menu's and tweaking them for real life use which actually work. Like the R3, this is a sports and action camera and you describe clearly how any owner can set-it up according to their needs. Whilst I don't get the opportunity to shoot a lot of wildlife pics, the settings are applicable to my field of sports photography and your guides are second to none.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

@@davidmag479 I am humbled by your works. Thanks again.

[@kennethcaird3892]

Ron: I find your videos the most informative on KZbin, and I watch a lot of them! I am super glad you are one of the few wildlife vloggers who don't do equipment comparisons. There is WAY too many of those out there. Why you only have 13K+ subscribers completely escapes me. A lot of people are missing out on very informative wildlife videos.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Thank you so much for the very kind words. They mean a lot and I a glad you continue to find my videos worth your time to watch. That is and will continue to be my goal.

[@VinceMaidens]

I've been using 3 as well for a while and have noticed the same, especially with animal interaction, its quite a bit more useful. Also wanted to pop on and thank you personally, I have to say I couldn't have made my WPY image this year without the SpeedShooter harness system, it honestly has made me a better photographer and I do not shoot without it. It enabled me to have my 600 up for hours, moving and adjusting my placement the entire time, which is impossible with a traditional tripod. What I did without it I don't even remember.. Thanks buddy.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Hey, thanks so much. That is an awesome image you captured. Super impressed and so glad the Speed-Shooter Photography Harness helped you get the shot. BTW, I have a new version of the Speed-shooter coming out soon. I will send you one to review and get feedback from you. I appreciate the work you do. Ron

[@VinceMaidens]

@@whistlingwingsphotography Very happy to run anything you want through the mill :). Just say when fella.

[@RobertMintonPhotography]

Thanks Ron, I have been very pleased with this camera for birds in flight using your original settings, but take on board your latest autofocus amendments. I visited Glen Affric in Scotland last week with both the R5 & R5 mk2. I was going to use the R5 for my week of landscape shots, but decided to shoot everything on the mk 2 and I have to say I have been delighted with the results, sharp and with good dynamic range. I am now satisfied that I made a good choice with the money spent on this upgrade.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

My pleasure and thanks for watching. I am glad the R5II is work well for your photography. The more I use mine the more I love it. Ron

[@naturealbums]

Amazing quality work lots of sharp details well done. Kingfishers are definitely one of the better test not just the camera/lens but your speed too. Thanks for sharing those awesome photos.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Hey, thank you. Your comments are much appreciated. You make a great point. The cameras and lenses these days help us so much to get amazing shots, but the photographer is still needed. Let's hope it stays that way for many years to come. Cheers, Ron

[@micronesiapublishing4392]

Once again, thank you for sharing what works for you because following your advice works.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

You are most welcome. I am glad the advice is helpful.

[@rodc271]

Brilliant review of the AF system on the R5II.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

I am glad you found it useful. Cheers, Ron

[@Syllage]

Merci beaucoup 😊 les vidéos sont toujours aussi intéressantes comportant des éléments techniques et du vécu sur le terrain. Merci encore !

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

My pleasure. Thanks so much for watching.

[@joshhaas2410]

Great topic, great info. Nice shots. Constructive criticism, this video could have been half the length at least.

[@Mark-i4h7r]

Really happy to hear this! I'm still using the R5 with the RF 600/4 and I'm super excited to get the R52, I was worried the 1/160 readout was not fast enough in ES mode but you definitely proved that theory wrong with these super fast subjects, appreciate the video!

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Glad you found it useful. I have not yet found a shooting scenario that the R5II does not allow me to work well in. A couple of additional points of emphasis about the AF system. The low light focusing is really good. Also, Spot AF is so much better at focusing past all intruding elements and focusing on the subject. I used it a bunch this morning photographing barred owls in cypress trees and it really worked well. A huge improvement over the R5 and R3.

