My Session Was Ruined with Soft Shots! Here's Why...

[@joanhuggett5164]

Recently watched a UK channel talking about this very thing ('Wildlife Photographer UK' Ashley Barnard). He took the lens hood off and the heat haze was gone from his images. The distortion was from the different temperature in the hood to the outside cold. Thought I'd just share this with you Duade.

[@TomasZachar]

this is a very interesting insight

[@1964pmitchell]

Experienced exact same issue with the Sony 200-600, shooting without the lens hood sorted my problems.

[@TomasZachar]

@@1964pmitchell i Will definitely try with my R7 + SIGMA 150-600

[@Angelo_Paduraru]

Another wonderful information! Thanks!

[@davet3530]

Wow, never heard of this. Must try it out. Thanks.

[@BrentHall]

I feel your frustration man. It's something I've talked about in almost every wildlife video I make. Physics is Not your friend, lol. And I've been a physicist for over 20 years now. The more atmosphere you shoot through, the worse your image quality will degrade. Heat haze/atmospheric distortion can happen anywhere, anytime, at any temp, and any elevation if the conditions are right and it will absolutely wreck your images no matter how fancy your gear.

[@jyoungtricks]

These honest videos are absolutely great... Someone like me who is on a budget, these videos are very important so I can really make a decision on where my money goes without just looking at specs on paper

[@cooloox]

Heat haze affects any camera's images, as shown in the video (Jan's R5 images were soft too, due to heat haze). So the specs really didn't come into it. If you mean poor noise/IQ when underexposing in low light with an APS-C camera, that will happen on all APS-C cameras. Even the cheapest FF Canon RP is vastly superior in this regard.

[@jyoungtricks]

@@cooloox which is good to know when someone buys this lens and thinks they may have wasted their money when they havent... As I said these videos are very important for people like me who are on a budget and don't want to rely on specs on paper, I want real world information

[@Duade]

It is my pleasure, just sharing my experience and learning at the same time. Cheers, Duade

[@simonthibodeau7082]

I'm really glad you didn't scrap the video and turned it into a teaching moment! Thanks Duade! Can't wait for the full review!

[@matt2077]

Steve Perry has an excellent video on haze caused by the lens hood as well. If you don’t let your gear acclimate to the outside temp for about 10-15 minutes when there are big swings you can actually have a temp difference right in front of the glass. Worth checking out and it’s a great explanation

[@wellingtoncrescent2480]

For those of us in cold climates (like northern Canada), it's especially good on how warm air gets trapped in the lens hood. The link for Steve's video is kzbin.info/www/bejne/eGWVn4udjrqqr9Esi=AKY-pSLQcQ8Lj3Qe

[@Duade]

Thanks for sharing, sounds like I need to give that a try, Cheers, Duade

[@dougcoxon5596]

Steve’s video is very insightful. I learned to keep the car heater off, open the passenger window and shutoff the vehicle as soon as I arrive at a shoot, especially if shooting from the vehicle. Anytime you have a temperature differential you are risking heat haze, especially with long telephotos.

[@oliwawuff]

I do not see the AF point in my display of my R5 like you do as a blue and/or white square. DoI have to activate this? thanks….

[@barrymiller526]

As well as wildlife I do quite a lot of aviation photography and heat haze is a real problem when trying to shoot aircraft landing or taking off. A case in point is when I was on holiday in Australia last September, I visited the observation area for Perth Airport and the heat haze was so bad O could only shoot aircraft as they took off and where ate least 50 metres up. I was using an R6 with the RF 100-500mm

[@davidapaulissen2237]

Thank you for this video. I recently bought the RF 200-800 and took it out on my R5 on our first cold morning. Here on the SE Texas coast, it was clear, bright, and 48 degrees f, but the water was warm. Nearly all of my shots were soft. After two months of tack sharp images with this lens I was ready to send it to Canon. I remembered of your video too late, at home. The refuge was so full of birds so I shot a LOT. Later in the day I got a few sharp shots but wow, 3300 shots and less than 20% even worth looking at. You stay so spot on with modern photography that I tell many folks about this channel. Thank you!!!

[@jaya.v.5093]

I live in Spain and this happens to me all the time, specially when photographing over water surfaces. The APSC format makes you try longer distances, which compounds the problem. You just have to be aware of it and try to be closer and avoid certain situations or times of day. Very tricky!

[@Duade]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Cheers, Duade

[@Angelo_Paduraru]

Oh god, so good to know this, very many of us think that the gear is the problem.. thanks for this precious information !!!

[@Duade]

My pleasure, Cheers, Duade

[@timbuckleyvideos]

OMG! Fantastic insight! I can think of a dozen or so times I was unable to get sharp images without any thought of heat haze (or any visible shimmer) but from what you've shared with us I can now see that's what it was! I am now signing up for membership :)

[@S0me_Aussie_Guy]

hey duade, your description of how heat haze is produced is pretty much spot on. Air acts no different to a fluid. Hot air is less dense than cold air and therefore rises, not mix with the cold air. light will behave differently through different air densities in that it will distort or bend the light ever so slightly as we see on hot days. The higher the focal length, the more pronounced this will appear. Its a big issue for large telescopes and observatories, hence why some observatories are located on a tall mountain (mauna loa in hawaii comes to mind) because the heat haze or any form of mirage is greatly reduced from the thinner air. I work in environmental and do alot of field work in the west australian goldfields and pilbara but i also get an opportunity to take photos for work. it gets bloody hot there (30-40+) and so photographing a target is impossible at 30 meters and above. the only way to lessen is to get as close to the target as possible so light has less distance to travel and lower the focal range. bit tricky but patience pays off eventually

[@rggfishing5234]

Um, air is a fluid

[@Duade]

Thanks for sharing mate, I appreciate it, some great wildlife out your way. Cheers, Duade

[@thomashusser9391]

I shoot with the R5 and RF 100-500 combo and I have experienced this on a few wildlife shoots. Like you, I was shooting early morning in a wet environment. I could not sort out the root cause and it left me pretty frustrated. After each failed shoot, I would set up in the backyard and try to make sense of what was happening. I had presumed that I had somehow made adjustments in setting unintentionally. Thanks for this video. I will be more careful about the weather conditions when I head.

[@rayl801]

Thank you, thank you, thank you Duade! I am so glad that you have provided this video to show us that we / I am not the only one that can go out and not seem to get any sharp or otherwise great bird photos. I have been struggling at times with my R7 and R5 with the highly praised RF 100-500L lens and had similar results no matter how many various camera settings that I have tried based on many different "how to" videos on KZbin. I will definitely not give up now knowing that heat haze can get us in surprising ways, and also great feedback from the comments supplied by your viewers about taking off the lens hood if there are difficulties in getting sharp photos. I have always used my lens hood, not only for sunny lens flare concerns, but also for general protection against lens damage due to knocks, minor drops, etc. Thanks again for your insightful and comforting videos.

[@Duade]

No problem, it is likely an issue shooting from your car or over water etc if there is this variation in temperature. Lens hood is still an important tool to protect your glass but I will remove and reattach to make sure no hot air in hood if I have this issue again. Cheers, Duade

[@jessekolar322]

06:44 This is very common in cold climates shooting from a vehicle. I leave my heater off, open all windows, and pay attention to the wind to avoid engine heat blowing toward the window I'm shooting out of. It can also be caused by a warm lens/hood, so letting the camera acclimate also helps. However, vapor condenses on cold, hard surfaces, so a cold lens is more vulnerable to fogging up. Avoid fogging by keeping the camera/lens covered or wrapped while moving indoors to let the camera warm up without being exposed to drastically warmer, more humid air. Great video, thanks for sharing--I think I learn more from seeing what doesn't work than seeing everything function ideally.

[@mjpt57]

This explains a few things that I've experienced when using my longer lenses. Thanks for this, Duade.

[@Duade]

My pleasure, Cheers, Duade

[@tonyblake8841]

Hi Duade, definitely struck this problem in the early morning in Brisbane lately in swampy areas. Temperature around 25°C and relative humidity around 90%. Day temperatures in the low 30°‘s C means ground warmer early than air. So much for the golden hour. Better a few hours after sunrise. It makes you think of using these super long lenses these days when looking for reach as opposed to just filling the frame. The new OM 150-600 is 1200mm FFE, up to 2400mm FFE it’s a 2x TC. For me 800mm is about as much as you generally want to go unless really good conditions. It’s funny how we are talking about this with the heat of summer and our friends on the other side of the World have the same problem with the cold. I have noticed similar issues if shooting across a light coloured path into a grassed area swampy or not. The shimmer off a warm path can be really impactful even over a short distance.

[@Duade]

Thanks for sharing Tony, many good points, yes, I suspect nearly everyone gets impacted by it at some point so I am happy the video has been well recieved and everyone is learning from each other. Cheers, Duade

[@johndownie7735]

Thanks for this video Duade, I had been mystified why some shots I took of a Wedgetailed Eagle feeding on the roadside in South Australia were so bad, the bird was soft and the dry grass background unbelievably messy. Now I know, heat haze! Keep up the good work!

[@fylphotography9269]

A lot of people are quick to blame heat haze but unfortunately I think part of the issue is the lens coating and only 3 elements are UD. This may also explain the issue some have encountered with highlight bleed and white birds looking rather hazy especially when using an APS-C body. I'd like to see a comparison how this lens stacks up to the RF 800mm f11, 100-500mm with 1.4x and the Sigma and Tamron 150-600mm in this regard. I'm guessing it might perform better than the 800 f11 but is on a similar level to the Sigma and Tamron (I had the G2 which was rather hazy in some situations until you stop down to f9, but going to f11 diffraction kicks in). Pangolin Photo Safaris has a review of this lens with a sample comparison with the 800 f5.6 and it's clear that the latter handles heat haze much better. 60X spotting scopes can also handle heat haze quite well, at least for viewing with the human eye but I find that digiscoping is a struggle due to the alignment and fighting between the autofocus of the smartphone and the manual focus of the scope.

[@xwhite2020]

It's so good having this info that you and Jan provide. Helps so much. Thanks.

[@CarolSperoni]

I watched the same programme, very true. Also beneficial to leave your camera bag in the coldest room in the house overnight before a shoot, leaves less time for your gear to acclimatise when you get to your chosen photo shoot.

[@ammadoux]

heat haze Duade is the story of my life, i go to the desert and larks, buntings and babblers are all over me, but all shots and way less than what i get in my garden shots, so i learnt to hold my camera until one lark or something decide to come close about 5 meters or less then i take shots. yes if you stay quite birds will come to you even if you don't use camouflage. and yes car shots during summer time all bad specially if the bird far. thank sa million for answering all my questions about the problem. i live in Jeddah on the Red sea.

[@bricoschmoo1897]

Hi, thank you for this video! I immediately thought about heat haze with the first pic. That's something that I have to deal quite often in France. When that happens to you, try removing the lens hood and putting it back on to replace the trapped hot air from your bag / vehicle. It's hard to believe how good these buckets are at trapping hot air just in front of the lens. Of course, if the heat haze happens further away, between you and the subject, there's not much to do. The first time I noticed this in my photography, I was attemting to take shots just above a road that had time to heat up during the day. I didn't even know about heat haze before that, nor how destructive it can be for image quality.

[@Duade]

Thanks for sharing and great tips, Cheers, Duade

[@bricoschmoo1897]

@@Duade Thank you for sharing all your experiences !

