The plan was to get up early and photograph birds at a wetland while the water was still and quiet, alas we slept in too late for that. So we headed off to Zealandia again so I could have another go trying to get the camera to focus correctly in the bush. To date this is the only area where the new camera has let me down and I am wondering if it isn’t the lens at fault, not the camera. Maybe I need to use that mid-range lens that I don’t yet have 🙂
The problem I have been having is that the camera will focus on the trees in front, and or behind the bird but often not on the bird because it is not stopping long enough for the camera to ‘see’ it. If any of you have had this problem with the G9 and can tell me what I am doing wrong I would love to know. For everything else I absolutely love this camera, but when I am in the bush I am struggling big time.
We stopped by the kaka feeders to rest my feet on the way back and had an entertaining time watching the kaka interact with each other and put a right royal show on for all the people visiting from the cruise ship that was in town. It is almost as if they knew they had a different audience and had ramped up their playful antics.
Walking back to the visitor center we met up with one of the Zealandia volunteers looking at something just off the main path. She pointed out to me a kereru nest with a chick in it. A very large chick that looked like it should fall off the bundle of sticks that was its nest. However it was quite comfortable where it was. Very hard to get a clear shot of it but this will give you an idea of its size.
Regardless of my struggle focusing in the bush, I am very happy with today’s images. I got another go at a saddleback and saw some juvenile hihi around the feeder. The bellbird still rules that area, however as soon as it leaves the hihi are there in numbers. It’s good to know I don’t have to walk up all those stairs to the discovery area to photograph the hihi anymore.
UPDATE: I have done some googling and found some really helpful websites discussing the focus issue I was having. It is a relief that I was not alone with this, but it appears it is a settings issue and one I hope I have now corrected. Another visit to Zealandia is required to test the new settings. So to all the G9 users out there who have documented their problems and solutions… thank you!!