[@Mark-i4h7r]

@@whistlingwingsphotography very good to hear! Appreciate your input as my situation is very similar, I never go the r3 knowing the af was better, it's just the 24mp is something I couldn't get past. Knowing this af is an improvement even over the r3 is all I need to hear at this point. Now if my local camera store would just call that they got one in I'd be entirely happy. Can't wait to try it with the 600/4. You did mention the af is snappy, like you I'm curious if it uses both af motors but at this point it doesn't matter if the target hit rate is good for these fast subjects. All I need to know really. Appreciate it Ron!

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

@@Mark-i4h7r My pleasure.

[@RogerZoul]

Thanks for the video. Good topic, too. I will have to come back down in January to try out my rig against the kingfisher. That was a lot of fun last time.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Thanks. Sure thing. Come on down. I am hoping to have a bird all winter. Cheers, Ron

[@ScottRitchie-bw9ls]

Good on ya Ron! I too think the AF on the R5-2 is special. A step above the R5. I am going on a pelagic this weekend, and will try mode 3.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Hey, thanks so much. I hope you have great luck on your trip. This morning we had a young peregrine falcon dive bombing a barred owl with a background of close cypress trees. The R5II's Zone AF found the bird and stayed with it as it did all sorts of quick maneuvers. Just amazing. The more I use this Camera the more I love it.

[@itaylorm]

Very helpful. I discovered how fast the auto focus was for me recently when I caught a coyote doing a leap in the air to catch a vole.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Thanks so much. Would love to get that shot of a coyote, or at least see it. Cheers, Ron

[@itaylorm]

@@whistlingwingsphotography will send it to you

[@charlotterogers8733]

I just started watching your videos. Really enjoying them. I have the canon Mark II R6 but can I set it up like one of your camera ? I just watched one of your videos breaking down on when to use spot, eye detection etc and found it very informative. I also have the canon R10 both of which I like. Do you have an in-depth video on customizing the buttons at least one that goes nice a slow ? I’m slowing learning and having a lot of fun !

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Thank you so much for watching and the kind words about my videos. In these video I do go over button set up. Maybe one of these will provide you with what you are looking for. If not you can always email me and we can go over setting up your R6II. kzbin.info/www/bejne/d3vJpI2AmLt1lZI kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6LLq5-XZaljhcU kzbin.info/www/bejne/nGaTYqyflN6apsU kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYTblop5Zt1mY7M

[@hythekent]

On the nature reserve where I work we have various birds of prey nesting and flying along the White Cliffs of Dover (England). We have buzzards, kestrels, sparrowhawks, hobbies, osprey, sometimes the white-tailed eagle. But the fastest bird here is the peregrine falcon. And that is THE fastest animal on Earth and we’ve got it in Southeast England. Sometimes we’re lucky with the camera but they are hard to get. We used two R5IIs with Canon RF100-500mm lenses

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Thanks for watching and taking the time to add your input to the discussion. Ron

[@ImperialEagle1]

Hi Ron, Great video as usual. Can you please share your main settings .. Shutter Speed, Aperture & ISO and maybe AF area ? Thanks

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Thanks for the kind words. I am using mostly a medium-sized zone with eye detection disabled when the bird is not very close. When the bird is very close I am using eye detection AF. Shutter speed is anywhere from 1/1000s up to 1/4000s depending on the light. Aperture is f/7.1 to f/8. ISO setting 800-1600 depending on the light. If shooting very early then my shutter speed is as low as 1/250s, f/4, ISO 6400. Cheers, Ron

[@SteveSSBB]

You now have the kingfishers that I enjoyed in late summer. My finding with the R5II vs the R3 are similar. The R5II did a better job. You mention that the AF systems are the same, but the R5II benefits from new processor tech with the DIGIC accelerator. I think that leaves a lot more overhead for AF vs the r3. Not that the R3 is a slouch, tough.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

I agree. The same AF system, but freed up to do all it can do. Makes sense to me.

