DOES BIRD EYE DETECT AUTO FOCUS WORK FOR DRAGONFLIES IN FLIGHT?

In this video I test out bird and animal eye detect for photographing fast moving dragonflies and damselflies in flight. Do either of these options work?
Watch to find out how I got on .
There are also lots of images of dragonflies and damselflies perching for you to take a look at as well.
Along with the auto focus test I also cover camera settings for photographing dragonflies in flight.
I'm using a Nikon Z8 with 180-600mm zoom lens for this test. But most modern mirrorless cameras will have bird and animal eye detect auto focus so this video is relevant regardless of the camera system you use.
#nikonz8 8 #macro #dragonflies
Website www.stevehedgesphotography.co.uk
Facebook: Steve Hedges Photography
instagram: steve_hedges_photography

[@Rob.1340]

Cheers Steve, great images, brilliant. All the best. 👍📷😎

[@CheikoSairin]

Amazing footage. A big LIKE from me. Thanks for sharing!

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

@@CheikoSairin Thanks very much, really pleased you enjoyed it. Thanks for the like, all the best Steve.

[@tomking3800]

Steve fabulous images love them ❤

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

@@tomking3800 Hi Tom, thanks very much, really pleased you liked them. I love this time of year for insect photography. All the best Steve.

[@RichardBirchett]

Some nice tips mate, with some great results. R😀

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

@@RichardBirchett Thanks very much Richard, cheers for watching. All the best Steve.

[@srfbum123]

Thanks for the tips!

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

@@srfbum123 Really pleased you found them useful Mike. Thanks for watching, all the best Steve.

[@rogerhance5883]

Nice video Steve.

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

@@rogerhance5883 Thanks very much Roger. It's amazing what modern technology can achieve isn't it?

[@juanitakelly3082]

Great test and results!

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

@@juanitakelly3082 Thanks very much, really pleased you enjoyed it. Yes the Z8 performed very well alongside the 180-600mm. I'm certainly getting shots that I wouldn't have got before. Cheers Steve.

[@cynical1952]

Good video and stills again Steve and what a good tip. That's another thing to try out on my Z8 .Take care mate.

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

@@cynical1952 Thanks very much Steve, yes it certainly worth trying. The eye detect worked better than I expected. Although you do still need loads of patience. Cheers mate.

[@ukwildlife]

Great video - YT hasnt been showing me your videos recently for some reason, so I need to catch up As soon as you said you had a mating pair in flight, I knew it would be Black-tailed Skimmers! They seem to (occasionally) hover for photographers, I got a lucky shot a few years ago when a pair hovered in front of clear background. The subject detect has been a game changer for dragonflies in flight, I was told to try it on my OM1 and bird seems best, I guess the AI looks for heads in front of wings and works it out despite the fact they are insects. Was so good I made a 3rd video last year just to try it out!

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

@@ukwildlife Thanks very much really pleased you enjoyed it. KZbin can be like that, very annoying! Yes it makes life so much easier if they hover for a while. It just gives the AF a better chance to lock on and us photographers a better chance to get them in the viewfinder. You're right subject detect is a game changer. I found bird eye detect best too. Thanks for watching, all the best Steve.

[@joncothranphotography9375]

That was cool! Thanks!

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

@@joncothranphotography9375 Thank you very much, I'm really pleased you enjoyed it. All the best Steve.

[@naturealbums]

Fantastic shot of the mating in flight. I'm looking at getting the Z8 too. I waited for the Canon R5 II prices. I can get the Nikon 180-600mm zoom and Z8 for same price (grey Z8 from HK). It's great the tracking works so well on the Z8 gives me a lot of confidence. To be honest I was getting superb tracking with my classic 5D 15+ years ago and my old 1dmk3 on Dflies. I was using the 300mm F2.8LIS a fast lens does help. I have a Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 Nikon variant. A heavy beast. Would love to know if the Z8 will work with it. I'm getting old so I'm looking at getting a light pf lens and leaving the Sigma for astro shots on an astro mount. 600mm pf f6.3 or the 600mm zoom difficult choice. Whichever I get will wish I got the other that's what I normally do. Again superb mating shot ! I see you are in Essex I used to do my Dflies at Stockers lake in Rickmansworth.

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

@@naturealbums Thanks very much, really pleased you enjoyed the pictures. Yes I'm loving my Z8 I think it's the best camera I've ever owned. I'm sure you would be happy with it. Either combo will be good, the 180-600mm is really flexible but the 600mm prime is lighter and of course slightly sharper although the 180-600 is very sharp as well. Thanks for commenting,all the best Steve.

