Spend another morning for test one of the most difficult photograph objects, swift and swallow.
*** I will updating all the swift AF test here.
There are some setting that I change for this fast moving object which I think it may affect the performance
CANON R3, CANON EF 500mm F4 IS2, EF 1.4x TC III
AF area (whole sensor)
AFC, eye-control AF off
Drive mode: H (15fps) and H+ (30fps)
AI Servo (AF-C)
cRAW and use DPP straight convert to JPEG and resize.
No CROP
Len set to >10m which anything near than 10m will not be focus
no feeding, no fix location/direction for the bird. Everything here just a bird flying and I just point my Len direction and lets the camera lock the focus (on bird) and track by following the flying direction
few test, trying to show
i. near object
ii. far object
iii. flying at same Background (Green, sky)
iv. flying cross various background
– can see below, the birds will flying crossing sky, water surface, green etc
I am glad to given a chance to have a unit CANON EOS R3 to have a series of test on Birds/Nature Photography.
As for other camera, I plan to have series of tests which related to Tropical forest birds Photographer concerns eg. ISO performance, AF performance, Raw files dynamics range etc.
After days of basic understanding the camera (actually it is like a upgraded version of my old CANON EOS 1dxm2). I will try share other view of the camera later in other posts, here lets share one of the major concern : AF performance.
For this test, I am using
CANON EOS R3
CANON EF 500mm F4 IS2
CANON 1.4x TC III
No feeding, No nesting and no idea what bird flying to/from which directions. Just base on what you see and trying the Camera capability to focus and capture.
Setting
AF area (whole sensor)
AFC, eye-control AF off
Drive mode: H (15fps)
AI Servo (AF-C)
RAW and use DPP straight convert to JPEG and resize.
I am glad to given a chance to have a unit CANON EOS R3 to have a series of test on Birds/Nature Photography.
As for other camera, I plan to have series of tests which related to Tropical forest birds Photographer concerns eg. ISO performance, AF performance, Raw files dynamics range etc.
After days of basic understanding the camera (actually it is like a upgraded version of my old CANON EOS 1dxm2). I will try share other view of the camera later in other posts, here lets share one of the major concern : AF performance.
For this test, I am using
CANON EOS R3
CANON EF 500mm F4 IS2
CANON 1.4x TC III
Handheld inside car
No feeding, No nesting and no idea what bird flying to/from which directions. Just base on what you see and trying the Camera capability to focus and capture.
Setting
AF area (whole sensor)
AFC, eye-control AF off
Drive mode: H (15fps)
AI Servo (AF-C)
RAW and use DPP straight convert to JPEG and resize.
All of sudden a White-throated Kingfisher flying infront of us, with immediate response I just point the Len toward the bird and lets the camera lock focus on the bird and track … capture the images in ~3-4s
this feature need to enable an electronic shutter and what it does
1. focus and HALF press the shutter
2. the camera start record pictures within the frame
3. press the Shutter button and anything pre-happen before shutter button press (~<1s) will be a record
e.g. 3 White-bellied Woodpecker Nesting
– another good opportunity to use this special function
– 这个环境非常容易的用这个功能
video by combine 17 pictures within ~1s while the bird flying out from the nest and I only press the shutter button after seeing the bird flying out from the nest
eg. 1 this bird keep “displaying” but what we need just one position
whats you need to do just
1. Turn ON Pre-shot (require ES)
2. focus on the bird and half-press the shutter just like on left and waiting for any action of the bird. Press the Shutter immediately after the desired moment happen to mean frame 6/7 (anything within ~1s) then all the previous pictures will be recorded into the memory card.
*In traditional to capture the desired moment (5th frame from left, we need to keep burst the shutter and hope lucky to get the frame with a few hundred shots.
* in this testing, I only enable 8 fps
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eg2. Bird flying out from Nest
in this condition, the bird may stay in the nest hole for minutes, hours before it flies out and when it flying out could be just a split second. So it is not easy to capture the moment.
here is the frame I got
1. Enable Pre-Shot
2. focus and Half-press shutter button. The bird can be in this position for minutes and hours.
3. all of sudden the bird fly out and this is when I press my shutter button
But all the other frames before this last moment already captured into the memory card
This is just a feature that captures pre-moment so it is not continuous focus, so pre-plan the angle where the bird expects to have the next move is important to have a better focus picture.
Besides that, to have a wider or not too big a subject the frame can allow u to have long series of action pictures.
