liewwk Nature Photography Blog
very special gliding mammals, which is nocturnal
1. Bornean Colugo, 婆罗洲猫猴, Galeopterus borneanus
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1. Bornean Colugo, 婆罗洲猫猴, Galeopterus borneanus
– lucky night, ours activities start with this weird creature with baby
– 幸运的晚上，好是带小孩。
update 202403
– it is another lucky night, managed to see this cute animal feeding on leaf .. and next night with young .few months ago actually managed to see or record how it drink water on tree.
– 非常幸运，可以看到他们怎么吃叶子。之前拍过他喝水。
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a new collection of small mammal
1. Lesser Ranee Mouse, Haeromys pusillus, Haeromys sp
– a small and long tail mice, it can be Ranee which may not able to tell. But this is really long tail with really small body length
(still will checking the ID)
– 非常小，长尾巴。可能是Haeromys minahassae。可是几个前辈讲到，这很小+尾巴长。应该是Haeromys pusillus。
（还是回继续查）
***not an expert still trying my best to ID this one ..
***还在学习看老鼠
– 暂时在这放2023，3月的一些更新
Dusky eagle-owl, 乌雕鸮, 烏雕鴞, Bubo coromandus, ウスグロワシミミズク, BURUNG-HANTU BERTANDUK KELABU ASIA
Fire-tufted Barbet, 火簇拟鴷, 火簇擬鴷, Psilopogon pyrolophus, アカフサゴシキドリ, TAKUR API
Red-whiskered Bulbul, 红耳鹎, 紅耳鵯, Pycnonotus jocosus, コウラウン, MERBAH TELINGA MERAH
continued from previous CANON R7 sharing
3 days with CANON R7 + RF600mm F4 – IS, Battery life, AF, ISO samples
This test mainly concentrate on AF tracking (on subject – bird). Even I dont have enough chance to shoot many AF tracking and this is not my normal testing AF condition. Where I normally test AF, AF tracking with “un-plan” flying subject. Where I do not have any idea where the bird flying from-to and just use camera reaction to lock focus and track to capture the pictures.
This is a “pre-known” the bird will flying toward us or left/right.
i. lock focus the Bird eye
ii. AI Servo
iii. tracking enable
From the series pictures show, the bird is focus in every frame and also can see the tree is out of focus slowly at last few frame where the bird flying away from the tree. This show the bird tracking is working perfectly
few months ago my friend introduce to me “DxO PureRaw 2” for very good noise reduction. I am bit busy last few months and finally I have time download to check out ISO performance of Fujifilm XH2-S , CANON R7 which both APS-C sensor which most the users concern on ISO performance. But we know when smaller sensor normally has more noise with bigger sensor camera (with same megapixel). Too bad both camera raw files are not supported by the DxO PureRaw 2. But I decide to make a simple test with CANON R5 & A1
几个月前，朋友介绍了这款新的软件。大概是降噪非常好，比我之前介绍的Topaz Denoise 好。
我一直较忙，这几天终于有时间坐下清理照片。处理一些事情。还有最近试了2架新的半幅的相机（富士 XH2-S & 佳能 R7) ,大家（包括我）都有点担心噪点问题。因为我们这的摄影环境都较暗。我们也希望有较长的焦距，半幅的相机都是我们想用可是主要担心噪点问题。
可是，这个软件 DxO PureRaw 2 尽然还不支持这两架相机，可是尽然已下载。我也试试在高像素相机之一的佳能R5 &索尼 A1 （迟一点会放上）
I only test 2 ISO – ISO2000 because this is my comfortable accept ISO for R5 and ISO6400 is my highest auto ISO set for R5 & ISO4000 for A1 .
– Click the picture to see original full size picture.
– the DxO PureRaw really process the raw file into a DNG file with very good noise-details balance output.
– please support original software
iii. SONY A1 : ISO2000
iv. SONY A1 : ISO4000
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my recent posts
3 days with CANON R7 + RF600mm F4 – IS, Battery life, AF, ISO samples
Field experience with Fujifilm X-H2S + Fujinon XF150-600mm f/5.6-8
I am glad been given a chance to use the new CANON mirrorless camera R7 with RF600mm F4 for 3 days.
