I can’t believe I nabbed this shot of birds in midair with a cheap mirrorless camera. Is this evidence of how far autofocus technology has come, or just dumb luck?

Two tree swallows swoop at each other in midair against a blue sky.

I was out birding when I saw two tree swallows squabbling in mid-air. When I pulled the camera up to my eye, I was dubious that I would get a shot. Autofocus tends to struggle the most with objects that are fast and small, and the tree swallows – already in flight and moving erratically – certainly fit that description.

But perhaps the biggest reason I was surprised to get the shot? I was using a cheap mirrorless camera and an even cheaper lens: the Nikon Z50 II and the Nikkor Z DZ 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR.