Hi, I'm Jo, join me as I start out in the world of wildlife photography, as well as getting out exploring with my bestest buddy Skylar (sorry Tim) and attempt to create some epic photos and videos.
Little toy? Lol, just what we need hiking up a mountain along with a 600mm lens and all your other gear. I wish you luck with Kentfaith Panoramic Gimbal Tripod Head. Realistically, the size, weight, and setup time... it's not for me.
I enjoyed your video. I just returned home from a 2-day attempt for some wildlife photography. I saw absolutely nothing, not even birds. 😂Still, it was a great outing. Really interested in the gimbal. I've been using a fluid head because of the size and weight, but I think the gimbal may be a big help. Thanks for sharing.
Re the stiffness on the gimbal head, I believe many people take them apart and replace the grease with a thinner version to alleviate this. RU-vid videos show how they do it. Thanks for sharing
It's a great value gimbal head but quite heavy (as you said) and I found that in hot weather mine leaks a sticky grease from the top hinge. Only thing I found to clean it off was WD-40!
sitting for 4-5 hours in one spot for a single image isn't unusual for me, it's not about the image, more about the time away from the stresses of life.
I think I still need to learn patience 😂 also I had a time limit as I had to go to the dentist (very glamorous 😂) I think with my new seat I got, I should also be more comfortable which is something I have struggled with a fair bit
@@JoHeardthe centre line of the lens should be at the pivot point knob, adjust using the gimbal foot adjustment. Yours is set too low. K&F are not the quality they used to be, there is slop in the bearings compared to Wimberley, Jobu or Sirui gimbal heads
You may find it easier to carry your poles by tying them together with a short bungy cord or just some webbing (or making a sleeve for them, which you can also make a strap for). Though I use the 3d ponchos a fair bit and find them less bulky and they pack down well into a cammo dry bag. For sitting, I tend to use a yoga mat (a nicely padded/thick one). It gives the option for laying down flat and avoiding the poop, or using rolled up to support my back when sitting. It's lighter and more versatile than a sitting seat, at least for me and my fat bottom :).
I went out again with the poles tied up, sooooo much easier 😂 also a bigger bag helped to contain everything better. I ended up with a ground seat which I have tested and think it'll work fine, I find it hard lugging everything around as it is so I think a yoga mat would be too much, but that's for the tips 👍
I think you would be far better using your lens mount on your shoulder strap clip rather than using your camera which is supporting the whole weight of your lens swinging around, as that will damage your cameras lens mount👌
The 70-200 with the TC doesn't weigh too much so I think it's fine on the camera mount, but I will not be using that clip when I get the 200-600 for that reason 👍
@@JoHeard its not just the weight Jo, the way it wobbles about when your walking is increasing the stress on a mount thats not designed to support a lens in that manner, why do you think the lens has the tripod mount fitted. If Nikon didn’t think it was needed they wouldn’t have supplied it, but its your money! I was just trying to prevent you falling into the problems that others have done🤦🏻♂️
I felt for you Jo when you were feeling so frustrated and stressed. Great job regrouping and getting back out there ❤ subbed and can’t wait to get to watch your adventures
Great video Jo. A gimbal will definitely be a help to you in getting sharper images as it did for me. If it’s Gigrin you’re going to for the kites you may find it difficult with a gimbal tracking them as there are so many and they come down at speed so hand help might be best in some instances. Hope you have a great trip there and best of luck. 👍
Yes it's Gigrin I am planning on heading to 👍 tha ms for the heads up, I think I will take it so I can do a comparison as that might be interesting to see 👍
Hey Jo, love your persistence, I have a gimbal similar to yours which love, it made life soooo much easier. I do also have a fluid head for my 600mm, but its really heavy and not really practical as a walkaround. What I'm thinking of doing is the pan handle is removable on the fluid head, so I'm going to try attach it to the gimbal for those video pan-tilt shots. As you have discovered (and same for me) it's not always smooth, I'll try a handle to see if that improves the pan and tilt motion. 🤠😎
Great video Jo, the stiffness in panning is a known issue a lot of people have overcame this by stripping the gimbal & replacing the super thick grease with a lighter grease, after reading hundreds of reviews I gave up on the idea of the K&F gimbal & bought a Brenro one which is a bit heavier but lovely & smooth
Thank you 😊 I am investing in the 200-600 sony lens soon so that will help me out. If I could afford to, I'd get the a6700 as a second camera but I wouldn't get rid of the A7iv.
Great video! Your detailed review and field test really highlight its strengths and practical use. Looking forward to seeing more of your work with this equipment!