[@robertharvey2580]

Thank you for this video. I live in the desert, in the Southwest US, and I’ve experienced this a few times with the RF 100-500. I was stumped as to what was going on until now.

[@bjrn-einarnilsen687]

Great video of an important topic mate. Here in Brazil we have a lot of heat haze, so it's a problem i know very well. But i am sure there are many out there that have been thinking that it is the equipment that was the problem. So this video will for sure be of very good help for many. Wishing you a wonderful weekend. Cheers, Bjoern

[@stephenbarlow2493]

Brilliant topic. I think the term heat haze is misleading because as you point you, it is heat difference, air disturbance. I do a lot of my photography on a large peatland, and the atmospheric disturbance is terrible at times. I''ve had similar problems over water. These problems even occur when it is freezing, but usually when there is direct sun. I've suddenly thought, there's something wrong with my AF, my lens, shutter shock or whatever. I think the most reliable guide is to look for the plane of focus elsewhere in the image. It's clear with that Coot on your photo, where the vegetation on the sharpest plane of focus, is also fuzzy. If you see, some sharp detail on the plane of focus, elsewhere, your focus is off. On the same peatland site I mention, you will get sharp photos of flying birds at the same time you can't get anything sharp on the ground. I've still to decide whether the 100-500 or 200-800mm to go with my R7, as I'm still using the 100-400mm mkII.

[@philgrobler350]

Excellent reminder, thanks Duade! Fabulous video!

[@Hodenkat]

Hey Duade! I find it amazing how well our eyes work compared to a camera's AF. Maybe one day, with AI, a lot of distractions that ruin a shot now will be eliminated or greatly reduced. I may be picking up this lens in a few months, so I'm excited to see that great results can be had under the right conditions. Until autofocus gets almost as good as our eyes, we will all need all the advice like this you've been giving the photography community for all of these years! Thank you!

[@ww3688]

Great video on the effects of heat haze. Excellent sharing of experiences from viewers as well! Acclimatizing your gear is important. Steam fog occurs in the fall when water temperatures don't cool right away but air temperature does.

[@Duade]

Thanks Winston, yes, wonderful comments and community input. Cheers, Duade

[@micahboyce_photography]

Your videos always make my day better thanks so much for all the work you put in to them 🤙 And I'm pretty new so I haven't experienced heat haze 😁

[@simongurvets7634]

The contrast between those early photos and the sharp swamphen is insane - great video!

[@ludowild]

Hello Duade, thank you for sharing this! it's a common phenomenon here in France, especially when I'm in the middle of the water with my floating hide because in addition I'm at water level with my Canon R7 and my RF200-800! an example last week we are in winter here we had 8 to 10° in the morning quite early (in principle it is between -5 and 2 or 3°) the water was at 4 or 5 degrees...In very good weather time the force of the sun's rays quickly warms the surface of the water! It's difficult to get sharp photos in these conditions! A little tip: sometimes removing the sun hood allows you to regain sharpness because the hot air circulating inside it reinforces the problem! This also leads us to a form of humility whatever our equipment, it remains wild photography and fortunately we have no control over certain phenomena, certain disturbances! This is also the beauty of adventure -)

[@Weemala]

Another great video. Thank you Duade. I have been taking photographs for 62 years. It is the experience of photography that matters to me. To have a, lovely, photo of a bird or animal I saw is what matters. Cheers Judith

[@AlainCh2.]

I was aware of heat haze, but not on the level you explained and showed. My 180-600Z usually sharp tack, was really soft on some low-light shots, couldn't give it a reason. I don't use the hood but stuck a 120€ protection filter in front. Removed it, no more haze, and sharp shot even without the hood. You have to understand... as you did and demonstrated ... the real reason for what's happening, instead of judging the situation "by simple defaults" ... Too many opportunities to take it wrong !!! Heat Haze, Damaged lens, Hot Hood, or a bad copy of the filter .... A great thanks ( as per usual ) to you for sharing your Joy.... both in success and in mystery mistakes !!!!

[@maxwatt9119]

There can also be swirling heat currents inside your lens, softening your images. Most noticeable when first taking the lens out of a warm bag/car/house into a cooler outside environment. The bigger & longer the lens the more problematic this can be. Give a large lens 30 minutes to better equalize in temperature and you should see an improvement in image sharpness. This is on top of the environmental issue you discuss in the video. Hope that helps and love your vids!

[@davidshawe8982]

Interesting. I’ve had the same issue with heat haze in the UK. At RSPB Minsmere in Suffolk I got lots of soft images of birds on warm mornings with the R7 and RF 100-500mm lens. I’ve also noticed that the issue of inconsistent eye autofocus with the R7 and 100-500 is not a problem with my recently acquired EF500mm f/4 lens. It locks on the eye quickly and stays there.

[@Withderekphoto]

I've experienced this in cold temperatures and warm temperatures, in cold temps, removing your lens hood helps and it's also equally important to let your lens adjust to the temp outside.

[@Mthompson4545]

I’ve run into it twice. Once on the tundra outside of Nome, Alaska. I was photographing Bristle-thighed Curlews at first light and all the shots were soft from the haze just above the ground. The other time was photographing a Crested Caracara nest in the Sonoran Desert west of Tucson, Arizona. I was about 75 yards from the nest in a saguaro cactus and was getting sharp shots. But the male would often rest in a saguaro that was a couple hundred yards away and the heat haze made it impossible to get any sharp shots of him and his cactus. Video was even worse. Thanks for this video, it’s a good reminder to be aware of the possibility of the heat haze.

[@Duade]

Thanks mate, yes, with our long lenses I think heat haze may impact us more than we often realise. Cheers, Duade

[@IsakNords]

The other day I was outside photographing in -20C. The sky was cloud free and the sun was shining. The sun reflecting on the snow covered ground made all my shots blurry. I was laying in the snow photographing foxes with my 200-600mm. The auto focus was struggling and none of the pictures was sharp. I also recorded some video and the footage got that wavy blurry look like a hot day on the beach. Great video as always, keep it up!