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So Have fun trying this lovely feature. Besides Fujifilm Xt3/4. Understand Panasonic which first launches this feature under Pre-burst and Olympus follow later call Pro-capture.
– Smaller than Himalayan snowcock, this species has a grey head and neck with a white patch behind the eye and above the dark cheek. Chin, throat and breast are white, with two grey bands on the breast. Grey wing coverts and tertials have a white trim. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_snowcock
Is a long journey from Malaysia – Sulawesi – Jayapura (~26 hours without a bed, too much coffee and waiting) …for the day1 when we arrive, we give Magnificent Riflebird a try but failed to have any photo .. but the bird was well seen above our “hide”
Day2 – Nimbokrang
We start our drive, walk ~430am, 15 min drive and ~20min walk … the first Bird-of-paradise is waiting for us .. before we walk into our “hide”. The bird keeps calling, trying to attract female … but seem it is not attractive enough. only one female comes close and fast. The male trying to “show off” with some action but the female flew off just immediate it trying to show his “dance”
I am mostly recording video, so this picture I share is a Jpeg extract from Canon Digital Photo Professional software …
– one of the most easier, walk not that far and the birds just there without any waiting
– first Bird-of-Paradise of the trip and amazing beautiful
非常漂亮的天堂鳥。
update 202105
– let’s share some old pictures and video
– this was 2019 Oct, our West Papua Bird Photography trip first Birds-of-Paradise and one of the most easier.
– special of this bird is the tails
2. King Bird-of-paradise, 王极乐鸟, 王天堂鳥, Cicinnurus regius, ヒヨクドリ, Cendrawasih Raja
BoP #2 which is my target #1 for this tour, was just about 20min walking after Twelve-wired Bird-of-Paradise, but this is so much smaller, higher & active makes only a very limited angle to get the full view. I am lucky to have this just ~5min wait.
King Bird-of-paradise, 王极乐鸟
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3. Lesser Bird-of-paradise, 小极乐鸟, 小天堂鳥, Paradisaea minor, コフウチョウ, Cendrawasih Kecil
– The only BoP we didn’t see much and dancing .. just hear most of the time … the location we wait seem not the really correct location for “dancing” … but it did flying across and let us record
– another not so obvious Bird-of-Paradise got from Irian Jaya.
– this is so far away, and somehow it still belongs to BoP .. we got it record ..
– 鳥不是特別出色，還要在遠遠的。
– 攝於伊里安查亚
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After 5 days of “enjoy”, reasonable food, easy walk (flat), air-cond room, not far from airport and bird spots .. we finally move to 2nd destination Arfak Mountain..
After got the information before, we get ready with some extra food … sleeping beg, insect repellent, etc .. just before we going into a “no Phone” (only a particular spot can get a phone signal which is a bit distance from our “homestay”. After ~2 hours of offroad travel, we arrive at our homestay a little bit late and with rain .. so we call this a day and enjoy our cold stay
Here, we need to split into a few groups to decide on different BoP hide due to limited “hole” for photography …
Day1 at Arfak Mountain
5. Western Parotia, 阿法六线风鸟, 阿法六線風鳥, Parotia sefilata, カンザシフウチョウ, Parotia Arfak
– lucky to have this amazing, lovely bird for bird #1 .. we walk a very steep hike ~45-60 degree uphill for ~500m … we saw the bird-eating, calling for the whole morning but just not dancing … at ~9 am, we almost give up … the female came to the dancing group, followed by the male than the moment begin …
update 202310
– 4 years ago 5 of us went to West Papua for Photography and today 3 out of 5 we back to same airport and same Starbuck ..good memory … and hope tomorrow we have same good experience for the photography tour
– a big overall blackbird, with a colorful throat depends on the angle and also have a Blue eye
– the male famous with ballerina dance displaying to attract female
– 非常特别的天堂鸟。大，黑，喉会变黄绿。为吸引母鸟会跳草裙舞
201910, Mount Arfak, West Papua, Indonesia
update 2020 Jul
Western Parotia, 阿法六線風鳥, 阿法六线风鸟, Parotia sefilata
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so amazing to see it dancing ..
update 2020 Jan 16
a close look at the Juv
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6. Red Bird-of-paradise, 红极乐鸟, 紅極樂鳥, Paradisaea rubra, ジュウニセンフウチョウ, Cendrawasih Mati-kawat
actually, this is the last BoP of the tour but I really like it so much when I process the pictures …. can’t wait to share this great moment with you all. Endemic, common but somehow I really like this
update 202203
– finally Malaysia border going to open, do we able to make a trip here again this year ?
