7D mk II AEB plus high speed shooting

For birds in flight I usually use AEB, often +1/3, +1 and +1 2/3 stops. After the 3 shots the camera stops shooting and I have to press shutter release again for another sequence of 3. By the time I've done that, the bird can be in the next county. I would like the camera to continue shooting, 9 fps or whatever, repeatedly going through my chosen AEB exposures, until I release the shutter.

 

I've searched everywhere I can think of but haven't found the answer [if there is one]. If the 7D II won't do it, is there another Canon that will? Or have I missed something that may be obvious to you? Thanks for any help.

 

Roger.

AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing) is more for landscape if your not sure your exposure is right and want to make sure you are going to get at least one good shot or for HDR where the image isn't changing and you are shooting off a tripod. I don't believe AEB is the best choice for birds in flight. If you didn't want to go full manual, try Shutter Priority, set the minimum shutter speed at least 1/1200th sec, let the camera adjust ISO, shoot RAW. You could still play with metering, evaluative, exposure compensation if you are finding the birds are too dark or bright. See what works best for you. Just my opinion.

. . . I usually use AEB, often +1/3, +1 and +1 2/3 stops. After the 3 shots the camera stops shooting and I have to press shutter release again for another sequence of 3. . . I would like the camera to continue shooting, 9 fps or whatever, repeatedly going through my chosen AEB exposures, until I release the shutter. . . I've searched everywhere I can think of but haven't found the answer [if there is one]. If the 7D II won't do it, is there another Canon that will?

 

I understand that's the expected functionality throughout the EOS Range.<br><br>

 

The answer will surely be in the User Manual.<br><br>

 

As far as I am aware, no EOS Series Camera can do what you want, I have used a few 1 Series EOS Cameras and the ones I have used, can't. <br><br>

 

*** <br><br>

 

I don't shoot BIF, but do shoot some fast action, I usually prefer M Mode, - it is usually easy the set an exposure for the scene through which the action will flow - I expect / assume BIF aren't much different.<br><br>

 

WW

Curiosity got the better of me – see page 228 of the 7DMkII User Manual. <br><br>

 

 

 

 

WW

You better off shooting BIF in Manual mode. Set exposure for dark birds by metering on the bark of a tree, or something of roughly equivalent brightness. For white birds, go -1/3EV or -1/2EV. Using Manual mode makes you indifferent to background (open sky, or trees and brush, will not mess up your exposure). Also, you're much likely to have 10 useful shots at varying wing angles to chose from.

 

Consider these two shots, taken within 60-sec. of each other. One is nicely front lit and the other is harshly backlit, but the bird is well exposed in each. The camera would have gone crazy in AEB in the backlit shot.

 

Bald Eagle Flies By by David Stephens, on Flickr

 

Full Spread by David Stephens, on Flickr

You better off shooting BIF in Manual mode. Set exposure for dark birds by metering on the bark of a tree, or something of roughly equivalent brightness. For white birds, go -1/3EV or -1/2EV. Using Manual mode makes you indifferent to background (open sky, or trees and brush, will not mess up your exposure). Also, you're much likely to have 10 useful shots at varying wing angles to chose from.

 

Consider these two shots, taken within 60-sec. of each other. One is nicely front lit and the other is harshly backlit, but the bird is well exposed in each. The camera would have gone crazy in AEB in the backlit shot.

 

Bald Eagle Flies By by David Stephens, on Flickr

 

Full Spread by David Stephens, on Flickr

David, I like that bark of the tree for dark birds and will try that next time out.

One other thought that came to me as I was out shooting today. Wing position is why you shoot 10-fps, not to get variable exposure with AEB. Shooting properly exposed, in manual mode, you'll have way more usable images, each with a different wing position. With AEB on a flying bird, at least two shots have poor exposure (sometimes all three will suck) and each of those have a different wing position, two of which you can't use. It's much better to get 10-fps per second and have your choice of the best head-angle and wing position.

 

BTW, your +1/3, +1, +1-2/3 scheme would have resulted in three terribly over-exposed shots in my sample above of the back-lit eagle. Neither could you shoot any white bird with that scheme. I don't know who suggested that to you, but they obviously don't shoot birds much.

Thanks so much to all who replied. Much appreciated. I can see that I was trying to go in a direction that wasn't helpful, it wasn't that I was missing something. I'm going to take up your suggestions, I'll practice on the pigeons in the park for a bit, one day maybe I'll able to post some decent raptor shots but I'm afraid I'll never shoot anything near as good as David C!

 

...I'll practice on the pigeons in the park for a bit, one day maybe I'll able to post some decent raptor shots but I'm afraid I'll never shoot anything near as good as David C!

 

[ATTACH]1177313[/ATTACH]

 

Don't give up too easily. It mainly takes persistence and practice.

You better off shooting BIF in Manual mode. Set exposure for dark birds by metering on the bark of a tree, or something of roughly equivalent brightness. For white birds, go -1/3EV or -1/2EV. Using Manual mode makes you indifferent to background (open sky, or trees and brush, will not mess up your exposure). Also, you're much likely to have 10 useful shots at varying wing angles to chose from.

 

Consider these two shots, taken within 60-sec. of each other. One is nicely front lit and the other is harshly backlit, but the bird is well exposed in each. The camera would have gone crazy in AEB in the backlit shot.

 

Bald Eagle Flies By by David Stephens, on Flickr

 

Full Spread by David Stephens, on Flickr

great shots!

Thanks Mick.