[@ianwilsonwildlifephotography]

Great images Steve👍 Whilst I love my Z6ii the only thing I wish it had was the bird eye detect. Time to save up I suppose! 😂

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

@@ianwilsonwildlifephotography Hi Ian, thanks very much.Yes the Z6II is an excellent camera. I had one for a couple of years. I bought the Z8 for the eye detect more than anything else to be honest. I haven't been disappointed it's brilliant. The Z6III looks like a good option. All the best Steve.

[@ianwilsonwildlifephotography]

@@SteveHedgesPhotography yeah it’s. Great camera and I’ve taken some great images with it but the eye detection would be a great help.

[@musiqueetmontagne]

Fantastic stuff Steve, this modern tech in the right hands is a game changer in many areas. I tried precapture on my Z8 a while ago at 120 fps small jpegs with a huge thunderstorm. The results were stunning, not clipped from video, actual photos of the lightning strikes, all repeatable. Well done with this, amazing. Cheers, Robert.

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

@@musiqueetmontagne Thanks very much Robert, really pleased you enjoyed it. Yes the technology in modern cameras is a game changer. I think the Z8 is the best camera I've ever owned. Thanks for watching, all the best Steve.

[@philyoung4804]

Well done Steve. Great shoots

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

@@philyoung4804 Thanks very much Phil, really pleased you enjoyed it. I love this time of year for insect photography. All the best Steve.

[@SkylarkFields]

Cracking captures, Steve! Good video!

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

@@SkylarkFields Thanks very much, really pleased you enjoyed it. It's definitely insect photography season. All the best Steve.

[@sandydt57]

apparently someone said to use the airplane mode on the olympus .. ive tried it and it does work ,not sure its better ..they are fast devils

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

@@sandydt57 Hi Sandy, I haven't heard that one. If it works though that's great. They are very fast and tricky to photograph. Just getting them in the frame is a challenge isn't it?

[@JoeMaranophotography]

I am sure that I read that the Z8 has insect detect? I was photographing some swallows at Bempton the other day and was rather shocked that the G9ii managed to lock into a Bee that was really rather far away! A Bee!! Good to see it's working for your regardless and these features really make our lives SO much easier!

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

@@JoeMaranophotography Hi Joe, no at the moment it doesn't have insect eye detect, not that I'm aware of anyway. But yes the eye detect is working so I'm happy. Good to see the G9II is working for you, good AF makes so much difference doesn't it?

[@JoeMaranophotography]

@@SteveHedgesPhotography For me Steve it's a game changer. I never had any issues with anything BUT the autofocus in the last camera. Sure more megapixels etc etc I am never going to complain about but when you missed 90% of your shots due to the shonky AF it's bloody frustrating and then feels like wildlife photography is just a game of who can afford more. I feel like nearly every brand is more or less at the same level and differences are probably just mainly user error and conditions. This I like! 😁 I think I read wrong. Looking back I think it was 3d tracking that was mentioned?

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

@@JoeMaranophotography Hi Joe, yes I think you're right there aren't many bad cameras these days. Which is great for all of us. Yes 3d tracking is a Nikon AF mode. Keep well mate.

[@CamillaI]

Great action Steve I loved the mating Broad chasers. I am lucky to have insect detect now with the A9III which helps. Still difficult to get them in the frame though . I set 1/4000 sec inflight and f5.6-8 to get more DOF for the wings this freezes them perfectly . Not sure bird eye detect is as good. But I do have to change mine from Insect to bird otherwise it will not pick out the feathered friends very well at all 🤔

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

@@CamillaI Thanks very much Mark, having insect eye detect is a result. Hopefully Nikon will give us that in a firmware update. Although bird eye detect did work well to be honest. As you say getting the subject in the frame is the trickiest bit. Cheers, Steve.

[@JPLamoureuxsTravels]

sweeeeet!! put Z8 animal eye detect in your title bro x flippin fab vid bud!!! x

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

@@JPLamoureuxsTravels Thanks very much JP yes so love the eye detect. What a great time of year for insect photography . Cheers mate.

[@richardchew1767]

Very interesting Steve! Excellent photos. I am currently taking static photos of dragonflies and damselflies (and butterflies) but I am definitely going to try flight shots with "bird detect AF" on my OM-1. I suspect there may well be a high failure rate! Richard.

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

@@richardchew1767 Hi Richard, thanks very much. Yes it's certainly worth a try but yes there is definitely a high failure rate. But you only need one or two keepers don't you?