How I set up my R5 for bird photography - Complete guide

[@alanmembury899]

I found this very useful Fabian. Coming from a 5D mk4 gave me a good start. At times I struggled to keep up but pausing your video to recap helped. Too much to take it all in today but will play and watch again. Thank you.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks!

[@thomsonlaurie]

Used to use BBF however a friend suggested using the shutter button to focus on the R5 and am VERY happy to have found this video as every other video uses BBF and I was having trouble connecting the dots - at the point now where this video just clicked - THANK YOU!! I appreciated the quick pace because I could replay it (um, a lot) and just get what I needed to hear without being frustrated by commentary that other 'how to' videos had - just show me what to do - and you did! Looking forward to seeing your other videos!!

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks for your words! I’m happy to hear that it was helpful

[@gregorydobson4307]

Thank you Fabian, just bought the r5. and was looking for this kind of video for wildlife photography. 😊

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Happy to hear that

[@donstephens1415]

An excellent setup guide Fabian. I'm hoping to buy an R5 early in the new year and I'll be referring back to this video to help me with the initial setup. Thanks a lot!

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks! I hope you will receive it rather sooner than later 😊

[@MrKotische]

Thank you very much Fabian! Finally I set up the camera the way I wanted!) 🤝

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Happy to hear that

[@ireshdesilva7268]

Excellent setup guide ❤❤🎉🎉🎉

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks

[@ronrotunno2901]

Thank you Fabian, this was very helpful. The R5 is an awesome tool once set up properly and such a great all arounder. I’ve been toying with the idea of an R3 as rolling shutter is not kind to hummingbird wings but I hate to give up the 45 mp. Time will tell. Thanks again!

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Or get the R5 II 😉

[@ronrotunno2901]

That would be the best of both worlds. Unfortunately I can get a special price on the R3 and the R5MK II isn’t included in the program at this time.

[@JamesClayPhoto]

Great video as always Fabian. Really interesting to see your configuration and settings, and your last points RE the Custom Shooting modes C1 to C3 really highlighted something for me I'd never realised before. I had always imagined that the C1-C3 functions only stored shutter, iso, aperture, WB and a few other settings. I never realised they can store autofocus configurations aswell!

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Glas to hear that the video was helpful. Have a nice day!

[@OfirLotan]

Thank you Fabian Great video, you helps me a lot with it. Ofir

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Glad to hear!

[@georgeandreou695]

Great video, you've used the button customisation in ways I've not seen in more than 10 other photographers' videos! And like you, I'm also not convinced with back button autofocus - the small back button just doesn't feel as comfortable to hold down as the shutter button.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks a lot and have fun with the camera 😊

[@nordic5490]

Great video. I especially liked your tip to quickly change between C1 & C2, and I will be tryingyour tip for bif, to reduce the tracking sensitivity of mode 4. Thanks, very informative

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thank you! Give it a shot and see if it works for you 😊

[@rcknrog1]

Thanks Fabian, I tried to follow along but got all mixed up when you jumped ahead to to customize buttons/controls etc. I really wanted your birding setting as a custom1-3 as a starting point for me with my new camera. I confuse easily. Roger

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

I hope rewatching will help 😊

[@wellingtoncrescent2480]

With the arrival of the R5 Mark II, I added an R5 to my gear, and your comprehensive review was very useful. Thanks. I am slightly confused, though, by the AF configuration. If you are using AF-On for eye tracking, doesn't it get over-ridden by the shutter button spot focus when you take the photo?

[@VintageReelAngler]

Does the "subject to detect" option set to animals only apply when eye detection is used? I'm setting up BBF specifically AF-ON button for normal focusing without eye detection, but set to1 Point AF. Will "subject to detect" animals be ignored and use "none"? I set up the * button with eye detection. I'm a bird photographer and want to be able to prefocus on perches and nests without the R5 AF searching for an animal.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Yes exactly. For the R5 „subject to detect“ only matters for the AF mode over the whole area

[@VinceNysse]

Great Video Fabian. Can I ask why you don't use the TV mode? If I'm shooting with my prime (500mm f/4 mkii), I shoot manual. If I shoot with the 100-500, I shoot in TV mode for the simple reason that I technically have no control over my aperture setting when moving through the different focal lengths? With Auto ISO set also, you're not really in manual as you only have control over your shutter speed which is TV mode anyway. Maybe I've missed something. Thanks for your help in advance.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks! In manual mode I can either fix the aperture to f/7.1 or have it adjustable to the mist open setting (depending on focal length). In the latter case, the camera then compensates my exposure by increasing/decreasing the iso. Also, I never shoot Auto ISO, but rather full manual

[@keeskraaijeveld4704]

Don't you use the crop 1.6 modus on the camera (tab 1)? Can you explain something about that? Thx.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

No, I prefer to crop on the computer if necessary

[@MM-uo5vz]

Great footage as always, was the video footage in this video shot hand held or from a monopod/tripod, I have exactly the same setup, I capture all stills and videos at the moment handheld, I’m looking to purchase a tripod, what make and model do you use please. Thank you for your help in advance.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

If I remember correctly it was all handheld. I use primarily this tripod: amzn.to/3CeoBuB

[@MM-uo5vz]

@Fabian Fopp - Nature photography thank you for the link for the tripod, thanks also for confirming the footage was shot handheld. Thank you.

[@ChanduChinnu-dw9tu]

good job brother

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks

[@davidclode3601]

Thank you very much!

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Happy to hear that the video was helpful

[@GLIK53]

If the shutter button is set for spot AF and the BBF is set for eye detect AF, what happens when you’re using eye detect and then go to the shutter button to take the picture?

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

The bbf overrides the shutter AF

[@deborahjohnson9229]

Lots of great information, thanks, but for someone who is still learning it was way too quick.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks for the feedback

[@lmendezphotography1935]

thank you.....

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

You’re welcome

[@surajitsarkar6151]

Many Thanks Fabian! I am new to R5 and I have been following the settings for birds photography you mentioned. However, I see one interesting fact that even though I am in custom knob 1 as soon as I press the * back button (AF eye) ((or not sure if I am doing anything wrong)) all the setting changes , for an example ISO goes to 12800 and I completely unnoticed it. in some photos I see exif is sitting at 1280. Not sure what's going on and how it changes automatically. Thanks for your help

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Did you set it to recall shooting function?

[@Sonic-x6y]

Hello I have decided to try your settings. And I'm super disappointed! I set exactly what you said in your video. But for some reason my photos come out very noisy full of dots.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

What are the ISO of these images?

[@Sonic-x6y]

@@FabianFoppNaturephotography I have found out what the problem was. Thank you very much for trying to help.

[@goranb8822]

Dont use mirrorless camera for wild life.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Why?

[@ronalvey103]

Wearing a mask, while being outside, seems very odd to me. What gives?

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

This was the regulation in Spain at this time. Not my choice 😉

[@ronalvey103]

Ahhh, thanks for the explanation. That is crazy.