Field experience with Fujifilm X-H2S + Fujinon XF150-600mm f/5.6-8

I am glad to be chosen to test this new Fujifilm new Camera and lens for actual field test here (Tropical forest) which also included Borneo – (Sepilok, Danum Valley, Kinabatangan River) for ~2months.

*** all pictures and videos captured with Fujifilm X-H2s pre-Production unit

For pass 2 months, I putting the system into various enviromennts

1. Tropical forest – real dark, complex environment

2. mangrove – hot and open area

3. river cruise – mainly shoot from shaky boat handheld

4. beach, mudflat – open hot area

As I am not able to open the RAW file and some firmware limitation, I am shooting mostly JPEG. So I am concentrate my testing on

1. New Autofocus system

– animal (bird) eye detection

– AF tracking

2. Size, Weight & Image Stabilizer

– as the system just weight 2.4 KG for 900mm (35 mm equivalent) so this is a good handheld system. So good IS is require.

3. Image Quality

– only based on JPEG

– New lens Focal length and new camera

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Size, Weight & Image Stabilizer

The new system just weight 2.4KG which allow us to shoot 150-600mm (225-900mm 35mm equivalent) which is one best available

sample of 225mm vs 900mm

– you can see how far we can reach with the 900mm

– most of the pictures and videos captured handheld. This system allow me have >50% success rate 1/125 at 900mm which is my recommended minimum shutter speed for handheld.

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New Autofocus system

For the Auto-focus, I think this is a huge upgrade compare previous X series. The Animal Detection just simple amazing

– refer 0:40:00″ – 1:48:00″ of the Video for how the Bird eye detect and focus in various situation

1:49:00 – 2:17:00 for how the eye detect work in lowlight (night time with torch)

And for AF tracking, please refer “1:50:00 – 2:18:00” for how the fast flying woodswallow flying tracking performance

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Image Quality

not able to open any RAW file so all captured in JPEG, picture with crop, denoise (Topaz) (if you want to have a look at the without denoise feel free drop me an message)

lets have a look at the picture and click to view larger size

Handheld on Boat
ISO800
F8.0
1/120
420.3 mm

Handheld
ISO3200
F6.4
1/70
264.7 mm
Denoise Topaz

Tripod
ISO1000
F8.0
1/25
600 mm
Denoise Topaz

Tripod
ISO1250
F7.1
1/20
351.8 mm
Denoise Topaz

Handheld
ISO200
F7.1
1/320
377.7 mm
Topaz Denoise

Handheld
ISO800
F8.0
1/125
600 mm
Topaz Denoise

Handheld
ISO800
F8.0
1/1500
520.2 mm
Topaz Denoise

Handheld
ISO3200
F8.0
1/800
451.3 mm
Topaz Denoise

10.

Tripod
ISO2000
F7.1
1/8
391.4 mm
Topaz Denoise

Some videos captured with this setup

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I will slowly update other experience of this setup on new post, if I have chance to test on the production system.

Stay tune

Overall my experience on this new setup on Wildlife Photography, this combo is very light and have long reach. even the aperture is small but we always can not shooting at maximum focal length so we can have slight bigger aperture. eg. shooting at 400mm (600mm 35mm equivalent) with F7.1

with the lens and In-Body-Stabilizer, it allow me capture 900mm at 1/125s with high success rate. (>50%). Anything lower, I would suggest to use tripod (as mentioned I am using pre-production camera the actual camera may different)

The AF is fast and accurate (on bird eye), it may not best in market but it is very good and accurate even at low-light & complex environment.

Tracking is good as long as non complex background, the track is give very good success rate too.

Weather resistant, I am shooting at various environment … raining, humid tropical forest and under hot sun beach etc

March 12, 2022April 6, 2022

CANON EOS R6 AF test2 : What you see in yours Viewfinder | liewwk Nature

This is one of main reason of why R6 is so powerful for Wildlife Photography.

*** I will slowly update here with various testing environment

I am purely using

1. full screen AF “Tracking”

2. Servo AF – AUTO

3. Animals detect

4. Eye detection

5. Continuous AF

6. I can’t use my viewfinder while I am using Atomos Ninja so the movement may not smooth like my normal tracking and sometime I just can;t locate the

bird fast without viewfinder

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– another sample of how fast the Full sensor eye detection AF from CANON EOS R6

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LOW LIGHT AF – ANIMAL Detection, Eye Detection

– a very lucky night outing nearby my house area, just hope for some nightjar but hear this owl calling and manage to locate it and did some Low Light AF with screen recorded

– 非常幸运的晚上，在家附近以为找只夜鹰展示R6的晚上对焦能力。竟然遇到这猫头鹰。

看看，R6对焦能力。在这么暗的情况。也轻易找到动物+眼。

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AF TRACKING

1. this is simply one out of many test going to share … how the AF work on Bird in flight (moderate) .