– 马来西亚要开放了。今年应该来得及到这拍鸟。
201911, Weigo Islang, Indonesia
update 202102
update 202011
update 2020 May
Red Bird-of-paradise, 紅極樂鳥, Paradisaea rubra,ジュウニセンフウチョウ, Cendrawasih Mati-kawat
update 2020 Jan 23
one of my favor photo .. when this Red BoP decide make noise face to face to me
– another BoP that really amazes us, it keeps cleaning the “dancing” ground and displaying (dancing) to attract a female. make a lot of photo opportunity
– one of the easiest and beautiful Bird-of-Paradise
– every morning, it will come to “dance” ground clearing and calling the female – this is a moment after an hour clearing, no female is approaching so it is resting and preening nearby
– 一隻蠻普通+漂亮的風鳥，天堂鳥。
– 每天它都會到這清理，呼叫。希望母鳥的到來。
update 202112
update 202105
– one of the most seen, photograph BoP, but still like this bird very much. the body contains so much color and the chest “green” can changing depend on lighting and angle to “purple”
A large, front-heavy brown bird with a long, pale downcurved bill and a distinctive elongated head with a flat crown and a forehead tuft. Orange legs. Unmistakable males have a green-blue breast shield and long creamy-white plumes extending from the shoulders. Females are entirely earth-brown, lacking the shoulder extensions and shield. Immature resembles female. Found in canopy of tall forests in lowlands and foothills, confined to three islands in north Moluccas. Regularly sighted at known display sites. Very loud when displaying, giving raucous “WAA-WAA…” and “KEE-KEE…” notes. [Ebird]
update 202310
[sorry for the bad video]
– this a weird scene I seen, or I missed out anything before .. why the female is on top and I record few times ..
– another trip another good view of this bird after longer wait compared to previous trips. I didn’t have best angle but still trying to show the beauty of this bird .. 8km bird .. worth ? YES definitely
– will share some funny video about this bird … may be finish this trip
– another trip another good view of this bird after longer wait compared to previous trips. I didn’t have best angle but still trying to show the beauty of this bird .. 8km bird .. worth ? YES definitely
– will share some funny video about this bird … may be finish this trip
– 2nd trip to Halmahera 2023 and see you next week … never get bored to see it making noise and dance even the journey there bit challenge … I am coming
– lucky to see it display but not really full open view. capture video with 100p slowdown 50%
– 幸运的看到他在跳舞。可是没全露。可是还是记录下了。
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another special tour, which has main target of this Standardwing Bird-of-Paradise.
It is a real good experience to be Halmahera, we just spend 3 nights. We easily got ours’ targets seen.
This is our main target, on 2nd morning. We hike 3.7km straight to the “hide” (on the way, we heard owlet-nightjar which is my favorite bird but we failed to see the bird and also rushing to the hide for main target.
Arrived before 6am, while every still dark. We can heard many of them already calling infront of us but just very brief view. after 30minutes, finally we got clear view of this amazing beautiful bird. But I still only got some extreme high ISO picture even with my CANON RF400mm F2.8.
Long story short, the birds stay for long and from ISO 25600 – ISO800, Managed to have perfect view of the bird and pictures… oohh video too .
Immediate of this target, we walking out and birding. There is another very good story to talk about “pick up service for the Pitta”
most of the species are winter visitors to Malaysia. Small and active birds, look-alike, and sometimes difficult to ID without pictures taken and call recording.