[@jarlrmai]

Great video as always and amazing shots, lucky to have a stretch of river you can set up by. Would you be able to do a similar test with an EF lens like a 600mk2 or 500mk2. I'm interested in how these compare.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Thanks so much for the kind words. Unfortunately, I do not have access to an EF 600 f/4 anymore. I can tell you that EF lens do work well with the R5II given I have worked with the 100-400, 300 2.8, etc., but the AF is not as fast given the communications between EF lenses and RF bodies cannot be optimized like it is with RF to RF. This is why I have switched to RF lenses, because of the type of BIF photography I do most being somewhat fast and demanding of the AF system. Wish I could do the test you want. Ron

[@benshow3000]

Very nice images. I'm considering the R5 II I would pair it up with the EF 100-400ll I would be hoping for the same type of results.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

I have found that the EF 100-400 Mk. II is pretty fast and accurate on the R5II. But not as good as the RF 600 f/4 or RF 100-500mm. The RF to RF communication is built for maximum speed and accuracy. The EF lens communicate well with the RF bodies but not as good as the RF lenses. This is to be expected IMO. Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to comment. Ron

[@Richard-c9q3x]

Great review Ron. A couple of questions. I find difficulty following fast moving eratic birds (I have nowhere near your expertise) with single point spot or AF point Expansion with eye detection. Is Auto Selection of 61 AF points with eye detection an option? Which area selection mode do you use? I assume that you are shooting at 30fps?

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Hey, thanks for watching. I shoot mostly Zone with eye detection set to Auto in the main AF menu. My zone size depends on the subject and shooting scenario, but generally is rather small and centered in the frame. I suggest trying a medium-sized zone with Subject to detect set to Animals and Eye Detection set to Auto in the Main AF menu. Do your best to keep the bird in the zone and pump the AF button you are using to get AF to lock on to your subject and then hold and shoot. Having the best AF setup for your shooting scenario is important, but most of all it takes practice to get good at tracking BIF. The better you get at finding and tracking your subjects the less the AF settings will matter to getting good sharp shots. Cheers, Ron

[@isotechimages.9130]

Ron l was shooting with the R6ii waiting for the R5ii to arrive & though happy l was still a bit frustrated with many features but since shooting wildlife with R5ii could not be happier.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Great to hear. Many people are still calling the R5II a small upgrade, but for me it is a huge improvement in so many ways. Of course, as stated here and elsewhere, it all depends on what type of photography you do. For action, it is a huge upgrade.

[@georgeveazey3071]

Ron... I am an R5 II shooter who also lives in Central Florida... Can you advise on a couple of locations where one would find the Kingfishers... I am a hummingbird shooter but have not had much success with Kingfishers.. TIA. George

[@danieltkaczyk105]

Thx professor, u killin it 🤜🏼🤛🏼

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Thanks and thanks for watching.

[@raygiemza3690]

Terrific captures!

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Thank you.

[@marcelrothmund2447]

Great stuff unbelievably good - Thank you for these useful tips. Small hint: In your video at 11:31 you said R5 Mark II instead R5.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Hey thanks. Regarding the error. I am surprised you only found one error. I usually make several and I am sure I did in this video. Cheers, Ron

[@healinginfluence]

A very helpful video. Thank you.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

You're very welcome!

[@Topgardenboy]

Great video Ron, did you use the Speed Shooter Harness for any of these fantastic pictures?

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Thanks so much. For the kingfisher shots I cannot use the Speed-shooter. A tripod is required in the kingfisher blind because the lens has to be sticking out of the hole in the camo at all times or the bird will be scared off. This is not possible with anything else but a tripod. Cheers, Ron

[@kennethlui2268]

Cool tips. I will try mode 3 on my RF600 f4. I already use “M” case. I did hummingbirds in flight over a few thousand shots and once in a while I saw a bit rolling shutter on the wings. But that is very minor compared to the R5. I used the R5 to take white-faced Ibis in flight and then used R52. Damn, the R5 feels slow. We are spoiled. I can’t go back to R5 for birds in flight

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Great to hear from you on the hummingbird results. Great that the rolling shutter seems to really diminished in the R5II. I agree, after shooting the R5II the R5 really feels archaic when it comes to shooting fast action.