用Atomos Ninja 錄佳能 R6 的取景器。希望讓更多朋友看看，它的對焦能力。

– can see how is the AF lock and track the heron even it accelerate and change direction but the R6 just continuous focus and track

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here is some other Testing I do

CANON EOS R6 AF test1 : Capability find the bird | liewwk Nature

CANON EOS R6 : Video AF test | liewwk Nature

CANON EOS R3 AF test4 : Heron flying across different Background | liewwk Nature

CANON EOS R3 AF test3 : Fast moving Swift | liewwk Nature

CANON EOS R3 AF test2 | liewwk Nature

CANON EOS R3 AF test1 | liewwk Nature

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liewwk Nature Pictures collection

liewwk Nature Youtube collection

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Birds Watch/Photograph tour feel free to

contact me

观鸟或拍鸟团您可

联络我

or

HERE

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December 25, 2021December 26, 2021

Birding Photography with Fujifilm X-T4 | AF Test | liewwk Nature

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)

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

Some other testing with Fujifilm Camera

Birding Photography with Fujifilm X-T4 | liewwk Nature

Fujifilm X-T4 | Pre-shot ES | liewwk Nature

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liewwk Nature Pictures collection liewwk Nature Youtube collection

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Birds Watch/Photograph tour feel free to

contact me

观鸟或拍鸟团您可

联络我

or

HERE

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December 25, 2021

PELECANIFORMES series: Ibis/Spoonbill | 鹈形目 | liewwk Nature – 1

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

a vagrant 2021 and should be 2nd visit of Peninsular Malaysia. Thanks Dr. Nur Munira for the found and share

She is co-ordinate

Shorebirds Peninsular Malaysia Project

one of the main person of the Malaysia Shorebirds together with Dave Bakewell.

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liewwk Nature Pictures collection

liewwk Nature Youtube collection

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Birds Watch/Photograph tour feel free to

contact me

观鸟或拍鸟团您可

联络我

or

HERE

#####################################################

December 24, 2021December 24, 2021

CANON EOS R6 : Video AF test | liewwk Nature

Both the still and video AF performance are different in almost all the camera. Here is one of the video AF with

– CANON EOS R6, CANON EF 500mm F4 IS2, CANON 1.4x, CANON EF=EOS-R adapter

– Tripod

– AF method : the only method using Full sensor area in R6

+Tracking

– Subject to detect : Animals ; Eye detection : On

The AF seem slower lock focus to the object compare to still AF. which normally require 1-4 seconds to lock the object. After locked focus, the tracking seem work well but still 20-40% chance lost focus especially bird eye/head not detectable. But it will get the object refocus very fast as long as we able to follow the bird movement.

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liewwk Nature Pictures collection

liewwk Nature Youtube collection

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Birds Watch/Photograph tour feel free to

contact me

观鸟或拍鸟团您可

联络我

or

HERE

#####################################################

December 17, 2021

CANON EOS R6 AF test1 : Capability find the bird | liewwk Nature

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.

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.

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

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.

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 small bird on center

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liewwk Nature Pictures collection

liewwk Nature Youtube collection

######################################################

Birds Watch/Photograph tour feel free to

contact me

观鸟或拍鸟团您可

联络我

or

HERE

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December 6, 2021December 6, 2021

CANON EOS R3 AF test4 : Heron flying across different Background | liewwk Nature

it is another series of picture captured while I am testing the CANON EOS R3

this bird sudden flying from sea toward mangrove, with the canon R3.. it is effortless just lock focus and track the bird even flying backlit BG and different BG

– video clip create from a series of pictures captured with CANON R3

– while I am shooting Tern flying at Selangor coastal area. this Heron sudden flying from beach toward mangrove area.

– 视屏，是一组照片摄于佳能R3.

– 在海边拍水鸟时，这鸟忽然从海飞到红树林。我立刻用佳能R3，随便瞄向这鸟。相机完全自动对焦鸟+追焦鸟头/眼。

202111, Pantai Remis, Selangor, Malaysia

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liewwk Nature Pictures collection

liewwk Nature Youtube collection

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Birds Watch/Photograph tour feel free to

contact me

观鸟或拍鸟团您可

联络我

or

HERE

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October 24, 2021October 31, 2021

CANON EOS R3 AF test3 : Fast moving Swift | liewwk Nature

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

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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..

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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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liewwk Nature Pictures collection

liewwk Nature Youtube collection

######################################################

Birds Watch/Photograph tour feel free to

contact me

观鸟或拍鸟团您可

联络我

or

HERE

######################################################

October 21, 2021October 22, 2021

CANON EOS R3 AF test2 | liewwk Nature

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.