Handhold Bird Photography with the Panasonic Lumix G Vario 45-200mm F4-5.6 II Power OIS

 Note: I am not a birder photographer in any ways but just a photo taker who loves to pick some interesting pictures of the birds occasionally. 

The "made in Japan" Panasonic Lumix G Vario 45-200mm F4-5.6 II Power OIS is not a "powerful" zoom lens designed to do bird photography. It is rather an all-around telephoto zoom optic to carry with you everywhere that can manage many different subjects that need to be discriminate from their surrounding and contextes. It isn't also a very expensive lens to own and its construction quality although fairly decent cannot be compare to more pro oriented product. Moreover its maximum variable aperture is definitively on the modest side (F4-4.6). But the Lumix G Vario 45-200mm II Power OIS has two interesting qualities with its internal optical stabilization system and its weather resistant envelope.

So, to do bird pictures with the Lumix G Vario 45-200mm II Power OIS, you need to be enough near of your subject to prevent too much editing cropping. The photographic technique selected can be different from a photographer to another. Some will work at fixed location and wait for birds. Others will trek around themselves to visit different promising spots that they know to be productive. And some will visit specialized zoo places to get pictures of more exotic species. Each of these can produce excellent results of their own. Observation, patience, good technical parametric adjustments and ... a lot of "try and error" pictures and finally be sometimes rewarded with fine iconic results.

Another good thing to experiment in doing bird photography is listing the different species and their particular habits by illustrating them. You can even participate to birder clubs or blogs and share your discoveries.

Here are some examples of handhold bird pictures taken by the Panasonic Lumix G Vario 45-200mm F4-5.6 II Power OIS.

Photos Daniel M: Panasonic Lumix G85 / G Vario 45-200mm F4-5.6 II Power OIS

Fujifilm X-S10 Auto-Focus (Bird) Tracking Performance w/ Fujinon XF55-200mm F3.5-4.8 R LM OIS.

 The difficulty to take good, clear, and interesting picture of birds is not new. Good rightly photographically focused of bird specimens is challenging by the nervous and fast nature of them. Unpredictability is another one among others such as strong exposure variation (From deep shadow to brightly sunny areas). Bird photographer specialists can surely bring you a vast and lengthily presentation about these challenges.

Trying the Fujifilm X-S10 camera model, I was particularly interested to see how the autofocus tracking system can manage the task in taking picture good bird snapshots and, I must admit, it did well even in using it in conjunction of the Fujinon XF55-200mm F3.5-4.8 R LM OIS which is one of my preferred optics (but older) in Fuji X-mount line up. I can imagine that performance will be better with the more recent Fuji X-mounts that have been introduced lately.

A last word regarding bird photography is the preparation it needs in term of knowledge of the bird habits and how to not disturb your main subject even for a snap shooter like me. And, of course, a lot of persistence!

More bird snapshots with the Olympus M.Zuiko ED 75-300mm F4.8-6.7 II super zoom lens.

When it comes time to do birds photography, all eyes are turn on the telephoto lens model you are choosing to realize your pictures. And it is also obvious that such an optic has to give you at least a increase magnification of 10 times compare to your normal eyesight. That means for the Micro Four Third format something like a 250mm (10 X 25mm). But you can manage to install a more bird friendly and nearer (!) environment, with some bird tables (feeders) or baths that will allow you to be nearer of them as it is my case with the advantage to get a more predictable arrangement and a better rate of success.

Following my introduction of the use of the Olympus M.Zuiko ED 75-300mm F4.8-6.7 II telephoto zoom lens, it is my pleasure to offer you other interesting results in bird photography.

                                                            

Bird No.1: White-breasted nuthatch; Bird No.2: American Goldfinch (Male); Bird No.3 Blue Jay; Bird No.4: Evening grosbeak(Female)

Photos Daniel M

BIRD SNAPSHOTS w/ the Fujinon XF55-200mm F3.5-4.8R LM OIS

Northern Cardinal (Female)

Yes, yes I will offend a lot of real bird photographers who spend hours and involvement to their beautiful art of illustrating birds in their habitat. But since I am only a kind of spontaneous photographer my purpose was only to demonstrate how versatile and rewarding it can be by simply using the Fujinon XF55-200mm F3.5-4.8R LM OIS zoom lens.

For sure you need some kind of preparation such have a good place like my backyard and possibly install a few bird feeder to attract them. After that you need to observe the result and be prepare to take pictures in a discrete manner.

For those you this can be interesting I am located near a river on the north shore of Montreal, Canada. So here are some flying neighbors visiting my backyard:

Black-capped chickadee

Northern Cardinal (Male)

Slate-colored Junco 

Hairy woodpecker (Female)

Black-capped chickadee

House sparrow (Male in breeding)