Photographing Birds in Flight with the Nikon Z6iii

I recently upgraded from a Z6ii to a Z6iii. I take a lot of Birds photo and try to get as many Birds in Flight (BIF) as I can. I want to share some of my experiences with Auto Focus with you.
I am using the Nikon 100-400 f/4 Zoom with a 1.4 Nikon teleconverter.
After reading Steve Perry’s “Secrets To The Nikon Autofocus System – Mirrorless Edition”, watching several videos from Hudson Henry and others AND doing a lot of experimentation on my own, I have the following setup that I put in the U3 mode.

• Release mode H Continuous H
• Focus mode AF-C Continuos AF
• Color Space sRGB
• Metering Matrix
• White balance Auto 1
• ISO sensitivity 100
  • Auto ISO sensitivity control ON 100 max 12,800
• Image Quality RAW
• RAW recording Lossless compression
• Image Area Fx
• AF-Area Mode Wide L
• AF-AM S Animal

I also programmed the following:
FN1 AF-Area mode + AF-ON 3D Tracking
FN2 AF-Area mode + AF-ON Single point AF
DISPLAY AF-Area mode + AF-ON Auto-area AF
Video Record Button Focus mode/AF-area mode

AF-Area mode Wide-L serves me well in most of the cases, AS LONG AS THERE IS NOTHING IN THE FRAME BEFORE THE SUBJECT!!! (like a branch a leaf or anything else) In which case the autofocus will invariably latch on to it and I get a blurry subject!
That why I have my finger always ready on the Fn2 for the reliable and Faithfull Single point.
If the bird is on a branch moving around, I would try the 3D tracking.
If the bird is between leaves, I would use Dynamic Small, which usually is good at “Punching Through”.
Here are some samples of my photos:
In Wide L

In Wide S

In Single Point

In Dynamic S

Exhibited 4 photos at the ARTTRAM Salon 2024

Tyran Tri-Tri Repas

Coarrouge

Aigrette - pêche

Aigrette - Youpie!

Alaska cruise August 2023

Left Montreal for Vancouver to board the Sapphire Princess on the 23rd.

Sapphire Princess

We had a cabin with a balcony (smaller than expected) on the 12th beck. Princess is recognized for the quality of food but have not been impressed.

The boat made 3 stops; Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway, in addition to entering Glacier Bay (only 3 companies have permission to navigate there).

Itinéraire

We did some searches before departure to know what to wear and what to see and we chose our excursions accordingly. Unfortunately, we have not seen bears, wild goats, or eagles, but we have seen many marine animals including whales. I took 2 cameras: The Sony Cybershot for landscapes and the Nikon Z6ii with the 100-400 zoom for animals.

Before our departure, we expected to have cold and rainy weather, but the weather was gorgeous during our trip!

On the 25th in Ketchikan, we attended a Lumberjack show and then visited the Bight Totem Park and made a city tour during which we could see the salmon swimming up the rivers.

On the 26th in Juneau, we went to see the Mendenhall glacier and, in the afternoon, took a boat excursion to see the whales. The weather was ideal and we were spoiled by the show the whales put up.

On the 27th in Skagway, we took the White Pass Train at an altitude of more than a thousand meters, a good part of the road to reach the train was in the clouds, at certain times we did not see 5 meters ahead. After that went to a ranch to do the panning followed by a barbecue (not good). In the afternoon we went for a walk in town (tiny).

On the 28th at sea, the boat entered the Glacier Bay, The weather was superb, and we were treated to a wonderful glacier show. At the front of the boat, it was extremely cold, we had to wear winter clothes, tuque, scarf, gloves … We also saw some seals, otters, and orcas.

On the 29th College Fjord in the mist

On the 30th Anchorage, the ship docked very early in the morning in Wittier, disembarked and took a bus to Anchorage for the flight to Vancouver.
The 31st back to Montreal.

Exhibiting at ART TRAM Salon 2023

I am exhibiting several photographs at the Salon

Salon ART TRAM 2023

Exhibited 10 photos at Dupond&Dupont