Little grebe

Little grebe or dabchick, Tachybaptus ruficollis, single bird on water wing stretch, Worcestershire, April 2017

Olympus Em1 Mk2. 300mm f4 lens. 1600 iso. 1/2500 at F5.6

This is taken using the Pro Capture mode and is the second time I have switched it on. I was experimenting and trying to test the setting when this grebe reared well out of the water. At first I just keep my finger half depressing the release button thinking I was capturing it. Just as it started to lower itself I had doubts and fully depressed the button. Fortunately it caught it on the 14 frames prior to me pressing the button.

What I am confused by is that the EVF does not have blackouts when using Pro Capture. Their is a slight tremor of the image, but not the constant flicker or blackouts that you get in other modes. It makes it much easier to follow a bird in flight without the blackouts and if it can be done in this mode why not the others. There must be a disadvantage to using Pro Capture, but I have not found it yet and why do they not call it Pre Capture.

Then I read that the newly launched Sony A9 does 20 fps without any blackouts or tremor. The constant viewing of the image will make it much easier to follow action. I expect all mirrorless cameras will have this in the next generation.

Mistle thrush

Mistle thrush, Turdus viscivorus, single bird on grass with worms, Warwickshire, April 2017

Taken with the Olympus Em1 MK2 and the 300mm f4 lens. 400 iso, 1/1000th at f6.3.

I am getting used to the many settings on this very complicated camera. Like most things complicated it is working out which settings you can ignore and most of them you can. It is so wonderfully light to carry around that I am much more likely to do so than I am with my Canon gear.

Long-tailed tit

Long-tailed tit, Aegithalos caudatus, single bird collecting feathers, Warwickshire, March 2017

Canon EOS 7d mk2. 800mm lens. 800 iso. 1/320th at f5.6 From a hide.