[@mobelue]

Good stuff. I’ll try to remember mode 3.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Thank you. Ron

[@pimdiesel860]

Thanks Ron!! great stuff 👍

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

My pleasure. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@steveking6204]

Glad to see your great results. Are you using preshooting? Is the autofocus working just as well during the pre-shoot period (ie. prior to full press)?

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

I have found the pre-continuous shooting to be very effective with great AF results. I use back-button AF, so I have the AF actively focusing while half-pressing the shutter button to allow PCS to be active. When I look at my images from the PCS part of a sequence I do not see any issues with focus. After using PCS for a while now, I really like how it is implemented for someone who shoots back-button AF.

[@big-o2412]

Thank you Ron ,for always uploading helpful videos! I've been taking pictures of kingfishers with the R5 II and RF100-500. The shooting field is a river about 3 minutes from my house, and it's hard to find where the kingfisher is. I can't capture kingfishers without using a dot sight. How can I take pictures without a dot sight? Also, I set the AF to manual, tracking sensitivity to -2, Accel/decel Trackng to +2, and selected mode 3 for the lens image stabilization. These were the same settings as Ron's, so I'll keep taking pictures with these settings!

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Thank you for the kind words. With regards to being able to photograph kingfishers or any other fast bird in flight without a DOT sight, all I can tell you the more you practice the better at finding the bird in the VF you will get. I practice on any flying bird I can find. Cheers, Ron

[@billthomas7644]

Amazing photos.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Thank you. I appreciate your kind words.

[@danny8888]

R5II AF very powerful!

[@rockymanilow5115]

Much faster than R6 mkII ?

[@TheNewMexicoMan]

Looking forward to the real world R1 - R5MkII rendering IQ video. When you shoot with your tripod harness, do you have the IS on your lens switched on or do you turn it off as you would when mounted on a standard tripod?

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Thank you. If I am shooting birds in flight, like the kingfisher, I sometimes have the IS on. It all depends on the Shutter Speed I am able to use given the ambient light situation. The same goes for shooting with the Speed-shooter harness. If I am shooting very fast shutter speeds I tend to turn IS off, but if shooting with slower shutter speeds I leave it on. Mostly I shoot in Mode 2 unless I am shooting very fast and erratic subjects when I have started experimenting with Mode 3 on the R5II. Cheers, Ron

[@TheNewMexicoMan]

@@whistlingwingsphotography Thank you!

[@Tarjumaan]

Ron, that was a great video. Two things: 1: how do you get so close to those Kingfishers? 2: could you test this with the R7 using the 100-500mm L lens?

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

I shoot from a blind. You need to use a blind as they are so skittish. Also, I find birds in areas where they are somewhat used to people. Belted kingfishers never get completely habituated to people, but in areas where they encounter people a lot they are more approachable and you can put blinds closer to their favorite perches. Like most wildlife these birds are creatures of habit. Find a birds favorite perch and set up near it.

[@scottiedds]

Awesome thank you Ron

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

My pleasure and thanks for taking the time to watch and comment. Cheers, Ron

[@Kellysher]

I would kill for these diving shots! We have Kingfishers in OH, but most of my shots are with the bird perched either before the dive, or after perched with the fish! The one consistent wetlands that I can find them is in a backlit spot in lowlight for my 100-500. Can you do a video on how to get the bird to move to better lighting? They seem to have a mind of their own! Beautiful work!

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Thank you so much for your kind comments. I will work on a video about photographing kingfishers. Thanks for watching and for the video idea. Ron

[@fbimagesphoto]

One thing I would love is for Canon to finally allow us to change the IS mode from the camera body. I often use lens covers or rain covers on the lens, or gloves if it gets cold, and moving the IS mode switch is a real pain. The idea of being able to start in mode 1 on a static bird and flick a switch on the body to mode 3 when it takes off without moving my hands around would be a dream.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

I agree 100%. I have always hated the small switches on the lenses including the IS mode switch. Even when you have a clear view of the switch and free hands it can be very difficult to get it into mode 2 without passing it. Very frustrating in many situations. I also would love the pre-con shooting to be able to have mode 1 active and then when you actively start shooting it switch to say mode 2 or 3 depending on what you set it to. The IS modes really do something and make a difference in hit rates, but more flexibility in how they can be employed is needed because of this. Thanks so much for adding to the conversation. Ron

[@courtney727ray]

Unfortunately, the new batteries still don't provide the power needed. I have the RF 600 F4 and the R5C. I shoot birds and wild life and I am a little frustraded that I can't get a Canon pro body with the megapixels and battery power. We have to choose between pro bodies and higher megapixels. Thanks for your feed back on the autofocus.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

I too wish the new R1 would be 45mp, but...