[@tomscott88]

Anything over 600mm effective focal length will exacerbate the scenario. In Africa on safari the advice I got all the time was keep it below 600mm. It’s incredible how close the animals come toward you and with my 3 months in Africa back in 2014 my 100-400 and 7DMKII combo worked great as the efl is 640 but didn’t often need it unless it was for small birds. Loads of info on the internet about 600+ and heat haze and this new generation of lenses all have the same issue

[@godofhope]

Is the heater haze problem specific to the new lenses? Or do you mean: now we can afford 600+mm lenses it is getting obvious. While testing my Sigma 150-600 back than 2016 on a crop camera EOS 50D on a sunny day in cornfields I almost gave up: I thought the lens is garbage. Later I realized it’s actually heat haze ☺️

[@GlenAubin-i9p]

I recently invested in a Nikon Z8 and was keen to get out into the field and start shooting. I went to a wetland with extensive mudflats to photograph some waders. During the session I encountered some Red capped Plovers which I was able to lie down on the mud and get some great shots. Unfortunately to my great disappointment none of the images were sharp. So here I am having invested a small fortune only to get soft images. The same thing happened the following day and has happened on a couple of occasions since. Always the same scenario shooting close to the ground on hot days. Clearly heat haze as I don’t encounter the problem in other situations. It was good to hear that even experienced people like yourself encounter the same issues. Thanks again for the video. I enjoy your channel immensely.

[@timothyconner3474]

I have experienced this on cold mornings in florida. Did not realize this was the reason. Thanks for pointing this out.

[@ianslingsby3415]

Great info to know your environmental conditions and not jump to conclusions on the hardware for sure the R7 is better suited to bright, clear conditions, and then it excels.

[@Duade]

Thanks mate, totally agree, Cheers, Duade

[@nerrelloader4226]

Thanks so much for this review. I have to say I was a little panicked to begin with, but when you revealed the heat haze was the problem, I was relieved. I can't stand our hot summers and rarely go out during them. So heat haze is not something I worry about. I look forward to your full review, as I have an R7 and would like to get this lens to give me greater reach shooting the moon and our beautiful birds in wetlands etc. Thanks again Duade.

[@juddpatterson]

Great video on heat haze, Duade! I definitely encounter heat haze in some of the classic situations you described, but the most surprising to me was up in the Alaskan arctic in summer. My buddies and I kept encountering focus issues and heat haze way more often than our typical shooting to the south. Weird things happen with 22 hours of sunlight!

[@bears_sit_in_the_woods]

Great video!! I've never had this issue, but I'll store this away in my memory for when it happens. Thanks for sharing your experience with us!

[@sensingangelsphotography4291]

Very interesting! I would not have thought of this! Thanks for sharing. My lens arrives next week! Can't wait to test it out! Jodes.

[@naturealbums]

This reminds me when I first got my Canon 300mm F2.8LIS and the converters I was doing some experiments pixel peeping and seeing awful blur it was supposed to have been Canons sharpest lens. I did eventually figure it out after being devastated for all the money I had spent. It was UK winter freezing outside I was nice and warm inside with the conservatory door open shooting targets outside. I was relieved when I figured it out and went on to enjoy my lens for years even with the 2xII and 1.4xII. All I had to do was just go outside and it was all tack sharp from the garden.

[@jthommo101]

Interesting! Thanks for the info Duade

[@svendnrgaard4158]

We have winter here in Denmark right now, so when I've driven maybe half an hour to get to my photo spot, it's hot in the cabin, so I turn off the heat in the car, roll down the windows on both sides before I'm completely forward, and am ready to shoot immediately, if I don't, heat haze occurs immediately. In the summer it is extremely rare that it occurs so long that I only photograph up to 3 hours after sunrise. The further the subject is away, the more heat haze

[@peterlebengood7160]

I run across this often here in Delaware, USA. The longer the focal length and narrower the field of view, the more exaggerated the effect. Sometimes even the lens hood contributes to the problem. It’s also present at any time of year, hot or cold. As you mentioned, whenever there is a good amount of difference between surface and air temperatures, the heat waves are present. I try to stay away from longer distances with subjects at or near ground level. On really bad days, I’ll concentrate on areas with more shade. Most importantly, on those days I keep reminding myself my gear is fine and the atmosphere is not. Great video on a topic that is mostly overlooked.

[@TaiwanisMoving]

Have an R7 and contemplating upgrading to the 200-800. Very useful video, thank you Duade

[@Duade]

Thanks mate, will try and get some more shots for the review, Cheers, Duade

[@geoffanderson5144]

Such a great video! Thanks a bunch for expanding on this. Im looking at going to that same combo, R7 +200-800 and i hear/read so much bad about it, but this makes complete sense and makes me feel better about considering that combo

[@adrian_div_photography]

Hi Duade, your timing is impeccable with this video. My friend and I just came back from Hattah last weekend and experienced nothing but heat haze. Admittedly not the ideal time to visit the mallee, but unfortunately came away with about 2000 useless shots! Lesson learnt!😢

[@denisesavage2382]

I hadn't thought of heat haze being an issue like that before. Interesting and worth keeping in mind.

