Hummingbird - Multiple Flashes - 1st Try

UNCTEP

Some of you may have seen my post last night about trying to freeze the wings of a hummingbird in flight (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=63673).

Went out tonight and set up 2 AB400s, and used the 580ex and was actually able to freeze the action. Now I just need to work on getting the focus right, and hope for a good pose! It got too dark to try much more tonight, but I think I'm on the right track.

Here's what I was able to get:



Setting were ISO 400, f8, 1/250th sec shutter speed - if the weather holds tomorrow I'm going to try again. Patience can certainly be tested with these little demons as subjects!

Harryb

Much better, you're on track. Can't wait to see your future shots.

Dick on Aruba

Neat capture!

I did shoot some bats in the night and manually pre-focussed putting a broomstick on in the suspected fly-zone. It turn out to be very reasonable.
It turn out that the flash was the main reason to freeze the action. (only 1/60)

You surely on the right track.

Thanks for sharing,

Dick.

Here a pre-focussed capture: [click to enlarge]

Browndog

Variable Rates
You're definitely on track and if it is any help to you I recently had some success freezing hummer’s wings and in the process I realized that a hummer’s wing beats per second very depending on how they are maneuvering at that moment. I had varying results in decent morning light from 1/500 of a second up to 1/1250 of a sec. If you care to look

http://browndog.smugmug.com/gallery/2906471#156445539

UNCTEP

Wow - cool shot of the bat! How on earth were you able to predict where it was going to fly?? The ones that circle my street light dart around all over the place - I don't see how you could ever predict their patterns.

Netgarden

Nice job to both of you.
I agree you are on the right track. I am terrible at manual focus, and also would love to freez the wings, but I generally shoot daytime and get pretty close to it without flash. Yours would be hard to focus because it caught the wing to focus on as the face isn't big enough at that angle. But yes, it will happen! ;~)

bigpix

good work on both.......