There are plenty of times that Mike says things that frustrate me or makes me roll my eyes. On occasion I have even gotten angry with him, but we can’t let our frustration get the better of us. I only occasionally comment on his posts anymore and I suggest you do the same. I am afraid that your comment above was way over the top. I hope we would all like to keep this forum civil.
Mark
Well Mark, there’s the effect of annoyance, ignorance and curiosity which lets “his” two threads grow beyond 4.000 posts and counting. You decide if that’s way over the top. I actually don’t see a good enough reason anymore to step back and watch him doing his game, because asking question after question and not even try to understand at least part of the responses but jump to another topic on and on - I call that abuse of goodwill. Of many forum members, who really tried their best to help him. Do you call that “civil”?
Not long ago I switched him to the “ignored” list for one day. After that, the post number diminished about 40%. And this numbers don’t say much about the quantity of text and time he’s spending to produce them. I see his behavior meanwhile as pathological. And I posted some clear and harsh words to shake things up, judge it like you want.
If you want to take the time and sift through those 4000 posts looking for those from me, you will see that I posted a number of very unflattering comments in response to Mike. It is unnecessary to rehash them here. However, as strong as some of my comments were, there is a line past which I will not go. As I suggested in my previous post, as much as he may annoy some of us, we need to maintain civility on this site and especially be careful of the language we use here.
Mark
Show me one post of him in which his response helped any of us. I mean, not to master the anger and write no spicy reply but a real photographic or PL related question. I don’t like this kind of one-way-only posters. Everybody can decide if a question is worth an answer. But his trick is “write dozens of questions, don’t care to understand the answers and jump forward to the next dozen”. Feel free to define your civility. You won’t define mine as this is my business. 
also, there are some bounds of social behaviour which will not be overruled by more or less blurry definitions of language.
Heheheh. I think you meant ‘P’. ‘A’ requires thought 
With that particular image, maybe but, with others like the crane, you totally missed it.
I just read every post that replied to yours in those forums and nobody directly said anything like your “quote”.
I was not talking about necessarily getting the whole bird in focus, which is very difficult if you shoot beak first or, in the case of a tall bird, from above, but you should be able to everything in focus side on. Above all, you need to get the eye and, preferably, the head sharp.
Except the tree, being in focus, also draws the eye away from the bird. Looking at the best bird photos, I see folks shooting from lower down, with a beautiful soft bokeh in the background to isolate the bird.
Now how about demonstrating your knowledge of DoF control by telling us what the DoF is for a shot with a 300mm lens, aperture f/10 at a distance of 5 metres (16ft)?
Where on earth did you get the idea that he didn’t prepare? Don’t forget, with a 10" x 8" camera on a tripod, it can take multiple minutes just to set the whole thing up. The fastest we have ever taken an LF shot was around five minutes, but with three of us grabbing equipment out of the trunk of the car, Helen measuring and calculating the exposure, Jean-Yvon setting up the tripod and me putting the camera on the tripod. Helen then had to use our framing card to decide on which lens to use, shout out her choice to one of us to fetch it from the bag and fit it, while she took a couple of minutes, watching the light starting to change and hoping that she could get the shot in time. She then transferred the framing, setup the movements and focus, inserted the film that Jean-Yvon had passed her and pressed the shutter.
One shot, only one shot, completely prepared, correctly exposed on Fuji Velvia 100 transparency film with only 5 stops dynamic range…
Which explains why it is a “something or nothing” shot that you are trying to justify.
If you want to compare your snapshots of birds to Ansel Adams finely crafted, well thought out and previsualised images, then perhaps you should watch this video…
… and note well his emphasis on taking time and preparing.
But, apparently, Mike believes that, after one outing and a couple of visits to a birding forum, he knows better 
Except, this time, it is worse, as he seeks “tuition” from multiple photographers who all have their own style and then ignore all of them in the same way as he ignored his course tutor.
Well, long, long ago, through the mists of time, he did mention using back button focusing - something which I will never forget and which changed my photography for the better. But, yes Mike does see to be much more of a consumer than a sharer.
I have been far more openly critical of Mike than most people who post on his threads. I am not going to even try to discuss whether or not his posts provide any real value to members of this forum.
I guess I was being too subtle when I mentioned maintaining civility here. I was not setting the boundaries of your social behavior. I was trying to warn you that aggressively nasty language can get you banned from this site. Regardless of what many people believe, DxO does monitor this forum. I am retired and have been an extremely active member of this forum daily for over 6 years and have seen several people banned for comments milder than yours. I myself was once warned about some negative comments I had made.
Mark
If you’re looking for help in the “birding” forums, why are you still here – instead of blaming people? Likewise, your questions about the camera have nothing to do with PL.
OK. I couldn’t resist. How to photograph a crested crane with low quality gear…
@swmurray I would value your opinion.
Lots of people here have posted that basic photography knowledge is more important than camera settings, and most of the time I would agree. For the past week or so, I’ve been concentrating on camera settings, as I want to try what I call ML photograph (using the Z6 II hardware, functions, and controls), but without having a viewfinder that shows me the digital image.
On the Nikon D780, when I turn on “Live View” mode, it not only switches the way the camera works, but it replaces many of the DSLR menu choices with those from the Z6 II. Maybe I’m just slow, but it’s taken over a week just to get that sorted out - and the people at Nikon were no help until I reached “James”, who understands both Nikon’s mirrorless cameras, and the D780. He found the reason for my issues, I changed the settings accordingly, and as of yesterday afternoon, everything is sorted out.