– in North Borneo (KNP, Crocker Range etc) both Yellowish and this Gray-light greenish exist
– 小而活跃。通常在海拔800米以上
– 黑头。翅膀没纹。在北婆罗洲（沙巴）有黄 或 这灰-浅绿 两种。
201603, KNP, Sabah, Malaysia
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2. Yellow-browed Warbler, 黄眉柳莺, 黃眉柳鶯, Phylloscopus inornatus, キマユムシクイ, CEKUP-DAUN KECIL BIASA
– Small, active warbler with greenish upperparts, white underparts, distinct pale yellowish eyebrow, and distinct pale wingbars (upper wingbar short and less distinct) *Ebird
– Dull, relatively unmarked olive-brown warbler with a prominent yellowish-white eyestripe, faint wingbars, and pale whitish underparts. Visually inseparable from Japanese and Kamchatka Leaf Warblers; listen for song, an electric chattery trill. Also gives a metallic two-noted call and a short harsh buzz. Breeds in shrubby areas, often near water, throughout the Eurasian taiga. Breeding range extends to Alaska, where it is the only leaf warbler. Winters in lowland and foothill forest, forest edge, and gardens, primarily in Southeast Asia. (Ebird)
– it is under the same species but looks different from the one found in Peninsular Malaysia. The Bali one, head over all more red-black instead of red-yellow-black
– 与马来西亚半岛的头部很不一样。红-黑而已。
update 202105
201605, West Balu National Park, Bali, Indonesia
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2. Green Junglefowl, 绿原鸡, 綠原雞, Gallus varius, アオエリヤケイ, Ayam-hutan hijau
– the male, very colorful, The back neck is metallic green-blue-yellow
– previously under the same species of Banded Pitta which now split to 3 different species. Malayan Banded Pitta, Borneo Banded Pitta, and Javan Banded Pitta. all of them with slightly different looks especially male. But all with the same call, behavior.
– 之前与其他两种马来亚，与婆罗洲归为同种。叫声一样。
– 爪哇特有种
update 202105
– male bird with a blue neck, head yellow instead of rufuos
– 公鸟。颈部有蓝边，头部是黄不是棕色。
201605, Bali, Indonesia
7. Bali Myna, 长冠八哥, 峇里島長冠八哥, Leucopsar rothschildi, カンムリシロムク, Jalak Bali
An eye-catching white starling with black tips to the tail and wings, bare blue facial skin, and long plumes that hang down the nape. Juvenile is shorter-crested than adult, with yellow wash. Found in small groups in open forest, where it spends time in the trees and foraging on the ground. Avoids dense forest. Restricted to northwest Bali. Differs from Black-winged Starling in having the black on the wings confined to tips, and in showing blue facial skin. Song is an untidy jumble of scratchy, chattering notes and whistles. [Ebird]
– a very special and beautiful endemic for Bali, wont wrong as long as you see medium size and white bird .. think only near Bali National Park area
– 非常特别的巴厘岛特有种，白
2016, West Bali, Indonesia
8. Small Blue Kingfisher, 小蓝翠鸟, 小藍翠鳥, Alcedo coerulescens, ヒメアオカワセミ, Rajaudang Biru
a very common small blue-white small Kingfisher at Bali-Java, can be seen almost any where near stream, pond …but quite shy as usual
这小翠鸟在巴厘岛几乎蛮普通，可是还是不容易拍。很害羞。
update 202402
– this is a very good example of need more fps .. so not always correct we do not need .. I normally shoot ~15fps in most of the camera by default … when this bird sudden dive in I am too late to change the fps .. and most of the frame without very good “eye contact” or I would say too less frame within the dive action (~7frames)
– a transit easy shooting near ours hotel, saw few of them and need small movement to get close to get closer pictures.
– 再去看松巴岛前，在巴厘岛酒店附近就找到。还蛮还几只，慢慢的走近还是可以拍好。
20240118, Bali, Indonesia
9. Little Black Cormorant, 小黑鸬鹚, 小黑鸕鷀, Phalacrocorax sulcirostris, ミナミクロヒメウ, Pecuk-padi hitam
– overall black and mid size of bird always found near ponds, river.
update 202401
– transit to Sumba Island so spent some time in Bali for casual birding, managed to have this pond for small fun for everyone .. this bird very common here first arrive every one chase haha .. and day2 everyone target other bird except me waiting some bird fall into better light position but saw these 2 birds fighting for fish even not at the direction I wanted but just capture the moment 😀
– small pale owl, normally found near palm oil plantation, paddy field etc
– Pale owl; white below and orangey with gray spotting above. Heart-shaped white facial disc. (ebird)
– common almost anywhere Malaysia, use to control pest at paddy
update 202303
– a tour with so much of rain, missed both owl at Fraser due to full day raining. Luckily got 5 lowland owls happen in one day. we had ~7-8 this owl for 1 hour and this is one quietly sit and enjoy the meal.
Barn owl,仓鸮, 倉鴞,Tyto alba, メンフクロウ, Burung Jampok Kubur,
Barn owl,仓鸮, 倉鴞,Tyto alba, メンフクロウ, Burung Jampok
barn owl 仓鸮
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2. Oriental Bay-Owl, 栗鸮, 栗鴞,Phodilus badius, ニセメンフクロウ, PUNGGUK-API BIASA
one of the most common can found , near garden, 2nd forest and primary forest .. just always hear but not seen
update 202410
– a lovely owl, always give a cute look, overall white
– while we walking into forest .. heard the Bay owls calling to each other .. keep looking .. ohh. it is just in-front of us .. but standing not that low this time ..
