liewwk Nature Photography Blog
2023 could be another challenge year for myself. After ~3 years of covid lockdown. Finally, almost everyone is back to normal life.
I will be going to have another challenge year with all 2020 postpone tours, 2023 new tours (with everyone want to travel) and most important .. I receive the challenge/award as CANON EOS Master and Gitzo Ambassador.
with very busy tours schedule, let’s plan some activities for Nature Photography.
finally I managed to have CANON production unit on hand. Overall specifications
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The highly accurate 40 fps burst shooting ensures you capture every moment with full clarity.
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The Autofocus system same like R3, R7 which allow more AI AF capability
few special features for the moment only available on R3, R7 and this R6II which I feel it is very useful for wildlife Photography
CANON R7 a very good Shortcut button Setup for Wildlife Photography
Here is first outing, even very quiet morning, but manage to have some thought of the Camera with real field experience.
Later I will also share more like ISO testing, AF (think it is more a like a focus little monster like R3 but what I love to see is low light AI animal detection)
1. Black Magpie, 白翅鹊, 白翅鵲, Platysmurus leucopterus leucopterus, クロカケス (leucopterus), BURUNG-KAMBING BARAT
As usual, I amusing
CANON R6II, CANON EF 500mm IS2, 1.4x
– Zone Area, Animal Detect, Eye detect
the focus is amazing fast and accurate as expected. as long as the Zone box tough on the bird. Eye will be detect and lock focus.
for such a black bird with red eye and some backlight, the eye detect work seemless.
– M mode, Auto ISO
2. White-chested Babbler, 白胸雅鹛, 白胸雅鶥, Pellorneum rostratum, ムナジロムジチメドリ, KEKICAU-TELUNJUK DADA PUTIH
CANON R6II, CANON EF 500mm IS2, 1.4x
– Zone Area, Animal Detect, Eye detect
– ISO6400, F7.1, 1/125
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CANON R6II, CANON EF 500mm IS2, 1.4x
– Zone Area, Animal Detect, Eye detect
– ISO10000, F7.1, 1/200
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I am putting my CANON R3 AF Tracking samples here
TEST3
a Black-naped Oriole flying around, make a simple test on this bird flying across various background. total 45 frames captured all 45 frames focus spot on.
CANON R3 CANON RF400MM F2.8+ RF 1.4X
Test2
We were waiting tide for waders, and this bird just flying infront of us, so immediate I point my setup toward this Collared Kingfisher.
Total 52 frames captured 4 frames bird disappear from viewfinder but immediate the bird appear. the Focus just continue .
CANON R3, CANON EF500mm IS2
Auto ISO
ISO 1600
1/2000
F 5.6
Test1
Early morning before light coming in, this bird flying infront of us with noisy call. I manage to move my camera toward this bird and continuous follow and press shutter on this Kingfisher.
Total 98 frames captured and 100% focus lock on the bird.
CANON R3, CANON RF 600mm
Auto ISO
ISO 3200
1/2000
F 5.6
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I recently discover the R7, R3 and R6II allow me to customize for very good AF requirement for various environment for my shooting style.
it is so flexible that allow set Servo AF case, Servo, Single point, Track or NOT, Animal/vehicle/Human detect, Eye detection ON/OFF to each shortcut button set ….
why do I sharing this…. asking bird photographers …
1. when bird in flight what’s setting are you using ?
2. when complex environment what’s setting are you using ?
3. in General, do you shoot multiple subjects ? animal, human, vehicle ?
4. do you require auto detection subject (single subject , wide area) or selective (single subject and point)
5. you may also want no eye detection just normal old way of point focus with one button set to this
For me, I feel using Zone to general shooting wildlife is fast and easy, but it is not really fast or need accuracy putting “flying subject” into the box or not work at complex environment (which I always use single point to tough the subject body and eye will be automatic found)
For me, I feel using Zone to general shooting wildlife is fast and easy, but it is not really fast or need accuracy putting “flying subject” into the box or not work at complex environment (which I always use single point to tough the subject body and eye will be automatic found)
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Summary my Wildlife Photography AF Shortcut setup Animal Detect, Eye Detect for all
1. Shutter Button – Zone, General Shooting
(Zone allow me faster detect bird than single point)
2. Shortcut 1 – Wide screen, action (BIF)
(Bigger area allow the Animal in action been detect, if Zone or single point use may require accurate focus area on the bird)
3. Shortcut 2 – Single Point, Complex environment
(for many branches, it is easier to allow Animal eye to be detect)
After Wide area detect bird or Single point detect bird, after press the shutter button, it will go back to “Zone” it work quite well or transparent
***my current setting will change back to default
AF setting after use the shortcut setup to detect the birds but so far it continue to lock focus on the bird eye and track
***but if you want specify what condition, can just set the shutter button to “metering start” which do not apply default AF setting
Actually This special shortcut setting method
allow us do more eg. Shooting portrait, wildlife with
various button. But this the shutter button not able to
use “meter and AF” else it will go back to the default AF
setup
A feature that I love to have from long ago from CANON.
