Recent content by Malcolm Stewart

I've bought two 4K Panasonic camcorders in the last few months, and I'm sure they belong in the "entry level". I started with the HC-VX980 which claims a 25X "i zoom", and a 20x optical zoom. It doesn't have an eye level viewfinder, and as my older camcorders have this, I quickly realised...

Update - Campbell Park Pond I saw & videoed my very first male mandarin duck there, last weekend. Returned two days later with long birding lens, and the car-park was totally full. (I think I saw a reference at Great Linford Lakes that one had been seen there - perhaps the same one.)...

Hi, you could save cash if you bought the non-IS version of the 300 F/4 L. I have one and it's sharp. OK perhaps you would miss the IS, but today's bodies normally offer higher ISOs than I've used in the past.

Hi pliny45, It's some time since I did any sound recording in the field, but I used a Sony PCM-D50 with a microphone mounted at the focus of an aluminium dish approx 30cm diameter (made from parabolic infra-red heater). I'd expect a "roll-up" dish to have poorer low frequency performance, but...

Hi Victor, I had my copy of the lens you've listed repaired by H Lehmann of Stoke on Trent. Link below. https://www.hlehmann.co.uk/ I'd recommend that you email them with your request. Good luck.

As well as raising and reducing audio levels in general, Audacity is very good at removing audio of a particular pattern, if you "teach it" what that pattern is. I'm totally self-taught and have only used a small fraction of its capabilities, but I'm impressed.

I bought a Sony PCM D50 and used it with good results. I found the noise floor to be low, but as it's now discontinued, that may be quite difficult for you to check. It does have the pre-record feature which I used all the time, both for recording recitals and wild-life. (To my surprise, the...

Very many years ago when Maplin had one of their sales, I bought a parabolic infra-red heater with the idea of using it as a microphone reflector. After a little modification, it worked well - whilst my interest lasted!

Enjoy your purchase - I've had mine for a few years, and I like what I see, particularly in the more challenging conditions.

Beware of having a filter on your lens. I set up a camcorder on a tripod and a short distance from a bird-feeder outside a hide, from where I watched the action. Many of the birds would approach the feeder, and fly away just before landing. I guessed that they were catching their reflections...

You've forgotten Japanese pride...

Hi Richard, I bought my copy, "used, mint" from LCE Fareham, in 2013, and I've been impressed with the quality. BUT, I've been suffering from cataracts for some time and thus haven't been able to appreciated the finer points. I've now had both eyes done, and the sight through my right eye is...

Thank you for your impressions. It will be interesting to read more critiques as further samples get into the hands of users. I know that my ageing Eos 1D MkIV can catch up with birds flying randomly away from a perch, so I'll stick with it for the time being.

Interesting - I had the same problem two weeks ago whilst using my 1D Mk III on Tour of Britain cycle riders. I was in AIServo mode, close to their tracks, and most of my shots were fine, but once or twice, the camera refused to shoot, despite my holding my finger down. OK, I guess it stopped...

I'm based in the UK, and I expect conditions here are very different to Thailand - which I assume is where you're having trouble. Gear wise, I have the lenses you list, and a 7D2. I mainly use the EF 500 F/4L on my 7D2, but it also works well on my 1D IV. I assume that you're using AIServo...