Testing of the canon 1d MKiv at WWT Slimbridge and the hide

Tested the Mk4 yesterday really happy with the results straight out of the camera images sharp really good results up to iso 1000 after that up to 2000 as long as muted backgrounds images fine, if blacks in it they showed noise. Iso 400 was an amazing iso really good results pin sharp throughout. Really impressed with the camera.

Happy with the results today, really impressed with camera got some different stuff today. Lighting really good.. Woodpecker got closer again however spooked really easily - I need to put the curtains down so that he cannot see me. Will try to visit in the week.

Weather forecast next couple of days. (double click on it to open in seperate window)

Day 4 a the hide and the results

Arrived at the farm around 08.30 today. Still cold around 3 degrees and the wind is still here as well. Today I have decided not to deploy the flash guns as it seems to be sunnier. Got some good results today however I think that If I had deployed the flashguns I would have had more as I would then have had more opportunity to take shots of the birds when they were in the shade. This time I concentrated on a particular spot on the branch and waited for the birds to come to me. I used both lenses 500 and the 300 and found that I was using the 300 more. The nuthatch very busy again today and also the woodpecker is getting closer still. I think he is getting used to me now. No sign of the sparrowhawk and the longtail tits. Why, I do not know. The light seemed to on the branches for longer today I put this down to the nights getting longer.

I used the sidekick and ballhead today. I wanted to try this as it seems more versatile that the normal Wimberley head. I found it very good and it is more flexible and you can lower the lens so much easier than with the Wimberley, where you would have to alter the legs.

I think in future I will deploy the flash guns as it allows me more flexibility and also allows me to use a shutter speed of 1/250 at iso 200 at f5.6 and f8 of a second. At times today the shutter speed went down to 1/100 of a second at f4. This was also at ISO 400 where as with the flash guns I could use ISO 200. Therefore allowing for better results and also if the subject is static the image will be sharp.

Considerations for the future. I am thinking of putting another log in place to try and bring in the woodpecker. I am thinking of getting some water and putting it on the logs as sell so that they look better. I am also going to look for another log to replace this one as it is looking a bit bashed now. No doubt down to the squirrel.

After talking to Martin I found at that there are hares on the farm. I think a early morning recce is called for to find them.