Nanpu Town, Luannan County, Tangshan City, and the surrounding wetlands are a must-stop on the migratory route of migratory birds in the western Pacific, attracting a large number of plover birds to replenish their food here every year as a transit point on the migration route. Therefore, the 2 migration seasons a year are the best time to see these birds. (Every year in the spring and August and September in the spring, and in the autumn from August to September, hundreds of thousands of migratory birds stay here for 20 days.) As an eco-photographer, especially a "bird hunter" who likes to photograph birds, he naturally does not miss such an opportunity.
富士X-H2S、XF150-600mm F5.6-8 R LM OIS WR镜头
This time, I used a Fujifilm mirrorless camera X-H2S and an XF150-600mm F5.6-8 R LM OIS WR lens. During the course of several days of shooting, this set of equipment will accompany me through the large and small tidal flats, wetlands and inner ponds of Nanpu to record various wonderful moments of migratory birds.
The Fujifilm X-H2S not only features the high image quality of the 26.16-million-pixel X-Trans CMOS 5 HS sensor, but also features high-speed continuous shooting performance of 40 frames per second, as well as an enhanced intelligent high-speed AF focusing system that supports bird recognition and focusing. This performance allows the X-H2S to capture the most wonderful image moments of birds with ease when facing bird ecological photography.
The golden-eyed plover is commonly known as the black-collared plover, and one of its distinctive features is a ring of golden yellow around its eyes and black feathers around its neck. It is mainly distributed in North China, Central China, Inner Mongolia, Yunnan and Sichuan, and inhabits lakes, Hallyu and wetlands in plains and hills.
Original image
Focal length: 600mm, shutter speed: 1/1250s, aperture: F8, sensitivity: ISO 800
Golden Plover (after post-cropping and secondary composition adjustment)
The golden-eyed plover is generally about 16 cm in length and is a standard small bird. However, the Fujifilm X-H2S with the XF150-600mm F5.6-8 R LM OIS WR lens can still clearly record the golden plover in the tidal flats. This is not only because the lens has an ultra-long focal length (about 225-900mm for the equivalent 35mm specification), but also because the X-H2S has an imaging capability of 26.16 million pixels, even if the picture is enlarged and cropped, it still has excellent detail performance, which is simply the gospel of our and other Maoists.
The Fujifilm X-H2S is equipped with an enhanced AF (autofocus) prediction algorithm that uses object detection AF based on deep learning technology to accurately identify and focus on birds, and even recognize the eyes of birds.
East Asian stone? Do you like to perch in the reeds by the lake, and the wind blows the East Asian stone on which the reeds rest? It also sways with the wind. The bird's petite size is very small in the picture, its eyes are so small that the human eye cannot distinguish them, and there are reeds in the foreground to interfere with it. However, it is in these extreme shooting conditions that the X-H2S's focusing system accurately identifies the East Asian stone and keeps tracking and focusing on its body and eyes, keeping the focus firmly on the subject without hesitation. Here I have to admire the AI algorithm of the X-H2S focusing system, which is really fast, accurate and ruthless.
The Fujifilm X-H2S's focusing system enables accurate bird identification
The Fujifilm X-H2S has excellent high-speed continuous shooting characteristics, with continuous shooting speeds of up to 40 frames per second at the electronic shutter, and the focus is always locked on the subject during continuous shooting. The ultra-high-speed continuous shooting combined with precise tracking and focus allowed me to hold down the shutter and capture the best moments of the birds.
A GIF animation synthesized from high-speed burst shots
Choose from any burst photo to zoom in for accurate focus and rich detail.
If we zoom in on one of the many photos taken at high speed, we can see that the focus is precisely on the tern flying at high speed, the tern has a beautiful body and a satisfying detail of the wings.
The world of eco-photography is full of uncertainties and unexpected surprises, especially when it comes to photographing birds in motion. It is worth mentioning that the Fujifilm X-H2S has a pre-shooting function, and when the pre-shooting function is activated, the X-H2S will automatically shoot the image before pressing the shutter, so that I can better capture the excitement of the moment.
Pre-shot East Asian stone? The moment of takeoff
Pick the one that is perfect for your pose
Focal length: 600mm, shutter speed: 1/1250s, aperture: F8, sensitivity: ISO 800
East Asian stone? Standing on a reed ready to take off, this small bird moves very fast. Fortunately, there is a pre-shooting function, which records the East Asian stone? The best moment of take-off was selected from which the most dynamic photo was chosen. The pre-shooting function solves the problem of whether you can shoot or not.
Fujifilm's portability and mobility are very good, the combination of body + lens only weighs about 2200g, and with the five-axis anti-shake of the body, there is no problem with handheld shooting for a day, which is very friendly for bird shooting users. The XF150-600mm F5.6-8 R LM OIS WR lens adopts an internal zoom design, which does not change the center of gravity when zooming, and provides better stability in handheld shooting. After using it proficiently, you can lock on to the target with the wide-angle end, and then screw it to the telephoto end to shoot.
This combination feels great and is not a strain to shoot in a day.
This combination provides telephoto performance with a 900mm-equivalent focal length, allowing small and cautious birds and waterfowl to record their beauty without disturbing them. If the distance of the bird is too far and the focal length is not enough, the X-H2S's 26.16 million pixel imaging capability can also support post-cropping and enlargement of photos, and you can still get a clear image.
Redshank (original photo)
Focal length: 600mm, shutter speed: 1/1000s, aperture: F8, sensitivity: ISO 400
After cropping the secondary composition, the picture is fuller, and the detail presentation is also very good
In fact, most bird photography requires post-cropping and secondary composition, after all, no matter how long the focal length of the lens is, it is a bit beyond the reach of the elves soaring hundreds of meters in the air or perching in the dense forest. Therefore, the camera needs to have a high resolution, and still have excellent clarity when cropping secondary compositions in post. The powerful focusing system makes it easy to identify locks even when the bird subject occupies a small frame. And that's where the Fujifilm X-H2S comes in.
The most distinctive physical feature of the white-fronted tern is the white plumage covering its forehead and a small black patch at the top of its yellow beak. Because of its light body, the white-fronted tern has a very elegant feeling when flying. Thanks to the Fujifilm X-H2S's excellent continuous shooting and focusing performance, I was able to lock the white-fronted tern even if it kept changing its flight trajectory.
White-fronted tern (post-cropping secondary composition)
Focal length: 600mm, shutter speed: 1/1250s, aperture: F8, sensitivity: ISO 400
Sandpiper (post-cropping secondary composition)
Focal length: 600mm, shutter speed: 1/1250s, aperture: F8, sensitivity: ISO 400
Original photo
Focal length: 600mm, shutter speed: 1/1600s, aperture: F8, sensitivity: ISO 800
Sandpiper (post-cropping secondary composition)
Original photo
Focal length: 600mm, shutter speed: 1/1250s, aperture: F8, sensitivity: ISO 400
Sandpiper (post-cropping secondary composition)
The Sandpiper is a medium-sized sandpiper that looks a lot like the greenshank, but on closer inspection, there are some differences, not only is the sandpiper slender, but also has a thinner beak and legs. The Sandpiper is timid and alert, with a high-pitched "chirp-chirp" sound. The sandpiper is widely distributed in our northern and southern regions, and mostly inhabits lakes, rivers, reed swamps and other waterfront areas.
Original photo
Focal length: 600mm, shutter speed: 1/1250s, aperture: F8, sensitivity: ISO 400
Black-winged Stilt (Cropped and re-framed)
The black-winged stilt is also known as the red-legged lady and the stilt plover. Body length 35-40 cm, feet slender and straight, legs and feet pink; The beak is black, elongated and straight. The black-winged stilt is a very graceful bird, especially when it flies and feels like an arrow off the string.
marsh sandpiper
Focal length: 600mm, shutter speed: 1/1250s, aperture: F8, sensitivity: ISO 640
As we mentioned earlier, the purpose of various migratory birds coming to Nanpu Town is to rest and replenish food. Therefore, it is often possible to photograph all kinds of birds walking leisurely on the tidal flats and water surface, but in fact they are observing the water surface to find small fish and shrimp hiding in them.
Sandpiper
Focal length: 559mm, shutter speed: 1/1250s, aperture: F8, sensitivity: ISO 800
Curlew-billed Sandpiper (post-cropping secondary composition)
Focal length: 558mm, shutter speed: 1/1250s, aperture: F8, sensitivity: ISO 800
The Fujifilm X-H2S and XF150-600mm F5.6-8 R LM OIS WR have good handling and grip, which will not make me tired after a day of shooting, and the black retro body with pearl white lens is also very good-looking. The X-H2S is equipped with a large-capacity lithium-ion battery, so it can handle high-intensity shooting during the day. This X-H2S also supports Type-C charging, which is very intimate for me who often shoots for a long time.
Bird waves at sunset
Focal length: 150mm, shutter speed: 1/1250s, aperture: F10, sensitivity: ISO 500
As the sun sets, flocks of birds flap their wings and fly into the air, creating a spectacular wave of birds, and the day's shooting comes to an end. Since entering the field of eco-photography, I have tried a variety of equipment combinations, but the most satisfying one is the Fujifilm X-H2S + XF150-600mm F5.6-8 R LM OIS WR lens, which provides excellent image quality, high-speed focusing, and extremely fast continuous shooting performance, as well as high maneuverability due to light weight. If you also like eco-bird photography, then I recommend this set to you.
(8810166)