[@MarcoNeroDesign]

Hi Duade, I believe the examples shown are not indicative of Thermal Fluctuation in the air (aka Heat Haze) but are demonstrating another limitation of this lens design (EDIT: see my reply below - as you may still be correct). And you can test this by zooming in and "scrolling" through any high-speed bursts to look for evidence... because those shots will demonstrate a rippling effect. The other thing to note with heat haze is that you won't get fleeing hints of a sharp subject at all... because those rippling thermal waves will produce a consistent shimmer that softens virtually every image at that distance at that location and time. I believe Canon themselves were discussing how this particular lens would benefit from newer FF bodies that could offer better ISO results than APS-C. Of course, everyone wants to use APS-C with a long lens for maximum reach and most are tempted to use a long lens on distant subject where the greater magnification and lower contrast results in greater loss of clarity in SOME instances. If you run over your prior bursts, I think you'll find that this is a failure for the lens to focus due to contrast issues and an inability to keep up with an APS-C sensor's additional magnification... and is not from thermal fluctuation. As the light changes and more contrast occurs, you should see an improvement. Looking at the aperture and unique design of this new lens, the cause is most likely to do with lens contrast influencing the ability for the Eye-Detect AF to remain locked onto the subject. This type of issue is why Canon installed tiny microprocessors inside their EF and RF Lens Extenders to slow down the AF of the lens used. This is done to account for any difference in contrast that would otherwise impact AF reliability. The 2x Extenders are programmed to slow down AF by 75% compared to the 1.4x Extenders... that that's due to the effect that magnification of distant subjects (combined with associated contrast) affects AF accuracy. This new lens unfortunately will have considerable limitations imposed on it due to the specifications, AF failure (under certain circumstances) is a likelihood. This is why other people have experienced the same problems with the new 200-800mm lens when using APS-C.

[@Duade]

Thanks for sharing your insights, very interesting. I think the light and contrast do play a massive role in the performance of the AF on the R7. The Swamphen later in the morning was very good due to the light etc. All my morning shots were soft, not a single sharp shot from hundreds of photos which I believe was due to the heat haze but the AF performance no doubt struggles with both heat haze and the reasons you mention re contrast etc. Cheers, Duade

[@MarcoNeroDesign]

Hi @@Duade - I was discussing the subject of your video with other photographers online who often use long lenses for birding/sports ....and they generally agreed with you. They felt that thermal fluctuation in the air was a very likely explanation for your set of soft images. especially in the morning when shooting over water. I'm sort of on the fence now and have been encouraged to keep an eye on this subject in relation to this specific lens. You may still be correct with your suggestion that heat shimmer was affecting the results. The one image that made me look twice was the profile shot of a duck in silhouette that can be seen at 3:34 on your video. I noticed that one of the insects near the duck's back appeared to be in focus though was not near the head where I imagine the AF would be targeting. I would have expected the entire scene to be soft, including all the bugs in the air that were close to the subject. The sharp(er) insect in that shot suggested to me that the AF was being defeated rather than a uniform softening of the image. And we also saw how the AF reticule was losing traction with the subjects repeatedly in your live video footage. Again, I'm sort of on the fence on this because it's something I don't tend to encounter often, though I have had the occasional soft subject when shooting over distances in the Australian sun - especially over rocks or a hot car-park or even water. With its price range, I would expect to see it embraced by plenty of novice photographers so there's going to be a lot of people showing interest in your video. Again, many thanks for your informative video!

[@Duade]

Thanks, it could well be a combination of both, but yes, it will be interesting to see how the lens performs over time. Cheers, Duade@@MarcoNeroDesign

[@thrallingFRglory]

Another great video Duade! I for one really appreciate your honest and impartial stance when it comes to reviewing gear. Would you be able to get your hands on the recently released OM 150-600? I understand that it is a rebadge of the Sigma Sport DG DN 150-600. Would love to have it compared with something like the R7 and this new R200-800.

[@johnclark9499]

Hi Duade. Thanks for another great and informative video. Heat haze can be a problem even here in the UK (although not that often!) I was using my R5 and 100 - 500 lens to photograph some waders on the other side of a reasonably large expanse of water last September during a spell of really hot (for us) weather, well into the 30’s C. For a while I was convinced there was something wrong with my camera or lens - until it dawned on me and I googled heat haze effects. My images were just like the examples you showed in the video, except I won’t be showing mine to anyone! Of course the effect is worse the longer the lens and the further away the subject is, simply because there is more heat haze affected atmosphere between the subject and the lens. A lesson for us all, mind you the relief when I realised nothing wrong with my equipment was good. I’m pretty sure the problem would be just the same if you were using the Rf 800 f5.6 at 10 X the price. Thanks again. John

[@Duade]

Thanks John and totally agree with your comment, sometimes you just have to pack up and try something else. I am just happy people might now have an explanation for why sometimes their images are soft. Cheers, Duade

[@MrSonicAlchemy]

Great information and super helpful in explaining this frustrating phenomenon! Thanks Duade!

[@Duade]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bobcat65a]

Duade, This video is a gift for any wildlife photographer, who uses long lenses in diverse weather conditions. You may have prevented several 200-600mm photographers from thinking something was defective in their RF camera or the lens. Also, several of the contributors' comments added to some other ways to try and avoid the haze. Best of continued quality images to you and thanks for your programs.

[@PhotoReactionVideos]

Fantastic as always! Thank you Duade 😊👍🏻

[@AliasJimWirth]

Good video. Great topic, Duade. I like a lot of the comments on this, too. Some sharp viewers out there.

[@Duade]

Thanks mate, yes a lovely community where we learn together. Cheers, Duade

[@wildlifesimon]

Great video Duade. Makes total sense and explains why the higher shots (moon, birds in flight) weren't suffering as much.

[@archiemccafferty9136]

Thanks for sharing this video Duade!! Just ANOTHER obstacle us photographers have to contend with......

