Hi. I'm Charl from Pangolin Photo Safaris, here in the Chobe National Park, and this
morning I am on the Chobe River...
on the rapids on the Chobe River.
This is a beautiful area for birds nesting. The nesting areas
where the birds love to breed. So, this morning we took a couple
of nice photos...and I've realised that I use quite a few
custom function buttons on my camera. I thought, why not make a video,
to explain why this is important, and how it makes a
difference for me as a wildlife photographer.
I will show you as how to set this up.
Although I am a Canon shooter, you can also customise
other cameras...doesn't matter what model it is.
So, let's talk about it....
Okay, so the first one I would like to discuss with you, is focussing.
How I focus? I use back button focus. Most cameras
- on default - will be set to front button focus. Right here...
So, I disabled mine, and I have enabled my focussing on back button focus, with AF-on mode.
...but not just the one. Right next
to this button, there's a star button, which is
auto exposure lock. I don't use it. I have also customised that button
with it. The reason why I have set-up
two buttons in the back of my camera for focusing,
is for one button I will set-up for single point focusing...and this
helped me to be precise. I can use a single photo to
focus easily on the eye, if I want to, or to move it where I want it in my frame.
But, sometimes in bird photography, it can be
very tricky. A single point focusing. A bird may be just too small, or if it's flying
too fast, and that can be tricky. This is where
I like to have an expanded focus area. This is where I
set-up my star button for the expanded
focus system, so that will help me then to have a bigger area
where I can do my focusing. So this is very quick...
So, instead of using multiple buttons, I can just flip my thumb from an AF-on,
which is on single focus - just to the right side - and then have
expanded area. So, if you want to set-up your camera
like this, I will show you quickly how to do it.
When you can go into your menu, you will find your custom control.
If you move your camera down to AF-on, you'll press set to go inside,
and then you will see there's a lot of different functions that you can use there.
The first one is AF, and that you will
select...and your camera is set AF-on for auto focusing. With that you
have to disable your front shutter button, so you
can only take pictures with the front shutter button....
and not also focus. So you're going to have to go
into that one as well, and then you need to
switch off metering, and AF-start and go
only to metering. So, it doesn't focus while you use your back button.
You then do the same with the the star button next to it.
You will click on that as well, and then you will have (again) all the
different functions. You click on AF. Press the info in.
You will see there's different selections again. You go down...all the way down.
...and then you have the AF area selection mode.
You can then choose which AF area you prefer.
I like the one with a single point and the four helpers.
But, there are different ones which you can select, if you feel so.
Okay, so the second button I would like to talk to you about,
is the review button, or your playback button.
Most cameras default setting is that your review button is here, on the back
of your camera, and it's a blue
playback button. So, with me shooting with big lenses...
after I am finished shooting, I always have to bring down my camera to look at my photos...
and this takes time. So, what I have done is set my camera on a different button,
which is the multi-function button, number two. This is here
right in front of my camera. So, after I am finished shooting my
photos, I can still hold my camera lens in my
one hand, and by pressing my finger that's already here,
I can quickly see my images on
the back of my screen. So, to set this up, you will go into your
custom control menu. You will scroll your wheel all the way
down to Multifunction. I have selected the second one.
You will go inside, and then you will go through the menu until
you see your playback...and then you press 'select'.
Another thing that I need to be quick with, as a wildlife photographer,
is changing (or adjusting) your exposure. As a wildlife photographer, I prefer
to shoot Manual with AUTO ISO. If you would like to know more about Manual with AUTO ISO,
please check out the link up here. Sabine has a really great video
explaining why we prefer shooting this way.
So, for me, shooting Manual with Auto ISO, means I am
setting my aperture and my shutter speed manually.
I need two dedicated buttons for this, so both my
main dials are occupied. For me to quickly adjust my exposure compensation,
I need to dedicate another button.
So, I have set my set button as exposure compensation.
This method is now so easy, I don't even have to take my
eye off my viewfinder now. I can just simply hold
in the set button - together - rotate my top wheel,
and then I can see how I change my exposure on my exposure meter.
Okay, so let me show you how to set this up...
You will go into your custom control menu.
You will turn the wheel down until you see there's a
setting. Set. Click on that, and then you will scroll down until you
see a plus and a minus or arrow down.
That is your exposure compensation...now select it.
I have another one for you. A bonus one!
Standing here, there are numerous birds flying around...and something just came to mind.
Something I really like to do...is panning. So, if you like to know more
about panning, I have another video you can look at in the link up here,
where I will describe and explain to you recommended shutter speeds, and how panning works.
The reason why I am setting-up this
button for me, is that I can very quickly move to a fast shutter speed,
or just by pressing another button, go to a very slow shutter speed.
To photograph a bird flying past me, I need that fast shutter speed.
You can switch very fast, and just by changing my finger,
you can get them very slow. If I want to go back to fast shutter speed,
you can go fast, or if I want to go back to slow again,
you can see very quickly, without me even moving my
eye from the viewfinder, I can change this very quickly.
This is unfortunately only available for the 1DX series.
So, if you have a 1DX, maybe you should give this a try.
Okay first, let's adjust our camera settings
to a panning technique. Although I prefer shooting Manual with AUTO ISO, you may be
new to this, and never tried it before. I would then suggest maybe try
shutter priority, or put your camera on TV with AUTO ISO...that's a lot easier.
Okay, so let's set your camera to 1/50 sec. I think for a starting point,
1/50 sec. Set your camera to AUTO ISO, and then your
camera will then adjust your aperture. So when you've set this,
then we need to register the setting, into your custom function.
Go into your menu, and then look under
your custom shooting mode. If you go in there,
register your settings.
I have selected custom shooting mode C1. So now, the next step is that you go into
your custom control menu again, and then you
go until you see the multi-function button.
Until you see the C for custom function shooting.
Select C, and then it should be registered
under that button. So, simply just by pressing the multi function button,
I enter my panning settings - and although
my panning settings were now entered, or selected to
1/50 sec, you can easily still change or override that setting,
depending on the subject you are photographing.
Plus, you can tell your camera to keep the updated settings,
or, you can set it that it goes back to the default setting.
In this case, it was 1/50 sec. So, it can go back to the 1/50 sec
after a few seconds. These are my four favourite custom
function buttons that I use pretty much all the time.
I hope that this can also help you to improve your photography, as it improved mine.
If you have any questions that you would
like to ask, please leave them in the comments down below.
I always appreciate the thumbs up. If you haven't registered
to our YouTube channel, please do so. See you soon.
Bye