This is a very useful function for wildlife Photographer.
But for the first time, CANON put this special function into a R7 in a special way.
When I having the Pre-production unit, I am wonder
1. how it work (AF is like other system ? focus only happen on first moment when half press the shutter button)
2. how do we extract ! just from the camera ? why put everything into single file 3. pre record how long ? and now we know it is 0.5s and why ? enough for us ? 4. can we extract all the file within the single RAW Burst file ?
NO … why I am not answering all the question but this sharing is simply show why/when we need this function, how we shoot, how we extract …
I put everything how’s it work into a video..
or another sample while capture this bird with my guests and birder Alex
base on video below
1. the bird is standing a while before further action
2. CANON R7 Raw burst enable and half press shutter button when the bird standing before further action
3. press the shutter after see the bird jump (at the video below flag moment)
4. As the video show at frame 10 (16 frames before I press the shutter button pictures)
Most of the camera nowaday, giving animal eye detection, tracking but limited the AF mode where mostly by either a “zone” or Full screen (mean if we want Bird eye detect, we either limit ourselves either using “dedicated zone/zone size” or “full sensor screen”
*** have a look at the youtube sharing
But Why do I like the AF mode by using different area? single point sometime is very useful when obstacle is infront of subject.
CANON R7 with 32.5-megapixel ASP-C CMOS sensor, such a high megapixel camera always give good details to subject. here is a sharing page for sample full size pictures for your reference
previous sharing R7
3 days with CANON R7 + RF600mm F4 – IS, Battery life, AF, ISO samples
*** click the picture for full size pictures sample
12. Malayan Laughingthrush, 马来噪鹛, 馬來噪鶥, Trochalopteron peninsulae, マレーシアガビチョウ, KEKICAU-RAYA TEMBAGA BIASA
CANON R7, CANON RF100500 Handheld
ISO800, 1/200, F6.3, 253mm
11. Lesser Shortwing, 白喉短翅鸫, 白喉短翅鶇, Brachypteryx leucophris, ヒメコバネヒタキ, Burung Murai Kakap
CANON R7, CANON RF100500 Handheld
ISO800, 1/80. F7.1 500mm
(Topaz Denoise)
10. Brown-throated Sunbird, 褐喉食蜜鸟, 褐喉食蜜鳥, Anthreptes malacensis, チャノドコバシタイヨウチョウ, KELICAP MAYANG KELABU
CANON R7, CANON RF100500 Handheld
ISO1000, 1/200, F7.1, 500mm
9. Crimson-winged Woodpecker, 红翅绿啄木鸟,紅翅綠啄木鳥, Picus puniceus, モリアオゲラ, BELATUK-HIJAU PARUH KUNING
CANON R7, CANON EF500mm F4IS2 handheld
ISO640, 1/125, F7.1
8. Hooded pitta (Sunda), 绿胸八色鸫, 綠胸八色鶇, Pitta sordida mulleri/bangkana, ズグロヤイロチョウ, BURUNG-PACAT HIJAU
CANON R7, CANON RF100-500mm handheld (on boat)
ISO1250, F8, 1/100
7. Rufous-backed Dwarf-Kingfisher, 棕背三趾翠鸟, 棕背三趾翠鳥, Ceyx rufidorsa, セアカミツユビカワセミ, RAJAUDANG-API BIASA
CANON R7, CANON RF100-500mm handheld
ISO3200, F7.1, 1/50
6. Fire-tufted Barbet, 火簇拟鴷, 火簇擬鴷, Psilopogon pyrolophus, アカフサゴシキドリ, TAKUR API
CANON R7, CANON RF100-500mm handheld
ISO640, F7.1, 1/250, 500mm
5. Crimson-Headed partridge, 红头林鹧鸪, 紅頭林鷓鴣, Haematortyx sanguiniceps, アカガシラシャコ, SERUK KEPALA MERAH
CANON R7, CANON RF100-500mm handheld
ISO1600, F6.3, 1/50, 400mm
4. Rufous-browed Flycatcher, 棕眉姬鹟, 棕眉姬鶲, Anthipes solitaris, アカメヒタキ, SAMBAR RENGKUNG PUTIH SELATAN
CANON R7, CANON RF100-500mm handheld
ISO1250, F7.1, 1/320
3. Large Niltava, 大仙鹟, 大仙鶲, Niltava grandis, オオアオヒタキ, SAMBAR-KUMBANG BESAR
CANON R7, CANON RF100-500mm handheld
ISO5000, F6.3, 1/60s
2. Pygmy Cupwing, 小鳞胸鹪鹛, 小鱗胸鷦鶥, Pnoepyga pusilla, タカサゴミソサザイ, BURUNG-RESAM KERDIL
CANON R7, CANON RF100-500mm handheld
ISO6400, F8.0, 1/125
1. Stripe-throated Bulbul, 纹喉鹎, 紋喉鵯, Pycnonotus finlaysoni, キビタイヒヨドリ, MERBAH KUNYIT LEKIR
CANON R7, CANON RF600mm F4
ISO400, F5, 1/125
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