[@trevorben]

Thank you for this video. I have experienced the type of soft images you showcased here and for the life of me I could not figure out what was causing this type of image degradation but as soon as I saw your examples, it looked exactly the same as what I was getting, and I knew then that this is what I had been experiencing. I do a lot of nature photographing from my car and never realized that the heat could also be coming from under the car and causing this effect. I live in Houston and do a lot of shooting on the gulf coast. The heat and humidity here in the summer makes it very uncomfortable to shoot outside even in the early morning hours. Shooting from my air-conditioned car is, sometimes, the only way I can get out and get any camera time in the summer. Thank you again for this video. I'll make some changes to the way I shoot from my car, like turning it off and letting the temps equalize a bit now before I start shooting. Cheers!

[@IanColley-jz9mr]

Thanks Duade, a common problem up here in NW NSW, more noticeable on the R7 than the R5 but very frustrating. Heat haze can end the session a lot earlier than planned unfortunately. As always another enjoyable and informative video. Ian

[@jeffolson4731]

Heat haze is a common occurrence for me, even in the Pacific Northwest. There is definitely a sweet spot during the day when you can shoot over water or sand, or other surfaces that may reflect/store heat. Like you found, shoot other things until the temperature evens out.

[@jbaswoll3221]

Duade, I'm glad you made this video. a couple weeks back exactly the same happened to me with the Sony A6700. I was backlit in my situation and a wide open lake on a cold morning as well. I finally just thought that I need to get more familiar with my new camera, as I usually use a full frame camera as well. Right after I noticed my soft photos I went on the other side of the lake where there was more shade that covered the lake and all my photos were sharp.... so your observation makes more sense to me!

[@blisteringbooks2428]

I have taken a lot of images in Spain, usually in March or October, a lot of birds looked brilliant using a 400mm f2.8, only reviewing them was disappointing, I realised this was heat haze, with 5D3 optical viewfinder it was not obvious. I often have trouble focussing, even with R5 on dull days, similar to what you were getting, especially small birds, I take this to be lack of contrast.. Love the videos, have just ordered the 200-800, mainly so I have an RF mount long lens for quicker focussing and better IQ than my 100-400Lii with a 2x, I hope I will not be disappointed!

[@garrywatters1140]

Currently back in the UK and took some early morning shots. The ambient temp was 2 degrees C but I could clearly see water vapour in the air as it started to evaporate from the frosty land. This gave me the exact same results as you had with heat haze. 150 shots all soft.

[@iaincathro3373]

Another really good informative video. In Scotland, we don't get much in the way of heat haze, I must admit. But even less light and the R7 really struggles with noise as you say. And that's with the exposure nailed on......

[@tomastrnkaYT]

Hi Duade, last weekend I was on the field photographing Hen harriers. It was -13 degrees in the morning and everything was frozen, incl grass. And when the sun came out, the "heat haze" from melting ice on the grass completely ruined half day of shooting and recording. I used 200-800 and also tried 100-500, both with same result ofc. :) One thing to add, with 200-800 capabilities I noticed that Im trying to photograph objects which are farther than I would normally photograph with shorter lens. This means much more haze (aggregation in the atmosphere) experiences then before. Its good to realize this. Thx for the video! You are the best, cheers. Tomas

[@Duade]

Thanks for sharing your experience Tomas, seems to be an issue everywhere and now more noticeable due to the longer lenses. Have fun with the lens, Cheers, Duade

[@WernerBirdNature]

Thanks Duade, that's a very useful eye-opener 👍 I heard about it before, but your fellow youtubers never illustrate it as well as you do ;-) It makes sense loner focal lengths are more 'sensitive' to them, simple because they provide the power to shoot more distant birds which puts more disturbed air in between. Heat haze just accumulates over distance. In fact, I'd bet when shooting Garry the Galaa from 5m distance (say in your summer morning day with Garry sitting on the other side of a swimming pool) with the 800/9 or say a 100/2.8 macro, then the 100mm shot might even show more heat haze because Garry isn't framed as tight.

[@MohammadKhan-nb5xl]

No limit of learning new things for photography. Thank you very very very much...

[@karlagerst111]

Hello! I’m so glad you talked about this. I just had this issue recently. I’m sure you’ve gotten a lot of great comments, but I thought I’d share my experiences. The first time I saw this was at the volcano in Iceland a couple of years ago. My shots of flowing lava looked pixelated or like an impressionist painting. I was pretty mystified because I’d seen plenty of good images. A photographer told me it was heat haze. I think it was because I was almost level with the lava and shooting across, but that’s just a theory. My other two experiences were actually in the cold. I was told about it being an issue in Svalbard, and some of my bokeh turned out very oddly even if the subject was okay. I also had a recent experience where it was 4 degrees Fahrenheit and I was shooting bald eagles over open water near a dam. Anything shot over or across the water was soft with that weird looking out of focus area. Overhead and near shots were okay. I had just one keeper somehow that was sharp over the water but the specular highlights were very strange. I believe it’s enhanced by the long lens. I didn’t know about the lens hood trick at the time. That’s worth a try. It is disappointing when you have good opportunities and they just aren’t usable!

[@BrentTouchstone]

You may have just solved my issue. I've been searching for answers with soft images of wild horses. I live in New Mexico and we have wild horses that stay out in the sage fields of the desert. I photographed them many times with no issues. Recently I got a new camera, the R8, and I went out shooting them again, twice. Both times the images were soft. On playback, the focus box shows the focus nailed the eyes. I thought, maybe the animal detection wasn't working right or something, but I bet it was a heat-haze. Weird to think that could happen as it was so cold, but after watching your video it makes sense. I know the camera can nail focus because I pick up eagle eyes at 50 yards. Interesting video. Thanks. My issues were with the 100-400 5.6-8 on the R8. Previously I used this lens on the R7 with no issues, but I'm guessing it was just better atmospheric conditions.