To shoot the D780 in Live View/Mirrorless mode, there is no viewfinder to look through - the only choice is the rear screen. So many people here have told me that is silly, or stupid, and insisted on my going back to where my eye is behind the viewfinder (meaning DSLR mode).
Like I tried to write, I want to try to test shooting it that way, using what I call “mirrorless” mode, for lack of a more appropriate term. I can’t call it “Live View”, as that will just display the DSLR information on the rear screen like any other DSLR Nikon. I want to see the Z6 II (mirrorless) information, and the only option is to view it on my rear screen.
Much of the frustration up above comes from my wanting to try to hold the camera at arm’s length, and view the rear screen. As far as I know, none of you can do this, and as none of you have a D780. (I’m not saying I’ll use this from now on, but I am saying I want to try it myself, regardless of how stupid this obviously sounds to everyone else here.) I will be seeing all the information a Z6 II user will see, but it will only be on my rear screen. It’s a test, and I want to try it.
(Joanna, you wrote about similar scenarios with your D850, and I would agree with what you wrote, for any DSLR. What you wrote about what you saw is NOT what I see once I switch modes. I think until/unless you try a mirrorless camera, you won’t (can’t) understand. )
Don’t write/talk about it. DO IT.
George
Front of bird is sharp, rear of bird is out of focus, which doesn’t bother me at all, but PhotoLab could have compensated somewhat for the lack of lighting on the left side of the bird. Nice photo, but I would have preferred to see the whole bird.
You ought not to “envy” me; I’ve made way more than my share of mistakes, and brand new cameras that died in the first few minutes of use. Most were Nikons, purchased right after they were released. Nikon always took care of me, but my frustration level was through the roof!!!
My lesson - never, ever, go on a trip with new gear, without having a backup!!!
@Joanna
Excellent photo.
I notice how perfectly your choice of DOF and focal plane aligns with the side lighting and pose to bring out the fullness of the crane’s crown and waddle so naturally. You hit the trifecta!
Specifically, the bird’s right side crown feathers are in direct (flat) light AND are slightly soft focus. The bird’s left side crown feathers have sharp focus AND the mix of diffuse/reflected light such that they “sparkle” with highlights. This combo helps display the crown’s magnificence and the beauty in nature. Also, the soft focus along the bird’s bill and the glow through the waddle (red skin hanging from the throat) support the size and majesty of the bird.
For me, too many online DOF discussions center on subject/background separation rather than using DOF to bring out the subject in a natural way. The same with the new crop of “subject” AI tools. Being able to match the lighting and focus (including DOF) so they visually align seems so important to making a photo look “real” and pleasing as well as drawing the viewer into the photo.
As noted above, I came back to photography as a basic means to ID birds. Along the way I became inspired by others to take it to a higher level. This photo and your suggestions throughout these thread are part of that inspiration. Thank you - thank you - thank you!!!
Yikes!!!
Here is the diagram for the Z6/Z7 screen…
Here is the diagram for the D780 screen…
How on earth are you meant to compose and frame anything with all that clutter?
Compare those to the D850…
… spread over 5 screens, including an empty screen, apart from the bottom exposure info bar.
If that is what we should expect from mirrorless cameras, count me firmly out.
As expected, except the whole head and neck are sharp, along with a good proportion of the body.
There is no lack of lighting. The sun is coming from the left, how much more light do you expect?
But this is a portrait of the bird, just like I would take a head and shoulders portrait of a person.
But, if you insist…
So, now the background is sharper, due to the shorter (86mm) focal length and the whole image is more confused.
You are so kind. This is a shot from my first ever digital cameras and I was very much getting used to the joy of not having the cost of every image in the back of my mind. Nonetheless, I only took half a dozen shots in various poses due to my “careful” approach to getting it right in the camera 
You are welcome. My passion is, not only making images but, also helping others to improve, as a payback for all those that have taught me along the way.
I should never have started looking up my old bird photos.
Here comes the Funky Pigeon…
… except it’s a goose and not a pigeon, but nonetheless funky 
Beats me. I looked through my friend’s Z8, and was thinking “not for me” Another reason I so far greatly prefer DSLR. About the rear screen - here’s my D780 rear screen in what I call ML mode, using the tools and so on from the Z6 II:
It’s a touch-screen, so I can access functions by clicking on the screen.
I just went through Steve Perry’s video on the menus for the D780, making a few changes based on his comments. And as I’m pretty sure you expect, I prefer the DSLR view more, but I want to try this out on birds. Going out on my balcony, hand-holding the camera at arm’s length is no problem - but would be a major problem with a huge tele lens unless I used a tripod or monopod.
Good grief!!! Not for me! How can anyone compose a photo with all that …stuff!!!
I will likely end up agreeing with everything you’ve written, but I’m too stubborn for my own good, and want to try things for myself.
You already know what I think about this last photo.
Sony allows the user to select/configure what’s on the rear screen.
Presume Nikon has options too. So back to the menu… 
I love them and think they are the most majestic and beautiful birds I know - Crested Crane is the national bird of Uganda.
I have a few pictures as well and some of them looks pretty much like this picture with a pretty muddled background. At that time with the gear, I had these days I needed a blue distant sky as a background in order to fix that without doing it in post processing.
