Sony A7r4 200-600

The amazing combination of this setup has opened a new world for me. Birds in flight is the hardest form of photography to master and I have lost many amazing images because they were just out out of focus

Coal Tit

The smaller the bird the faster the bird means you have to have good knowledge of the bird and reactions to it appearing in your field of view.

Jay into land side on.

Over time I have learned many things about cameras and settings you need, but without the skill from the user it is near impossible to get a Razor sharp image of a fast moving bird in flight

Coal Tit lighting fast in flight.

So after Canon, Nikon, and Olympus I found Sony. The area i filmed in with all 3 was the same but the difference between the 4 was my keeper rate, the number of images that I had to choose from when editing increased beyond anything I had expected when I switched over to Sony.

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

So after so many years and Thousands of £s I found my combinati. The feeling when you leave the house to capture a bird you may only get one chance at filming, and the peace of mind you will will return home with great in focus images is the best feeling a photographer can have.

Nuthatch

There are days we all have as photographer’s where nothing seems to work and I have experienced that many times, and learned that its me not my expensive equipment thats at fault. Simple Answer pack up and put the gear away.

Baby Starling

Another thing I think the person looking at the image needs to know is that to get that one image may have taken 100 or 200 shots to get it just right, it can be in focus colour just right but the background could be all wrong, colour or objects.

Swallow ready to take an insect

I love the challenges I set myself and the harder the better, but my Sont gear gives me so much confidence and we are a great team together.

Birds in flight 200-600,7r4

People that know me will understand when I say that I am happy with my equipment and why should I look at another camera when this combination gives me amazing images. There is a simple explanation, I have to have the best I can afford to achieve my aims in life.

More from 200-600,7r4

Why i never!

Ever since I can remember I have never carried a camera in a bag, backpack or shoulder bag. It happened naturally just by picking up the camera you see things from when you walk out the door in the morning.

There are hundreds of instances where I can say for certain that I would not have got that image if the camera had been packed away in my expensive camera bag.

To be ready and react to a situation is from my Army days, you carried the Rifle in a manner where you could bring the rifle up and ready looking through the sights in secs.

So why do I never carry my camera that costs a good £6,000 round my neck and not in backpack. To be honest its not right to be critical of the other photographer’s but if we set the scene it will make more sense

I meet a mate outside a Nature reserve, we know that there has been sightings of a rare bird in the park. So he shows me his very nice Camo backpack that holds all his equipment.

We start to walk into the entrance to the park, as we walk my senses kick in, I hear a call from a bird, I am in my zone. We approach the bridge and while we talk about how nice the weather is I look down into the water to and see Grebe with 5 young on its back heads poking out in all directions.

I lift the camera to my eye, focus then fire 3 images off before they spot me and hide under the adults ploomage. My mate says what was it, nothing just a Grebe with 5 chicks on its back. Enough Said.

The Same Day

We sit and have a brew watching and waiting as we drink our coffee. My mate puts his camera in his bag as it starts to rain. I put my hat over the lens hood. Just as the rain falls a Comorant comes up with a huge fish in its mouth. I put my brew down pick my camera up and focus and take 3 images just as the bird tilts its head back and swallow’s the fish

My mate puts his brew down and finds the zip on his bag, opens it goes to get his camera out. The Comorant dives out of sight

The camera my mate carrys has Weather Sealing a protection that allows the photographer to be confident he can still use his Camera in the rain with worrying about causing any damage to it.

Personal Choice

I am not saying that there is a correct method to how you carry your equipment but if you see that Lifetime Image, that moment, that action shot, a Rare Bird or Animal. Who gets the image the man with the camera ready or the man with his gear pack away.?

Little Owl 2019

As I headed over the moors last year camera on my car seat I saw this Little Owl sitting in the morning Sun. I slowed down, stopped window already down I picked up my camera and focused in secs and got this image.

Short Eared Owl chasing a Barn Owl.

The position of the birds happen in a split second, being in the Alert position ready gave me my Lifetime Image I don’t think I will beat.

Why I Never.