Sigue disfrutando de la fotografía Jo Heard y para finales de año que puedas hacerte con el sony 200-600 G, pesa algo más que el equipo actual pero compensa ese alcance extra y la calidad que te ofrece. Saludos desde Asturias-España.
Hey Jo, you put the videos of your adventures together really well, they flow nicely, it must take you around an hour to walk 45 mins 😆 with the backtracking to pick up the camera all the time for the walkaway shots ! Good luck with the otters next time !!! 🤠😎
Well done Jo. Never easy looking for otters, I spent 2-3 hours on Loch Spelve a few years ago but did manage to get lucky in the end. Keep preserving. 😀👍
Highland cattle, are extremely docile by nature, if they have calves then use caution, but if you don't have a dog and walk around rather than through them, you should be ok.
I was worried they would be really curious, like the friesian cows we have near where we live, and would crowd around me so just thought to say clear, just in case!
A lovely set of non-Otters. 😉 The Oystercatchers are just as fun to watch as they are annoying to listen to. The Meadow pipit - just look at the impressive hind claws on them! Mergansers are also a majestic sight in their own right.
That bird at around 5 minutes in is most likely a Common ringed plover - Charadrius hiaticula. I also see someone else suggesting Merlin BirdID on the phone and I agree and recommend it wildly. You can even go out and about and have it record the bird sounds and it will suggest - with great accuracy - exactly which bird it is. You will be amazed at how good it is at pinpointing species!
And if I've had watched a minute more before writing I would have known you ID'd it and knew about Merlin. Oh, well, rather once too many than once too little
Even though you have a great telephoto / zoom lense, try to get closer to your animals or let nature takes it course until it is closer to you, so you can take a better shot 📸📹
Muy buena elección si finalmente compras el sony 200-600mm, es algo más pesado que la configuración que llevas pero la calidad y el acercamiento que vas a tener merece la pena. Yo lo tengo con la A9 y también hago vuelos a pulso siempre que puedo. Buen objetivo, buena calidad y te ahorras un poco el gimnasio,
Great stuff Jo and some nice images. Although you mentioned the weight issue with a 600 do think you’ll find it will improve your images. Unless you’re doing birds in flight shots a monopod would be a help. 😀👍
Another enjoyable video.. for bird ID I use first of all my iPhone, secondly Merlin Bird ID, but lthe app which is even more accurate is an app called Picture Bird.. It is even more accurate than the former two.. usually when I use it, it's after I've taken a photo of the bird and am back in my studio and putting the photo of the bird on my big screen on desktop computer...btw, your camera and lens have great image stabilization when you take video
Hi, Nice video, as always! Just wanted to let you know, that I don't think one can hold the 200-600 mm plus camera up with 1 hand like that for long. It is way to heavy and I think one will be shaking with fatigue quickly. Or maybe it is just me and I need to go the gym 😅 You gonna wanna take an extra light camera for vlogging with you then and that will bring some more extra weight with it. And you do have to carry it all around with you on your hikes. But the quality of that 200-600mm lens is great. I always use it with the 1.4 for the 840mm and crop some more after. I love it but I really wish it was much lighter. Maybe you can rent one to see?
I rented one at the beginning of the year on my photo holiday in the Cairngorms and it was brilliant, but super heavy 😂 deffo going to need to do some weights for that one 😂😂😂 i have been quietly hoping that with all the version 2 lenses Sony has been bringing out an updated 200-600 would appear but I am not sure if they ever will, still fingers crossed for a lighter weight one 🤞
@@JoHeard I am hoping for that too! That would be brilliant. It must have better video stabilisation, right now is just mah 🫤. I would switch brands if one combo would be lighter and even better and around the same prices.
It's the Peak Designs Capture Clip amzn.to/3QjDAe2 it is brilliant as the camera doesn't flop around when you are walking like they do on straps. The only thing to keep in mind is that, if you are using a mahoosive lens like the Sony 200-600 then it is probably isn't the right tool as if you want the weight off the camera mount and fit the plate to the tripod foot, then it does stick out and flap around. Hope that makes sense....
Nice work. Really enjoyed these views. I do like the 200-600, but it is heavy (as you know). Your setup is quite nice. Had I chance for a do over, I think I’d go your route.
Thank you 😊 I have found that in photography, everything is a compromise 😂 I did really enjoy using the 200-600 but it is soooooo heavy, I keep flip flopping between wanting the 200-600 and saving my back, but the 600 mm would make a lot of difference for me...or I could get the A6700 😂
If you get the right kind of strap the 200 - 600 is perfectly manageable. And it's not that much heavier than what you're using now. Mine hangs in the small of my back just nice when I'm walking around. And it works for the much heavier lenses that I own as well.