[@mvp_kryptonite]

The take away from this video is if you have time to shoot your subjects, you can tinker with settings to increase your hit rate. Now, if only we had more custom configurations to save these different settings too! The new batch of cameras now are superb, yes there might be one or 2 niggles but for the majority of use cases, the R5ii meets these needs. I’m lately thinking to move to full frame and this camera will do the trick unless the R6iii tempts me

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

I highly advocate getting out and trying different settings in different shooting scenarios. You don't need to be shooting anything fancy with regards to subjects. Crows, pigeons, whatever. Just get out and try different settings so when you are shooting for the shot you know what settings to choose.

[@OhHeyItsLou]

Another great video! What skin are you using on your 600?

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

The skin is a product called Mossy Oak Graphics. You can find it in rolls in many different camo patterns on Amazon. You need to cut it yourself. Thanks so much for the kind words. Ron

[@garymeredith2441]

Ron , have you tried the R5 Mk II with the 200 to 800 lens to do the Kingfisher's yet ??? .

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

This is my next test. I will be shooting the 200-800 over the next several mornings to see how it does. Thanks for watching and stay tuned. Cheers, Ron

[@courtney727ray]

What is your take/ experience with the R5 1 and 2 batteries not being strong enough to power both focus motors on the RF 600 F4?

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

I have def noticed the relatively slow AF with the RF 600 f4. I assume it is due to the issue you asked about. However, I have not been able to get a definitive yes on the question of whether the R5II runs both focus motors, either. That being stated, the R5II is much faster. The AF on the R5 is still very good and quite fast. But, not as fast as the R3 and now the R5II. If you shoot in scenarios where you need the best AF performance possible then you will find the R5 lacking compared to the R3 and R5II. If you don't need top speed, then the R5 will probably do everything you need.

[@mobelue]

I like your vids.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Thanks so much. Ron

[@damien0486]

Salut! Je voudrais savoir si ton opinion sur le r5mkii n'a pas changé? Le buffer est suffisant ? J'adore ta chaîne, bonne soirée ✌🏻

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

If you shoot CRAW the buffer is adequate at 30fps. I do think about running out of buffer a lot when shooting ES at 30fps, but for the most part it lasts long enough. Cheers, Ron

[@UmidaXamidova-p2c]

Poetic test

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Thanks so much.

[@fardog3831]

Ron, a thought on your "case" comments. In an earlier video by Rudy Winston he mentions that the Auto setting is not actually a separate setting but a cue for the camera to use it's "intelligence" to choose the case for you. He mentions several times that in Auto it does take a slight moment to decide what to use. With the incredible speed of the Kingfisher's flights this may be a factor. You are possibly getting better results because the Auto lag time is too slow for the almost instant need in Kingfisher images. Personally I plan to trust your choice for Kingfisher like situations and have a quick personal "My Menu" tab to switch from a normal AUTO setting to the "quicker" MANUAL setting you found better for the Kingfisher situation. I normally shoot larger wading birds and raptors and while quick in movement they are turtles compared to kingfishers. Do you plan to use auto on the rest of your photography or just permanently switch to Manual?? Also do you have any thought on what to use when trying to capture egret-heron strikes ... might be time for the "Kingfisher" settings you mention??

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Great insight, thanks so much for the comment. I will use AUTO for most situations, but switch to the MANUAL settings when doing very fast, erratic subjects. With regards to egrets and herons striking at prey, I think anything super fast and erratic the MANUAL settings would be the way to go. I would try both and see what works the best. Cheers, Ron

[@ryansanderson1010]

Does mode 3 IS engage when you have pre-record actively buffering?

