Gymnure series | 蝟科 | liewwk Nature -1 [update 20240325]

small “mouse” alike

1. Short-tailed Gymnure, 小毛猬, 小毛蝟, Hylomys suillus

 

 

######

1. Short-tailed Gymnure, 小毛猬, 小毛蝟, Hylomys suillus

– small tiny, shy

The short-tailed gymnure is active both during day and at night. It lives in hilly and montane forests up to 3,000 m (9,800 ft), and sometimes in humid lowland forests. It feeds mainly on insects on the ground but also sometimes takes fruit. It normally does not live any longer than 2 years.[ [Wiki]

update 202403

– it is so cute when we look close, lovely small animal

– 非常可爱+小的小动物。

202403, Fraser Hill, Pahang, Malaysia

 

####

update 202310

– it is always come to most the feeding station, tiny and shy

– 蛮多喂食点都可以见到,可是还是害羞,活跃的小家伙。

202308, Bukit Tinggi, Pahang, Malaysia

 

 

 

####

Colugo series | 猫候 |liewwk Nature – 1 [update 20240309]

very special gliding mammals, which is nocturnal

1.  Bornean Colugo, 婆罗洲猫猴, Galeopterus borneanus

 

######

1.  Bornean Colugo, 婆罗洲猫猴, Galeopterus borneanus

– lucky night, ours activities start with this weird creature with baby

– 幸运的晚上,好是带小孩。

update 202403

– it is another lucky night, managed to see this cute animal feeding on leaf .. and next night with young .few months ago actually managed to see or record how it drink water on tree.

– 非常幸运,可以看到他们怎么吃叶子。之前拍过他喝水。

202403, Danum Valley, Sabah, Malaysia

#####

202309, Sabah, Malaysia

 

#####

 

 

#####

Rat series | 鼠类 | liewwk Nature

a new collection of small mammal

1. Lesser Ranee Mouse, Haeromys pusillus, Haeromys sp

– a small and long tail mice, it can be Ranee which may not able to tell. But this is really long tail with really small body length

(still will checking the ID)

– 非常小,长尾巴。可能是Haeromys minahassae。可是几个前辈讲到,这很小+尾巴长。应该是Haeromys pusillus。

(还是回继续查)

***not an expert still trying my best to ID this one ..

***还在学习看老鼠

202308, Danum Valley, Sabah, Malaysia
202308, Danum Valley, Sabah, Malaysia
202308, Danum Valley, Sabah, Malaysia

update 202303

– some manual pages to update my update of the month

– 暂时在这放2023,3月的一些更新

STRIGIFORMES series: Owl | 鸮形目 : 猫头鹰| liewwk Nature 15-3 [update 20230331]

Dusky eagle-owl, 乌雕鸮, 烏雕鴞, Bubo coromandus, ウスグロワシミミズク, BURUNG-HANTU BERTANDUK KELABU ASIA

202303, Selangor, Malaysia

Megalaimidae series: Barbet | 拟鴷科 | liewwk Nature 16-1 [update 20230124]

Fire-tufted Barbet, 火簇拟鴷, 火簇擬鴷, Psilopogon pyrolophus, アカフサゴシキドリ, TAKUR API

202303, Fraser Hill, Pahang, Malaysia

Pycnonotidae series: Bulbul | 鹎科 | liewwk Nature – 16[update 20230329]

Red-whiskered Bulbul, 红耳鹎, 紅耳鵯, Pycnonotus jocosus, コウラウン, MERBAH TELINGA MERAH

202303, Kuala Selangor, Selangor, Malaysia

Meropidae series: Bee-eater | 蜂虎科 | liewwk Nature – 4 [update 20230327]

Muscicapidae series: Flycatcher | 鹟科 | liewwk Nature – 32 [update 20230325]

CANON R3 – AF tracking Tests [update 20230327]

Eurylaimidae series: Broadbill | 阔嘴鸟科 | liewwk Nature – 9 [update 20230326]

Alcedinidae series: Kingfisher | 翠鸟科 | liewwk Nature 15-4 [update 20230324]

Bucerotidae series: Hornbill | 犀鸟科 | liewwk Nature 10-2 [update 20230310]

Apodidae series | 雨燕科 | liewwk Nature – 6 [update 20230309]

Picidae series: Woodpecker | 啄木鸟科 | liewwk Nature – 25-2 [update 20230308]

Caprimulgidae series : Nightjar | 夜鹰科 | liewwk Nature – 5 [update 20230306]

 

CANON EOS R6 II – Real field Impression Full sizes Sample Pictures

finally I managed to have CANON production unit on hand. Overall specifications

######

The highly accurate 40 fps burst shooting ensures you capture every moment with full clarity.