When I have the camera with such period, I know I can’t try everything I want to try but for another successor after R5/6/3 think most of the people will have same believe and doubt as me
1. AF should be as good as the R5/6/3
2. such high megapixel, how’s the ISO performance
3. Image Stabilizer – as think this is one good camera for bird watchers who normally shoot handheld
– should have more time to try with RF100-500, RF100-400, EF 100-400, EF400 F5.6 etc
4. video quality, overheat concern
5. buffer as only SD card supported
6. Video AF
7. Battery life
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For me, I am concentrate on few above which I “worry” about
AF
ISO performance
Image Stabilizer (which affect the Image quality – ISO)
Battery life
Video Quality (after recent so many good video hybrid camera)
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Here is my 3days real field experience for above mentioned concerns
update 20220618
– this is one most important criteria for most of Bird Photographer as in many cases we do require to handheld to shoot with smaller lens and most of this situations when we inside forest which also having lowlight.
– if the IS efficiency is high, mean we can get higher success rate picture with lower shutter speed .
– I am using R7 with CANON RF 100-500mm which also 160-800mm (35mm equivalent) and I tested all with 500mm (800mm 35mm equivalent). without any tripod, monopod just handheld with various shutter speed and 10-50 shots (average)
– 我在测试佳能的新R7与RF100-500mm。这个测试是为了试机身+镜头防抖有多好。因为这可是我们选摄鸟器材的蛮重要的一环，因为在马来西亚很大部分时间我们都在林里拍鸟。都是不容易带脚架与蛮暗。手持摄影需要好的防抖功能让我们在较慢的速度下拍到我们要拍的鸟。
update 202206
– due to work nature, I am capturing still and video handheld 90%. So IS always one of my very important criteria to choose my “working birding equipment”
– another quick test how’s the IS for video with CANON R7
– 工作关系，我几乎都是手持拍摄（照片，视频)。相机+镜头防抖功能变成我主要选择我的摄鸟（工作）的其中一个主要的功能。
– 当我拿到R7，这是我要测试的其中一项。手持视频
case 1 : 1/15s
– shooting 1/15s total 59 shots and 20/59 is focus which giving 33% I would say it is very good
– one of the amazing battery life mirrorless camera so far
– 3 days in the row, shooting from 7am – 2-3pm without power off the camera
~1200 pictures
~10-30 video (4k)
ALL 3 days still have >50% battery remain
– without any doubt or different, the AF capability to find subject eye (bird eye) simply awesome. AS GOOD AS R3, R5 and R6 for bird eye detect, I dont have enough time for flying tracking (only very quick tried)
– the best part is this camera use R3 AF method e.g. when use ZONE or single point in R5/6 the eye detect cannot be use. So most of us use method of either
a. let’s the camera find the bird eye in full screen – some of us just don’t trust the camera. So dont border of using this method but for me this is very fast and 90% trusted method
b. use one button for single point focus than AD-ON (any other button) eye detect
– this is a much slower way of AF which require single point to point to the bird than need press a button to have eye detect than follow by shutter button for picture capture !!!!!!! not only slow with so many button pressing more camera shake created
– now, we can use single button set to single point, zone, full screen as long as the point, zone or camera found the bird. The “eye” will be focus and track
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with such high megapxiel 32.5 MP, think everyone most worry is the ISO management.
here are some pictures sharing
series of picture (full size) 800-10000 (sorry for accidentally deleted ISO400 pictures and due to environment here we seldom use anything lower than ISO800
I also make a simple Topaz Denoise (default auto) to have a look with minimum post processing result.
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Series 1
RAW – JPEG (direct from Adobe camera RAW no noise reduction)
JPEG – denoise using Topaz Denoise AI-clear auto
100% crop at ration 16:9 (for above)
*click the picture for full size picture
i. ISO800
ii. ISO1250
iii. ISO1600
iv. ISO2000
v. ISO3200
vi. ISO4000
vi. ISO6400
vii. ISO8000
viii. ISO10000
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My personal view, for such a high megapixel APS-C camera as expected it provided so much details and with noise when ISO increase.
Based on the simple noise reduction (one click) the picture image quality seem well balance with details+noise at ~ISO3200. Extra post processing should able to produce more clean picture.
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Let;s wait for coming sharing
Image Stabilizer efficiency
AF Tracking
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More pictures series
Series 2
RAW-JPEG direct no Noise reduction
Sharing some of my AF testing on Fujifilm X-T4 with various lens combination
Test 1
Fujifilm X-T4
Canon EF500mm F4 IS2
Fringer EF-FX II
Setting
ISO 1250, 1/3800, F5.6 AF-C, Zone AF (2nd largest area)
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the bird (tern) has enough contrast again this kind of background.
Overall, it lock focus on the bird fast and track well too as long as we able to follow the flying path and no big change of background condition
*** the AF Range limiter will help faster and better tracking
*** smaller AF zone also help faster and better tracking
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Some other testing with Fujifilm Camera
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a species that mostly vagrant for Malaysia.