[@OldJack1960]

An experience similar to the guy from Holland, a very cold UK winter's day and stopped the car to get out and take a few shots of Mandarin ducks on an iced-over lake, using the roof and beanbag for support. All were rubbish by even my modest standards which I blamed on the RF600 f11(a handy scapegoat for my many limitations!) until I learned from Simon d'Entremont that - as you rightly say - I was shooting through a heat haze caused by the warm car and, no doubt, a second one rising from the water. Great vid as always!

[@Uwe_Mueller]

Hello Duade, thank you for sharing this experience and knowledge! In the first minutes I was a bit schocked and for a moment I had abandoned my decision to buy an RF 200-8000 mm later this year. I had problems with heat haze at Frankfurt am Main Airport. I was arround with plane spotters for one and a half year and we also photographed aircrafts on the runways and taxiways. Sometimes the heat haze could be seen with the naked eye. Certainly I have had problems in countries like Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Thailand and so on. But not on the beach or over the sea. Maybe because it's always a bit windy there. I have also heard from proffesional photographers or seen on KZbin that under certain conditions there can be a build-up of heat in front of the front lens due to the lens hood. But I never consciously noticed that. Anayway - I’m happy to see again that the RF 200-800 mm is a good lens with a good Price-performance ratio. Regards Uwe

[@erwinkruger-haye2698]

Hi Duade, greetings from South Africa . I really enjoy your channel. We experience heat haze in the Kgalagadi (Kalahari desert) South Africa all time. And something we get often - just like you Aussies. After 9am in Summer it is insane as it is often 30 deg C by then... Someone once told us to just keep the shutter button down and pray and maybe one will get through between the waves... not often, but sometimes... We actually just stop shooting anything further away that cannot fill the frame , besides record shots after 9am. light is gone anyway. I look forward to trying the lens hood trick..... To your point about APS-c and Zoom...back in 2017 we got 7dmk2 and 100-400 because they were supposedly the best Wildlife combo...Had amazing sightings and rubbish shots. All soft in mild conditions. Traded them in for 5D4 immediately. Massive improvement and have stayed Full Frame since then. also learned that for somewhere like Masaai Mara , where one goes to the animals...it would have been fine, But in kgalagadi , where on emust remain on roads and spends all the time shooting at max focal length, it was less than ideal ... Someone else we know got amazing Lion kill shots (sold to BBC) and swears by 7d2 and R7, but he puts them on a 500 f4. I firmly believe that the best combo I had ever shot with was the 1DXmk2 and the EF100-400... They were made for each other... So the rule we use is: never put a zoom on a crop if you want decent SHARP shots, unless you fill the frame and have enough speed and no haze. prime on Crop and Zoom on Full frame... best remains prime on full frame. This is just our lived experience, though the 100-500 on an R5 and the new lensblur slider are becoming ever more compelling. We judge a lot of wildlife/bird pics at club and salon level and the zoom lens on APS-C images are obvious after a while. and R7 will never give the R5 quality... Sadly - with birds and wildlife for competition - Gear matters!! the Big glass and top end bodies will always win the day. all the big competitions publish the camera and lens details... Almost always high end gear...

[@sagetheowlfatfeathery2083]

Doing quite a bit of aviation photography in the, this is a massive issue when shooting planes on the ground. Runways are notorious for getting hot very quickly and with jet exhausts, etc the whole thing can quickly turn into a hazy nightmare.

[@harshad6489]

I always love your detailed review of the photography gear be it new lenses, or camera bodies. I hope you will test the RF 200-800 mm on the R6 Mk.2 as I am looking forward in future to have this combo. Hoping for a detailed video from your end. Keep up the good work. Cheers...!!!

[@mikem922]

Duade you can relate to this but heat haze is not typically an issue for NZ. More so for you in Aus. Certainly raises a great issue regarding atmospheric conditions and how this can impact the sharpness of results. Loved you moonscape Duade, so much definition! The land of birds never disappoints though and those white Corellas inflight were gorgeous and so too the swamphen. Thanks again mate and your review is keenly awaited!

[@Duade]

Thanks mate, yes, I suspect so, but I do remember being bitterly dissapointed in NZ trying to photograph Oystercatchers on the rocks around Miranda. I almost wrecked my pants and knees trying to crawl on those rocks with shells on them to get close. Took hundreds of shots only to see later that heat haze was an issue as I assume the sun had heated up all the rocks during the day. Cheers, Duade

[@BillFerris]

Great video, Duade. Last fall (northern hemisphere), I would regularly go to a sunflower field at sunrise to photograph northern harriers hunting. A couple of hours after sunrise, flocks of small songbirds would descend upon the field to dine on any remaining sunflower seeds. If the harriers were hunting elsewhere, I'd photograph the songbirds. But there were several mornings when the heat differential between the ground and the air was enough make the air at ground level unstable. If the songbirds were any more distant than 3-4 meters, I couldn't get sharp images shooting through the disturbed air. If there's no wind to help carry away the ground-level heat and equalize the temperature differential, it can be especially bad.

[@georgeboldireff8236]

Thanks Duade, yes most definitely, the focal length directly affects the amount of heat haze as we tend to shoot longer distances through more haze

[@moravskyvrabec]

Hi Duade, I live in Kazakhstan and when I go out in the steppe, heat haze is the bane of my existence!! It was cathartic to hear you discuss it. I try to get shots before the sun starts heating up the ground. It's hot and dry here like in much of Australia (I think...have only been to Sydney :-)

[@Duade]

Thanks for sharing!

[@Kevinskanaal]

The reason for the heat haze being more severe with longer focal ranges is because usually you are trying to capture something from much further away. The further away the subject, the further the light has to go to reach your sensor. That means the light passes through more of the heat haze. The same is true when taking photo's in a smoke filled room like a club. If you stand close to your subject with a wider lens, you will get less smoke in front of your subject. The further away the more hazy your image becomes.

