Bird photography is a delicate art that requires patience, precision, and a dash of wonder. Each bird presents a unique challenge. You learn to anticipate their moves, study their habits and habitats, becoming a part of their world. Every click of your camera is a hunt for a perfect moment, and your lens must be incredibly accurate and responsive to capture the elegance of a hummingbird’s glance or the wild spirit of an eagle’s flight. It’s about capturing life in its tiniest and the grandest.
Based in Australia’s west coast, a professional bird and wildlife photographer Shelley Pearson tried the new GFX100 II camera paired with the Fujifilm GF 250mm F4 LM OIS WR prime lens and the Fujifilm teleconverter GF 1.4X TC WR in the field.
“The moment I held it, I knew I was in for something special. The finish is good, and it feels incredibly solid. The design of the camera is truly one of a kind. The images are sharp, and the detail is amazing which was the first thing that jumped out at me. The dynamic range is impressive, and the raw quality has been improved. So, when I hold the shutter down to capture the action, I have no buffer issues – that really impressed me.”
The GFX100 II is dust and weather resistant, which comes in handy as capturing wildlife means facing constantly changing weather. Compared to the previous model, this camera shows a considerable improvement. With a 8 fps high-speed function and a resolution of 102MP, it allows to capture those split second moments in a burst mode and make small adjustments through cropping. Also, the camera features AI subject detection, customizable AF settings, 8-stop in-body image stabilisation and the improved dynamic range of 30% for exceptional quality.
“I love shooting short movie clips and having the ability to switch to movie mode with just one button click was amazing. It was great to be able to see my subject through the viewfinder and start recording by pressing the shutter button. This feature was particularly helpful as I usually wait for interesting moments before starting to record. I was completely amazed by the quality of the low-light videos I captured; the colours were stunning.”
How to use new features of GFX100 II for a mind-blowing wildlife shot? Take a look here as Shelley Pearson shares her best photo techniques and personal thoughts on this camera test-drive.
A bird and wildlife photographer with over 15 years of experience. The owner of numerous honours and recognition including the People’s Choice Award, the ANZANG shortlist, the UK Bird Photographer of the Year, and 2018 Birdlife Behaviour Award from the Annual Birdlife Photography Awards. Also, she is a part of the judging panel for the Annual Birdlife Photography Awards 2023 (Australia).