  • Approx. 24.2MP full-frame CMOS sensor
  • 6K RAW HDMI out, 4K 60p (6K Oversampling) & FHD 180p
  • Up to 40 fps & up to 8 stops image stabilisation

######

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

CANON R7 : Raw Burst Why & How

###

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

202211, Ulu Langat, Selangor, Malaysia

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

original RAW-JPEG no denoise
RAW-JPEG with Topaz Denoise

#

CANON R6II, CANON EF 500mm IS2, 1.4x

– Zone Area, Animal Detect, Eye detect

– ISO10000, F7.1, 1/200

RAW-JPEG no denoise
RAW-JPEG – Topaz Denoise

#

3 days with CANON R7 + RF600mm F4 (ii) – AF Tracking

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

 

DxO PureRaw 2 Noise reduction performance … CANON R5 & SONY A1

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)

Simple test with CANON R5 & SONY A1

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

i. CANON R5 : ISO2000

CANON R5
ISO2000
no Noise Reduction
CANON R5
ISO2000
DxO PureRaw 2 only
CANON R5
ISO2000
Topaz Denoise AI Auto

ii. CANON R5 : ISO6400

CANON R5
ISO6400
CANON R5
ISO6400
Topaz Denoise
CANON R5
ISO6400
DxO PureRaw 2

 

iii. SONY A1 : ISO2000

SONY A1
ISO2000

 

SONY A1
ISO2000
Topaz Denoise – AI Auto
SONY A1
ISO2000
DxO PureRaw 2

 

iv. SONY A1 : ISO4000

SONY A1
ISO6400
SONY A1
ISO4000
Topaz Denoise AI Auto
SONY A1
ISO4000
DxO PureRaw 2

 

####

my recent posts

3 days with CANON R7 + RF600mm F4 – Battery life, AF, ISO samples

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

 

3 days with CANON R7 + RF600mm F4 – IS, Battery life, AF, ISO samples

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

###

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)

###

Here is my 3days real field experience for above mentioned concerns

update 20220618

4. Image Stabilizer

– 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

CANON R7
CANON RF100-500mm
500mm (800mm 35mm equivalent)
ISO400, F7.1, 1/15s

 

 

1. Battery Life

– 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

 

2. AF

– 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

###

3. ISO performance

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.

###

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

ISO800
F5.0
1/250s
960mm
ISO800
F5.0
1/250s
960mm
~100% crop
ISO800
F5.0
1/250s
960mm
ISO800
F5.0
1/250s
960mm
Topaz Denoise – Auto
~100% crop

ii. ISO1250

ISO1250
F4.5
1/400s
960mm
ISO1250
F4.5
1/400s
960mm
~100% crop
ISO1250
F4.5
1/400s
960mm
Topaz Denoise – Auto
ISO1250
F4.5
1/400s
960mm
Topaz Denoise – Auto
~100% crop

 

iii. ISO1600

ISO1600
F4.5
1/640s
960mm
ISO1600
F4.5
1/640s
960mm
~100% crop
ISO1600
F4.5
1/640s
960mm
Topaz Denoise – Auto
ISO1600
F4.5
1/640s
960mm
Topaz Denoise – Auto
~100% crop

iv. ISO2000

ISO2000
F4.5
1/800s
960mm
ISO2000
F4.5
1/800s
960mm
~100% crop
ISO2000
F4.5
1/800s
960mm
Topaz Denoise – Auto
ISO2000
F4.5
1/800s
960mm
Topaz Denoise – Auto
~100% crop

v. ISO3200

ISO3200
F4.5
1/1000s
960mm
ISO3200
F4.5
1/1000s
960mm
~100% crop
ISO3200
F4.5
1/1000s
960mm
Topaz Denoise – Auto
ISO3200
F4.5
1/1000s
960mm
~100% crop
Topaz Denoise – Auto

 

vi. ISO4000

ISO4000
F4.5
1/1250s
960mm
ISO4000
F4.5
1/1250s
960mm
~100% crop
ISO4000
F4.5
1/1250s
960mm
Topaz Denoise – Auto
ISO4000
F4.5
1/1250s
960mm
Topaz Denoise – Auto
~100% crop

 

vi. ISO6400

ISO6400
F4.5
1/2000s
960mm
ISO6400
F4.5
1/2000s
960mm
~100% crop
ISO6400
F4.5
1/2000s
960mm
Topaz Denoise – Auto
ISO6400
F4.5
1/2000s
960mm
Topaz Denoise – Auto
~100% crop

 

vii. ISO8000

ISO8000
F4.5
1/3200s
960mm
ISO8000
F4.5
1/3200s
960mm
~100% crop
ISO8000
F4.5
1/3200s
960mm
Topaz Denoise – Auto
ISO8000
F4.5
1/3200s
960mm
Topaz Denoise – Auto
~100% crop

 

viii. ISO10000

ISO10000
F4.5
1/4000s
960mm
ISO10000
F4.5
1/4000s
960mm
~100% crop
ISO10000
F4.5
1/4000s
960mm
Topaz Denoise – auto
ISO10000
F4.5
1/4000s
960mm
Topaz Denoise – auto
~100% crop

 

###

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.

###

 

Let;s wait for coming sharing

Image Stabilizer efficiency

AF Tracking

 

 

 

#####

More pictures series

Series 2

RAW-JPEG direct no Noise reduction

ISO800
ISO1000
ISO1250
ISO1600
ISO2000
ISO2500
ISO3200
ISO4000
ISO5000
ISO6400
ISO10000
ISO12800

 

 

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

#####

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.

900mm
225mm

###

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

 

###

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

1.

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

 

2.

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

3.

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

4.

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

5.

Handheld
ISO1250
F8.0
1/140
600 mm

6.

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

7.

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

8.

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

9.

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

1.

2.

3.

####

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

 

 

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

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

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

 

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

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。

 

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

 

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

 

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

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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