1. Black-faced Spoonbill, 黑脸琵鹭, 黑面琵鷺, Platalea minor, クロツラヘラサギ, SEKENDI-SUDU ASIA TIMUR
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1. Black-faced Spoonbill, 黑脸琵鹭, 黑面琵鷺, Platalea minor, クロツラヘラサギ, SEKENDI-SUDU ASIA TIMUR
a vagrant 2021 and should be 2nd visit of Peninsular Malaysia. Thanks Dr. Nur Munira for the found and share
She is co-ordinate
one of the main person of the Malaysia Shorebirds together with Dave Bakewell.
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After use the powerful R3, which it is almost not missing to find a bird when the bird within the sensor. (we dont use AF point to focus to the bird but let’s the camera to find the bird/bird eye and lock focus than track). Glad that I am able to get R5/R6 for more test on this entry level of full frame camera.
I am trying to sharing different kind of environment to lets the Camera find the bird itself and this may keep update later.
Condition 1 : Bird with contrast again Backgroung
– CANON EOS R6, CANON EF 500mm F4 IS2, CANON 1.4x, CANON EF=EOS-R adapter
– M mode, Auto ISO, F5.6 (biggest aperture), 1/200
– Handheld
– AF method : the only method using Full sensor area in R5/6
+Tracking
– Subject to detect : Animals ; Eye detection : On
THE FOCUS almost immediate lock on the bird head/eye and track.
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Condition 2 : closer Bird with lesser contrast again Background
– CANON EOS R6, CANON EF 500mm F4 IS2, CANON 1.4x, CANON EF=EOS-R adapter
– M mode, Auto ISO, F5.6 (biggest aperture), 1/200
– Handheld
– AF method : the only method using Full sensor area in R5/6
+Tracking
– Subject to detect : Animals ; Eye detection : On
THE FOCUS almost immediate lock on the bird head/eye and track.
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Condition 3 :further Bird with lesser contrast again Background
– CANON EOS R6, CANON EF 500mm F4 IS2, CANON 1.4x, CANON EF=EOS-R adapter
– M mode, Auto ISO, F5.6 (biggest aperture), 1/200
– Handheld
– AF method : the only method using Full sensor area in R5/6
+Tracking
– Subject to detect : Animals ; Eye detection : On
THE FOCUS require a bit time to look for a bird but very quick to get the bird focus locked and track on the head and eye
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Condition 4 : small bird low contrast over the similar and messy Background
– CANON EOS R6, CANON EF 500mm F4 IS2, CANON 1.4x, CANON EF=EOS-R adapter
– M mode, Auto ISO, F5.6 (biggest aperture), 1/200
– Handheld
– AF method : the only method using Full sensor area in R5/6
+Tracking
– Subject to detect : Animals ; Eye detection : On
THE FOCUS almost not possible to find the bird (trying to moving the camera at various position of the sensor). What we need to do just move the focus ring so the focus area near the bird than very soon it will be get the Bird/Bird eye focus and track.
R3 can easily use eye-Control AF to resolve this or I found R3 capable to find the even at this kind of environment.
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Condition 4 : very small bird with contrast
– CANON EOS R5, CANON EF 500mm F4 IS2, CANON 1.4x, CANON EF=EOS-R adapter
– M mode, Auto ISO, F5.6 (biggest aperture), 1/200
– Handheld
– AF method : the only method using Full sensor area in R5/6
+Tracking
– Subject to detect : Animals ; Eye detection : On
THE FOCUS almost not possible to find the bird (trying to moving the camera at various position of the sensor). What we need to do just move the focus ring so the focus area near the bird than very soon it will be get the Bird/Bird eye focus and track.
* the small bird on center
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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
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
test2: far away with small objects fast moving actions
-CANON R3, CANON RF600mm F4
– all AF setting tracking sensitivity, Accel./deccel. tracking are set to Auto
– M mode, ISO Auto, Shutter Speed 1/2000, F5.6
– full screen focus area
– Hmode
– Subject tracking – ON
– Subject to detect – animal
– eye detection – OFF
– cRAW, direct save from DPP (beta). without any process
– Handheld
– everything happen within ~1s
– each picture ~100% crop picture show..
test1: Dull background to Bright Green background
– all AF setting tracking sensitivity, Accel./deccel. tracking are set to Auto
– M mode, ISO Auto, Shutter Speed 1/1600, F5.6
– full screen focus area
– Hmode
– Subject tracking – ON
– Subject to detect – animal
– eye detection – ON (may be need to be off for far object, while the DOF should cover the bird and most probably can get faster focus capability)
– cRAW, direct save from DPP (beta). without any process
– Tripod and video head
– everything happen within 2s
– each picture with 100% crop picture show..
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