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

No, in Mode 3 IS/IBIS it only stabilizes as an image is actually being taken by the camera.

[@ryansanderson1010]

@@whistlingwingsphotography I tried shooting in mode 3 today (R5II/RF600 f/4). I did verify--no stabilization initially. From what I can find online, it looks like mode 3 stabilizes in both horizontal and vertical axes once it starts stabilizing. So it seems that it's essentially mode 1 if shooting bursts, and any pre-shooting would be unstabilized. It *seems* like it would be the worst of both worlds? Maybe? Anyway, I'm glad it's worked out well for you! I've traditionally used mode 2 for BIF and will have to experiment more with mode 3 to see if it helps or hinders (early experience for me was that it actually hindered with the IS correcting in the plane I was panning).

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

@@ryansanderson1010 I believe mode 3 is only of benefit when shooting very fast and erratic subjects as I stated in the video. I do not plan on using it in any other scenarios. In mode 3 you def do not get stabilization if using pre-con shooting. For me, I will continue to use Mode 2 for most BIF work. Thanks for adding your experience to the conversation. Ron

[@KeithDavies-z6f]

Hi hi, could you give me some advice? I am hoping to buy Canon R5 mark ii but I have the canon 100-500 already do you think that this will still be a good set up for bird photography at the moment I’m using the R7 any advice would be much appreciated love the videos you make very interesting thanks Keith Davies

[@normanfranke4041]

Piggy-backing on this question since I'm in the same boat, wanting to upgrade from the R7's disappointing autofocus (also using the 100-500). I don't doubt the R5 Mark II will have superior autofocus performance but I'm fearful of the loss of reach and cropability compared with the 32 MP crop sensor of the R7. I could use the 1.4 extender to regain some of the reach but it's a hassle on the 100-500 since it physically blocks zooming out. Decisions, decisions...

[@spyder000069]

I have the R7, R5mk2, 100-500, and 200-800. With my recent tests here is what I found. The R7 with 100-500 compared to R5mk2 and 200-800 (both shot at 800 equiv) in average light has almost identical photo quality when I pixel peep. When I am out trying to take bird pics with the R5mk2 and 200-800 I often find myself wishing I had the extra reach of my R7. However, birds in flight the R5mk2 definately has a better autofocus system and its quicker to pick up and lock on. I like the R5mk2's bigger viewfinder. I did have a session where I was right under a tree with birds that were curious and up close that I was still able to grab with the R5mk2 but would have been too close if I had my R7 combo. I am trying hard to justify my more expensive R5mk2 purchase and I do overall like the camera but I am not sure its the best value. Yes, I have plenty of missed shots with my R7 but I take enough that I always end up with something that I am happy with. So my 2 cents. Is the R5mk2 better than a R7? Overall yes but that loss of reach is real. I am looking forward to a R7mk2. As far as the teleconverter when I add the 1.4x to my 100-500 I am always dissapointed in the loss of quality. The 200-800 is better than the 100-500 with tele in my opinion. I do use the tele in combo with the 200-800 for moon pics. :^)

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Thanks, and this is in response to all the comments. Whether the R7 with its cropped sensor at 32mp is better for bird photography than the R5II full frame at 45mp is a hard question to answer, because it all depends on the type of bird photography you do most. If you are doing a lot of songbirds perched, or perched shots in general then the R7 with 100-500 is a great way to go. If you are doing more action BIF type stuff then the R5II is a better choice IMO. If you do a mixture, then I always tend to side with the combo that can to the tougher stuff because if it can do the hard stuff it certainly can do the easier stuff. It does not work as well the other way around. I have used my R5II with the 100-500 and find it to be an overall awesome combo and the same with the 200-800. I wish I could give you all a definitive answer, but in the end I don't think you will be disappointed either way you go. Just tailor your equipment to the type of photography you do most, the best you can.