[@Duade]

Great explanation, thanks, Cheers, Duade

[@mattflorez2183]

Yes I get heat distortion fairly frequently, when shooting early mornings at the beach or any kind of water. It’s not all the time but certainly happens when I have a really nice shot otherwise. And that’s with the r7 and the 100-400, it happened so much at first I thought the lens or the camera body was defective but the sharp pics are really sharp, and after experimenting I figured out I what it was. There’s a few national wildlife refuges that have wildlife drives where you’re prohibited from getting out of your car, so I’ll stretch that rule in certain cases by turning the car completely off, and leaning halfway out of my window haha.

[@Duade]

Thanks for sharing mate and glad you figured it out on your own, can be very frustrating and confusing otherwise. Good idea re the car. Cheers, Duade

[@johanolsson6502]

Been there, done that, still feeling the pain from it! Australia's last Grey-headed lapwing sighting nearly ended up a washout for me due to heat haze, my first ever twitch to boot! Every shot that was more than 10m ended up horribly blurred from heat the heat differential between the air and ground.

[@617aaron617]

Northern U.S. (Wisconsin) here. I have noticed this exact same thing as well while taking photos of birds at our local wildlife areas. This usually happens during the summer as our winters get quite cold and we don't notice heat haze as much during this time. I'm really loving these videos and am getting even more tempted to purchase this lens.

[@Gaztography]

Could be the answer to some of my soft shots. Great vid Duade.

[@Duade]

My pleasure mate, I suspect it has caused a number of mine. Cheers, DUade

[@Michael_Chay_Photography]

I live in Emerald Central Queensland and heat haze is an issue fairly often especially if the bird is a far distance away. Though I do find even in 40 degree days that I can get sharp shots of Fairywrens and Golden-headed Cisticolas in long grass of about a foot or more high. I find it's more open areas with bare ground that's more the issue. I'm looking forward to your review Duade and thank you for sharing your experience with heat haze. It will definitely make more people aware of it.

[@Duade]

Thanks for sharing, yes, I have struck it out west as well, I think you are right it is whenever a surface gets really hot/cold and that air temp difference. Cheers, Duade

[@georgedavall9449]

Atmospheric haze is a common phenomenon in most places. The extra reach of super telephoto lenses just exacerbates the effect. Take the Hood off! @ 06:38 this is one scenario that can be affected by having a hood on. I realize that ‘joanhuggett’ has already posted a comment on this, but I am just reinforcing it, if you will. I have experienced this, and didnt fully understand it until I read about it from ‘Steve Perry,’ a noted and very talented Wildlife Photographer. I continue to be amazed by your Photography skills, and your knowledge of your subjects! Cheers! 👍

[@Klamul]

Thanks for video, I wait everytime new video from you :)

[@axel6405j]

Cool video DUADE 👍🏻

[@Duade]

My pleasure, glad you liked it, Cheers, Duade

[@klburt73]

Duade, I had a situation like this recently in Kentucky, U.S. I was sitting near my bird/wildlife garden pond on a very cold winter day photographing birds coming in to the water. Air temperature was 7º F, or -14º C. The little pond has a heater in it that keeps the temperature around 34º F (~1º C) to prevent it from freezing over. I got some crazy heat haze on every single photo I tried to take of birds visiting the pond. Like you, I had always thought it would happen in the summer, but this time it happened on a very cold winter day!

[@Duade]

Thanks for sharing mate, very interesting, what lucky birds to have a hot springs in your back yard :-) Cheers, Duade

[@flirkami]

Hey Duade, I actually had this exact issue last weekend with my 200-800 while shooting at a small lake. The ducks were nicely lit on one part of it but only the shots in the shaded parts came out reasonably sharp. I was initially confused but do now also think it was due to heat haze. Just another thing one has to be concious about. Thanks for sharing your experiences! P.S.: and thanks a lot for showcasing my ruddy shelduck shot! I'm super happy you seem to like it as much as I do :)

[@Duade]

Yes, sounds like heat haze to me, no problem I love that image :-) Cheers, Duade

[@salmo6]

I see the exact same thing in opposite weather conditions. Here along the U.S/Canada border we're in the middle of winter. Most of the lakes and ponds are frozen, but the larger, deeper lakes still have open water with lots of ducks. But when the water temperature is 0C/32F and the air temperature is -15C/5F, it produces an annoying amount of "heat" haze. It's funny to talk about heat haze when the landscape is covered in snow and ice, but it happens for the same reason as in summer!

[@Duade]

Thanks for sharing, yes it appears whenever this variation in air temperature occurs so your explanation makes a lot of sense. Just something we need to be aware of I guess. Cheers, Duade

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

I'm aware of heat haze, but I wouldn't have thought it would make that much of a difference! I'll keep that in mind for the future. Thanks!

[@georgeewart52]

Lens hood tip is very helpful. Never thought of this!. Years ago I was shooting Turtle Doves here in the uk with Canon 40D and 500f4 mk 1. On the top of a hill, sunny and hot, hazy with some atmosphere pollution. Every single shot was soft . A day later a weather front passed through and cleared the haze. I returned to shoot again and nearly every shot was sharp.

[@65johnmc]

Hi Duade, this is so correct, I had an experience in the high arctic photographing polar bears, or "not". I was using a canon 500mm f4 + 1.4 extender at F5.6, with good shutter speed and low Iso, the bear was a good distance away and all my shots were as blurred as yours, I realised it was also heat haze but did not expect this in the arctic mid summer at 4 degrees C, but I guess the compression of a high magnification amplifies the distortion.

[@johng5819]

That explains a lot. Here in northern USA I shoot often (in the winter) from my car. My R10 and RF600 almost always is soft. I switch to my Sigma 150-600 and problem goes away. I never really thought about the heat from the car causing the problem. In the summer, regardless of where I shoot, the R10 and RF600 combo works very well. Thanks Duade!