Both devices have a 240fps shooting capability, which does capture interesting details. However, the A7V's 240fps resolution is only 1080p and can only be used in crop mode. Also, I only had a 400-800mm lens. Using these two devices together resulted in a lack of mid-range shots in the video.
This past August, my family and I traveled over 2,000 miles to Sabah, Borneo. We encountered more than 30 bird species we'd never seen before — hornbills, kingfishers, sunbirds and more. Here are 20 favorites from the trip.
Reposted with corrected species identifications — thanks to u/Chrysothlypis for the helpful feedback.
The Brown-backed Shrike is very common in cities and villages in southwestern China. It likes to skewer its prey on thorns, so birdwatchers have nicknamed it the "skewer master." I think it's a very beautiful bird.（original content）
A gibbon hangs from a "Neolamarckia cadamba“ tree more than 30 meters above the ground in Sandakan, Malaysia. It can even use one hand to pick and eat fruit while remaining suspended by the other.
During this trip to Borneo, we found three species of kingfishers: Blue Eared Kingfisher, Collared Kingfisher, and Stork Billed Kingfisher.
When I walked through a wooden bridge in Sandakan, Malaysia. I saw a huge, black shadow shifting on the top of a tree. At first I thought it might be a heron, but when I found it through my viewfinder, I felt shocked about it. It's a big black bird with a sharp beak and glossy feathers. When diving into water, it keeps its head on the surface, just like a snake. And later it took off from the lake, you could see it had huge webbed feet. I found its name from a birding app finally — the Oriental Darter.(Original content)
During this trip to Malaysia, my Z9 + 863 and 1.4x was my main camera, handling the vast majority of my wild bird photography. However, while photographing forest birds near Sandakan RDC, I had an accident. While moving the camera, my attention was completely focused on the viewfinder, and I didn't notice my surroundings. I lost my footing and fell from a height of over 4 meters, landing on my back. Fortunately, I wasn't seriously injured.
The cost was that my Nikon 863 was completely destroyed, and the lens broke in two. Currently, the camera body seems fine. Luckily, I brought a backup camera, an A7V + 480mm, so I'll have to rely on my Sony for the rest of the trip.
Here are some photos to commemorate my work before my 863 demise.
I want to remind bird photographers again: always observe your surroundings beforehand. When shooting, your focus will naturally follow the viewfinder, and insufficient environmental awareness can easily lead to accidents. Learn from my experience and let this be a lesson for everyone.
I thought sunbirds only sip nectar, but I never expected they would catch insects. Filmed today in Sandakan, Malaysia.
>First, some individuals gathered together. Second, they tried to discuss matters with other groups. Then they stuck together as one group. Finally, a new party might emerge. White-breasted Woodswallow, Taken in Kota Kinabalu, yesterday.
Taken in a park in downtown of Chengdu city this morning, With A7V and FE400800.
It is a pity that the A7M5's slow-mo only supports FHD. It would be great if it could be upgraded to 2K, I think the storage bandwidth is sufficient for that.
Using the Pocket 4P to shoot macro slow-motion footage is certainly a bit of a stretch.
The autofocus simply cannot keep up with fast-moving subjects like insects or swaying flowers; getting a sharp shot is largely a matter of luck.
Slow-motion mode doesn't support 6x zoom, resulting in a lack of captured detail.
The screen is too small, making it difficult to manually select the focus point.
There are inherent limits to the image quality; the results are really only suitable for viewing on a small screen.
The joystick response is too slow, making it a struggle to track moving subjects. Pocket cameras are fine for casual travel or quick snapshots, but using one for this type of subject matter pushes it to the absolute limit—it’s a bit of a stretch.
The last few photos were taken with a Nikon camera.
Plump little locals of Mount Emei. As one of China's four major sacred Buddhist mountains, its thriving forest ecosystem provides a sanctuary of abundant food, rearing these incredibly adorable, chubby birds.
🗺️ Captured this spring, Leshan City, China.
While sorting through my photos, I came across a picture taken in 2005 in Komatsu, Japan. It appears to be a fuel-powered helicopter; its flight endurance and payload capacity were likely quite limited. Sophisticated gyroscopes probably weren't available back then, so flying it relied entirely on the operator's skill.
I didn't know much about RC aircraft technology at the time, so I welcome any insights from those who are knowledgeable about the subject.
This Asian paradise flycatcher has lived in this forest for several years alongside its mate; unfortunately, their chicks were not spotted on this occasion. Photographed this week in a park on the outskirts of Chengdu, China.(Original Video).
A pair of Brown Wood Owls and their two chicks live together in a scenic area renowned for tea cultivation—Ya'an, China, today. (Original video)
Photographed near the China-Myanmar border this past February.
The VE25-100, developed by Volant Aerotech, completed its first manned transition flight a few days ago, Zigong, China.
This aircraft features an 8+2 propulsion configuration, utilizing eight motors to provide vertical lift and two for forward thrust.
During the day's flight maneuvers, the eVTOL successfully executed a vertical takeoff, transitioned flight mode, and performed a landing; however, it remains unclear whether the test flight was conducted under manual pilot control or via an autonomous flight system.
The aircraft's developer, established just four years ago, has recently secured a Series C funding round totaling 1 billion RMB.（Original Content）
Amur Paradise Flycatcher enter their breeding season in May; the pair takes turns incubating the eggs, rotating shifts approximately every half hour. It is said that the adult birds, once they take flight, will bathe in nearby lakes. The chicks are expected to fledge next week, at which point it will be possible to photograph the parent birds feeding them.Filming in Chengdu, China, today.