after years birding, I am start looking for light setup and also suitable for Tropical rain forest environment …
we normally shooting in the dense environment , so low light, high ISO , low shutter speed are terms we always talk and trying to resolve ..
this new Gitzo fluid Gimbal head definite a light setup , and support for most the heavy setup light 400mm F2.8, 500mm F4, 600mm F4 … and etc . support is one concern but whats the success rate of shooting at comfortable shutter speed eg in Malaysia Rain Forest I always shooting 1/30 , ISO 1600-3200 at F4 .. if I always trying to get something can give me high success rate 1/30-1/60
my tests are simply practical , I swing the gimbal without lock and shoot with M mode, Fit aperture 4,7.1,8.0 but with 1/10,1/30, 1/40,/50,1/60,1/100 … with birds that move non stop …
*** no full lock of the head, just swing and press shutter , M mode fix shutter speed and Aperture but AUTO ISO , fast burst mode without remote cable
1/50 [ 5/7 in focus and no shake]
1/40 [3/7 shots without shake]
1/80 [ 6/6 all no shake]
1/30 [1/3 no shake]
1/30 [3/5 no shake]
1/60 [7/9 no shake]
if you wish to test within KL , Malaysia area feel free to contact US
we “endemlaiscguides.com” having Belgium guest for target birds watching, from Kuala Lumpur – KRAU forest – Bukit Tinggi – Fraser Hill – Kuala Lumpur
for the 5 days 4 nights birds watching , from secondary forest to highland back to botanical Garden … we only concentrate on guest targets birds and managed to record 172 species. and for some good opportunity. from
Day 1 – KRAU : we have some good morning with many low land targets meet except a “mysterious” Black & Yellow Broadbill and Banded Pitta… Star Bird of the day we have Rail-Babbler , Garnet Pitta which stay long snough for us , Little Green-Pigeon , Rufous-collared Kingfisher (real close with good view), Banded Kingfisher (found almost end of the day and long view but little far up with scope) & Rhinoceros Hornbill (with beautiful lighting view)
Day 2 – Bukit Tinggi : target for the Mountain Peacock-Pheasant and both male and female show in the early morning … follow by Malaysian Rail-babbler giving a good running view. than we have a bad day without any more target in almost late morning till 3pm … finally when we say while we dint see Whiskered Treeswift …. it calling when we are driving for some target birds and we make a stop and found this fruiting tree give us another few target included Scaly-breasted Bulbul , Red-throated Sunbird, Spectacled Spiderhunter , Yellow-eared Spiderhunter etc
Day 3 – KRAU-Fraser : we were going back to KRAU for trogon and we had ZERO trogon so far ..and again we also look for other lowland target … in the morning we managed to have Banded Pitta (Malayan) [head view]and than follow by first target trogon – Scarlet-rumped Trogon … and we called it a Woodpecker day as most the target woodpeckers just appear infront of us without big effort Checker-throated Woodpecker , Crimson-winged Woodpecker , Bamboo Woodpecker , Orange-backed Woodpecker .
Day 4 – Fraser Hill : not many target birds here and we only looking for those “no so common” birds here … so we have slow day … but still we have very easy view of 2 Marbled Wren-Babbler which make our day .. but we still failed to have one Partridge calling … and missed few Rusty-naped Pitta … but Siberian Thrush giving good view to us which we really enjoy to see they happy feeding around
Day 5 – Fraser Hill – Kuala Lumpur : not really a productive day again as we only target on the main target due to limited time , we managed to get close to Mountain Scops-Owl and have a moving and some blur picture of Gray-breasted Partridge (Malaysian) . when we leaving back to Kuala Lumpur it is very windy and tree fall down and block our way back … by waiting of 30 min the road been clear .
as long as we reach Kuala Lumpur – Shah Alam : very quick one we had 2 target meet : Gray-breasted Spiderhunter & Hooded pitta (2 individual saw also)
I managed rush back to car for few occasions and handheld to capture some birds pictures to share…
a never bore cute bird – Black and Yellow Broadbill is one of the Target and it just flew ni while we spending our good time with a fruiting tree – Black-and-yellow Broadbill 黑黄阔嘴鸟
found few fruiting tree with this beautiful Bulbul – Scaly-breasted Bulbul 鳞胸鹎
the Blue-crowned Hanging-Parrot also join the fruiting tree – Blue-crowned Hanging-Parrot 短尾鹦鹉
another fast and furious birds .. but we have good view of both male and female – Bamboo Woodpecker 竹啄木鸟
another fast and furious birds .. but we have good view of both male and female – Bamboo Woodpecker 竹啄木鸟
a bird never get bore , few pairs of them around .. Red-bearded Bee-eater 赤须夜蜂虎
another bird , easy … just spent 5-10 min found this and managed to go back car and grab camera for this .. in single day found 2 individual birds – Marbled Wren-Babbler 石纹鹪鹛
a bird we spent a lot of time for … calling non stop .. managed to see it movement and some blur shot handhled – Gray-breasted/ Malaysia Hill Partridge (Malaysian) 砍氏山鹧
a bird make a lot of noise when we driving back – Rufescent Prinia 暗冕山鹪莺
I am using Taiwan design hide for years , and I loving it due to the Ventilation is good even without expose us (open the center opening for better ventilation) …
without open the center opening big we still look outside the hide and with better Ventilation
(look 1st picture below, from outside view into the hide is camo as well )
(opening can open or close for better view and Ventilation )
(from inside view outside)
**** Extra layer for water/rain resistant (tested can withstand ~5 min of heavy rain ~20min of drizzling.
**** also come with ground layer so we can put our gears on the ground without dirty, scratch easily … also prevent leeches direct onto our leg/body.
you may contact me for this fantastic head with accessories for bird photography e.g. Body-Len shake reduce system, long QR plate for better balancing and Len-QR Plate shake reduce system.
