Tagged with birds - Personal View Talks

Why no 400mm or longer M43 Lenses

ragnar — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 17:46:54 +0000

I might be answering this question myself but I would still like to hear from others on this topic. As far as I know 300mm is the top end for M43 lenses. I own the Pana 100-300 lens and use it a lot for bird photography and I enjoy its qualities. I'm wondering if there is a specific technological reason why neither Pana or Oly have not come out with a longer M43 lens. Is it just a size consideration as it would be too big for M43 cams? I guess I could understand that. Maybe there is no demand for anything longer than 300mm for M43?

I've adapted several longers FD lenses to my GH2 and it works of course but I would really love a true M43 400mm or longer lens. I suppose with the Metabones thingy I could adapt a Canon 600mm EF lens and go that route but that'll cost many benjamins for sure. My 100-300 lens is very portable so I think that 400mm could be done but perhaps 300mm is the technological sweet spot for M43 cams and lenses and going 400mm would be just too difficult?

Harold

4K Photo Mode Bird Examples

ragnar — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 12:58:23 +0000

Here are a few examples of 4K Photo Mode frame grabs. I say frame grabs because I did the choosing in Premiere and not in the camera as I found grabbing the jpegs in camera too slow. Anyway, I recorded both regular and loop 4K Photo Mode video in both 30p and 24p. I then put those clips in Premiere and found the ones I wanted to export as frame grabs. I exported these frame grabs as .tiffs but I'm not sure that makes them any better than if I had just used the in-camera jpegs. For someone like me that basically takes pics of birds and insects in his backyard, this 4K Photo Mode is really something. It's an embarrassment of riches, it is. I can grab just that right shot for a high-resolution still. Thanks, Panasonic for this innovation.

Birds in Flight

ragnar — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 21:30:35 +0000

Here are a few birds-in-flight pics over the last 3 years. I used the S100, S110, GX1 and GH2 for these particular ones.

Waterbirds of Lake Wissota

ragnar — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 23:22:16 +0000

5min video of some waterbirds found on Lake Wissota, Wisconsin. where I live. Most of these were on their way through headed towards their migratory summer grounds in Canada. Shot on a GH2 using mpgxsvcd's high quality no adverse effects 42 mb/sec hack, except for the very last clip which was shot using the LX7. As for the bald eagles at the end, while they are not actually waterbirds, they spend most of their time near the water, so that's why I included them.

Cotton Carrier Vest...My Impressions

ragnar — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:06:57 +0000

First off I don't work for Cotton Carrier or have anything to do with them whatsoever. Anyway, here's my rather long-winded experiences with their vest system. http://buy.cottoncarrier.com/cotton-carrier-camera-vest-p/635rtl-s.htm -First up, check their factory seconds and refurbs as I saved a bunch of money doing it that way. -Why didn't I have one of these vests from the get-go? One of the reasons I left my GH2 at home so much from my trips to parks for nature photography and video was because despite being a m43 system it's just too clunky, awkward and heavy to haul around for the many hours I spend walking the woods up here in Wisconsin, USA. I tried many times but just gave up and stuck with my Canon S100 and LX7, rarely taking my GH2 along. All of that has changed now with my vest. I've had that vest on for hours at a time and rarely consider that my GH2 with the 100-300 Lumix lens was on it. It's quick release so its up with the camera for photos and then back into the vest. I also use the safety tether clipped to one of the GH2's strap brackets. -My plan from now on will be to carry by GH2/300mm combo for birds on the vest and my coming GX1/Oly 60mm macro on one of their holsters on my hip. It's going to be a great spring and summer for butterflies and birds.

These 3 pics of the Hermit Thrush were all taken because I was able to haul my GH2 around with the vest. Very pleased with its build quality and adaptability. The pics are converted from the DNG originals. Edited in Camera Raw and exported using PS Elements 11.

Dyrafjordur Trailer, A documentary shot in Iceland

Imagitoriam — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 18:50:55 +0000

A feature length documentary on life in Dyrafjordur, a beautiful and remote region in the West Fjords of Iceland.

Earthflight

Diffusion33 — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 00:59:12 +0000

Totally blown away by this new BBC natural history documentary. Ariel shots are unreal.... makes you feel like in a different dimension/world. God knows what they shoot this with... and who cares when you are transported into such beauty that you are just left bewilder with how incredible our world is..... WOW i'm stunned, brilliant not to be missed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b018xsc5/Earthflight_North_America/