[@rudicroce7674]

Is R3 AF that far away? I have trouble getting a kingfisher to lock on with R3.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

The R3's AF is almost as good as the R5II's just not quite as good at staying on the bird's head when it is really close. For me the difference is mainly in the R5II's ability to stick with a bird against backgrounds and as it flies near competing elements. It just does not let go. The R3 surrenders the subject quicker.

[@fredlar9421]

Where are the photos of the KF just diving into or coming out of the water with water or splash droplets covering the eyes ? In most case, R5/R3 would lose the focus or focus wrongly on water. Sony A1 A9/III are better at the moment.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

I would not assume the R5II cannot capture the images you speak of. It can and does very well. Take a look at my SmugMug page and you will see many of those types of images. ronaldbielefeld.smugmug.com/Canon-R5II-Images. In this video I was focused on talking about the ability of the AF to keep up with subjects gaining extremely fast on the camera. I have a Sony a1 and a Nikon Z8 they both do very well with the kingfisher, but not as good, overall, as the R5II from my experiences.

[@adinew8920]

Thanks.....

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

You're very welcome! Thanks for watching.

[@rockymanilow5115]

Can you do R6 Mark II vs R5 in birds shooting?

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

I no longer have a R6 Mark II, so I am not able to do that comparison. Sorry.

[@41stclair]

so does the r5 2 drive the big lens faster ??

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

Overall, the R5II with the 600 f/4 RF is noticeably faster than the R5 with the RF 600 f/4.

[@DavidGardiner-t5j]

Couple of things, you say you have these birds as 10ft and all have perfect backgrounds. Are they being baited? If so the focus system has no issues with cluttered backgrounds and of course will excel. Second, you mention in the settings on one reply your shutter is at 1/250th yet there is no motion blur at all. I can't see any these being under 1/2500th and was curious why even concentrate on a bird so small and fast in light requiring 1/250 and 6400 iso? Not trying to be rude as I don't have the opportunity to shoot these birds and curious more than anything.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

All of the images in the video where shot with at least 1/1000s if my memory serves. However, I get out in my blind before light and the bird arrives very early when it is still quite dark. If the bird is there and active I am shooting even if it is at 1/250s. I have gotten some nice blurred wing shots with sharp bodies using very slow shutter speeds. I did not put any such images in the video because the video was meant to show that the R5II and 600 f/4 combo can keep up with fast approaching small birds at short distances. To me the ultimate test of an AF systems capabilities. None of the shots in this video were baited shots. I set up in a blind placed very close to this bird's favorite morning fishing perch. It is on a very small pond, so the bird is generally very close. Thanks so much for watching and adding to the discussion. Ron

[@Loboboracho]

Great video, thanks for the tips. It would be helpful if you could share shutter speed, ISO and f-stop info with your images.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

I understand the want for the shutter speed, iso, etc. information. But adding all that for over 100 images in the video itself just takes forever. So, instead, I provide a link in the description of the video to a SmugMug gallery that has all the images in it. For each image there is an info button you can click on that will provide all the shooting data. Cheers, Ron

[@Loboboracho]

@@whistlingwingsphotography I understand. Thank you for the link...very helpful...and gorgeous photos!

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

@@Loboboracho Thanks so much.

[@djack4125]

Using "Pre-Capture"?

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

I use Pre-Capture for takeoff shots and when the bird is on a perch with a fish as you never know if he is going to loose the fish and do some amazing aerobatics to recatch it in mid-air It def. helps capture those moments.

[@jonasweiss5817]

Your DOF at f/8 is the reason you don’t see af errors.

[@whistlingwingsphotography]

DOF at 600mm, f/8, at 15 feet to subject/plane of focus is approximately 1 inch. Not much room for error on a small bird flying at 30+ mph straight at the camera at that distance. With eye detection and zone AF the eye is sharp and by my estimation the point of focus achieved for a majority of the images. To me there does not seem to be much error in the AF system. Moreover, many of the images were taken at a wider aperture than f/8, quite a few at f/4.

[@benstill6924]

Thank goodness you now have no need for R1. Throw it in trash and let me know when trash day is. In the meanwhile, step up with R1 vid and let us know how long battery lasts when steady vid roll.