– I do not have much luck on this special looking and cute owl … but last tour, I had 2 different locations which included this sight at Danum Valley and 3 of them standing surrounding me and making very soft call
– another success night birding just less than an hour, we had nightjar (nesting) and this lovely small owl.
– small owl that normally not that shy to human
– 另一个美好的夜观，一只夜鹰，加这只漂亮的小猫头鹰。
202404, RDC, Sabah, Malaysia
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update 202309
– another view of the favorite owl of Malaysia… it is so cute and found one tame.. it can stand there for hours
– 马来西亚最喜欢鸮的另一个角度。非常可爱，如果找到一只乖的。可以站那好几个小时
202309, Sabah, Malaysia
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– another main target of the tour… the owl seem calling each other in the forest. walk slowly and managed to found where it perch and calling .. thanks for the group, we got some pictures and leave the owl alone
– what a cute owl to be seen again. Cute and stay close for us
– 蛮可爱的的小鸮。通常站在同一地方叫不停。
202210, RDC, SABAH, MALAYSIA
update 2018 Aug 20
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51. Sulawesi Masked-Owl, 苏拉仓鸮, 蘇拉威西蒼鴞, Tyto rosenbergii
A very large barn-owl with a gray facial disk, gray crown, and rufous upperparts and wings with scattered dark markings. Prefers open country, like agricultural land, plantations, and forest edge, from lowlands to mountains. Limited to Sulawesi. Distinguished from smaller Minahassa Masked-Owl by gray face, gray forecrown, more extensive dark markings across wings and upperparts, and preference for open country.[Ebird]
– a Sulawesi endemic with very Barn Owl look alike and call alike … white overall compare to Minahasa Masked Owl more “light rufous” and slight look different
– a owl that we tried many times, many location.. but after few tried what a surprise to see it in one dusk but missed the picture opportunity. But went for 2nd night and got it flying on the sky .. and lucky to have CANON focus monster R3 with RF400mm F2.8 to have this ..
– last night of birding, after Speckled Boobook, immediate got this rare endemic and managed to capture few flying (not really enough shutter speed for sharp picture) . It flying high up with torch the light still not enough for any picture opportunity. Thanks CANON R3 it lock focus in such dark environment and track it down.
– almost time to finish off Malaysia tours, and time for lovely places again. I am going Sulawesi and Halmahera again Oct. Anyone interest on 2025 ? 2024 full 😀
– hopefully see this owl again, lovely and wait for me.
202304, North Sulawesi, Indonesia202304, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
52. Minahassa Masked-Owl, 米纳仓鸮, 米納倉鴞, Tyto inexspectata, ミナハサメンフクロウ, Serak Minahasa
A forest barn-owl with rich rufous coloration over its entire body. Particularly note the rufous facial disk and forecrown to aid identification. Juvenile is browner-winged, with speckled gray underparts. Inhabits forest understory within lowlands and mountains, avoiding open country. Confined to Sulawesi. Smaller and more richly rufous-colored overall than Sulawesi Masked-Owl, with a rufous facial disk and forecrown and fewer dark markings on the wings and upperparts. Also note preference for closed-forest habitat. Call is a single long piercing screech: “SHEEEEEEEER.” [Ebird]
update 202310
– a special owl, seem everyone wanted to have a look at Sulawesi (included the local) as believe lucky ? but it is always challenge to looking for one.
– 蛮特别的鸮，几乎每个观鸟的到这都想看到。（本土人也很希望看到，代表幸运）
201908, Tangkoko, Sulawesi, Indonesia
53. Sri Lanka Bay-Owl, 斯里兰卡栗鸮, 斯里蘭卡栗鴞, Phodilus assimilis, スリランカメンフクロウ
– one of 2023 Dec Sri Lanka Birding trip main target, missed it day1 and got it ir after heavy rain and all wet ..
– look slight bigger and brown compare to ours Oriental ?
update 202312
– we looking for last endemic bird of the tour, Red-faced Malkoha after got it with record picture .. heavy rain came and all wet, after basic lunch at village house. We thought of going back hotel for rest but ours local guide told us someone found Bay-owl .. without wait we straight go the spot for the owl
