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)

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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

Birding Photography with Fujifilm X-T4 | liewwk Nature

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

 

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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

 

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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.

202112, Penang, Malaysia

 

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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

Face+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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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

Face+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

Face+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

Face+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

Face+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

Face+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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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

 

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– 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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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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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.

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.

No CROP

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Test2

Test1

 

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CANON EOS R3 AF test1 | 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

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.

No CROP

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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

Full series of this testing

 

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

there is a special feature of Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T4 which I feel it is important to have for wildlife photography.

Previously I also share some Fujifilm experience

Birding Photography with Fujifilm X-T4 | liewwk Nature

Fujifilm X-T4 | Shadow & Highlight recovery Test | liewwk Nature

600mm setup… only ~1.4KG ! Fujifilm XF70-300 | liewwk Nature

Pre-Shot ES

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

视频是17张照片合成的。如之前所讲,看到鸟飞出后才按下快门。

 

 

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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.

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More Pictures with #Fujifilm #XT4

More Videos with #Fujifilm #XT4

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Birds of China – Sichuan | 中國 – 四川 | liewwk Nature

another collection of Birds of China

1. Tibetan Snowcock, 藏雪鸡, 藏雪雞, Tetraogallus tibetanus, チベットセッケイ

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1. Tibetan Snowcock, 藏雪鸡, 藏雪雞, Tetraogallus tibetanus, チベットセッケイ

– 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

– 中等体型(53厘米)灰、白及皮黄色雪鸡。头、胸及枕部灰,喉白,眉苍白,白色耳羽有时染皮黄色,胸两侧具白色圆形斑块。眼周裸露皮肤橘黄。两翼具灰色及白色细纹,尾灰且羽缘赤褐。下体苍白,有黑色细纹。色彩较淡、皮黄色较浅的东部亚种。

虹膜-深褐;嘴-黄色;脚-红色
update 202105
201612, Sichuan, China

 

 

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Other Birds of China collections

Birds of China – Shangri-la | 中國 – 香格里拉 | liewwk Nature

 

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