Photographing swallows with the Nikon Z8 and the OM1 | Which camera came out on top?

[@davidguy6823]

Hi Richard. As a dedicated OM1 user I’m really pleased that you seem to have rediscovered your rig as I was a bit concerned that you had forsaken it for the Nikon. A very interesting video comparison and it has reinforced my opinion that the OM1 ticks all the boxes for me at least. Thanks for sharing.

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@davidguy6823 Hi David. Yes still love my OM1 for many uses. As I’ve said before if I didn’t already have some great Nikon glass that I wanted to pair with a good camera…I would still be using my OM1 only. I was a Nikon user who tried M43 as a trial / back up…the fact that it totally surprised me and I then stopped using my Nikon stuff for a while is a testament to M43. Thanks and take care🙏

[@mikestewart6669]

Thanks for the interesting video. Being just a keen amateur, I tried for years to capture Swallows without success - until I bought the OM-1. Last year I got a number of shots of hunting Swallows using the 300 F4 and, believe it or not, the Olympus 12- 200mm walkabout lens! The OM-1 AF was astonishing.

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@mikestewart6669 thks so much for commenting Mike. Yes the OM1 excells with this type of photography. Take care👍🙏😃

[@rreichar1]

Nice job Richard! I would recommend trying the v.1.7 firmware for the OM-1. I feel like it noticeably helped the AF when used with “All Targets” mode. For Hummingbirds I use to have to use something like the “Large” AF area to prevent it from locking on plants in the foreground and sides of the image. I am using it for most of my images now. I tend to look at gear a lot but really I am very happy with the OM-1 and the 300mm F4 with both TCs. To get significantly better images would cost quite a bit and I don’t know that I’d be any happier.

[@RichardCookphotography]

Hi and thank you for the heads up about the firmware update. When I get some time I will do it. You are right about the OM1 and 300 ...it is an excellent set up and is totally enough for nearly everyone. The only reason I got a Nikon camera is I had collected some great Nikon gear over the years that I was eager to use..,if I didn't have the Nikon gear I would have just stuck with my OM1🙏

[@AguilaDeOnix85]

Hi Richard! Stopping by to say hi. Seems to me the lesson is every camera has something to learn about to get the best results and in the situations they are used. Great stuff as always!

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@AguilaDeOnix85 thanks Blaine. Appreciate your support as always. Have a great week👍🙏😃

[@eljayr4669]

When you see these beautiful flight shots of Birds it just shows you how difficult it is and you don’t get to be told how many pictures were taken. My keeper rate with non flying Birds is low but at least you get a decent picture after processing. A very inciteful video.

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@eljayr4669 yes Laurence this is true. Birds in flight photography is really difficult and takes alot of practice. Thanks so much for commenting👍🙏😃

[@CheikoSairin]

OM-1 attached with M.Zuiko lens is a great combination. Enjoyed watching your video. A big LIKE from Singapore. Happy birding.

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@CheikoSairin thanks so much Cheiko. Glad you liked the video. Take care🙏👍👍

[@mjsmith8741]

Have you tried setting the Oly focus sensitivity to -2 to make it more “sticky” and AF speed to +1 or 2, it may not drop AF so much for BIF

[@RichardCookphotography]

Thanks for the tip... Will give it a try👍🙏

[@prjct72]

Hi Richard, you always get something good in your sessions! You can get a one point AF area with detection in the Z8 by defining a 1x1 custom area (W-C1 or W-C2)✨

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@prjct72 Thanks so much for the nice comment. Also thank you for the tip about the 1x1 custom area. Will try it out🙏😃👍

[@HotGates]

I had the OM-1 and it did focus on birds better than my Z9 and now I have the OM-1 II and it's better than the Mark 1, Nice video.

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@HotGates thanks so much. Good to hear about the mkII. Enjoy!😃👍

[@pelaozoom]

With firmware 2.0? Ty

[@rogerhance5883]

Interesting video Richard . Well done

[@RichardCookphotography]

Thanks Roger. Appreciate it🙏

[@naturealbums]

I'm one of those that obsesses over gear.😎 can't help it... I think you have two of the most amazing setups at the moment. Considering the task you did a fine job. I've seen some great swallow shots with the new Sony A9III, has a global shutter but way too expensive and only 24MP on full frame. I guess no such thing as the perfect camera. Keep up the great work.

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@naturealbums thanks so much. Yes the Sony A9iii does look amazing but would like more mps. Take care🙏👍😃

[@sbom12920]

Absolutely enjoy using both or any systems you wish. It’s your hobby and how you go about pursuing it is your affair. This said, if you have not tried asking OM Systems for a loan of the Olympus 150-400 F4.5 and the Mk 2 OM-1? I only mention this because if you are using a dedicated de-noise program it might be the case that you could use the OM System for your wildlife photography and use the Nikon for other aspects of photography where weight, portability, speed to acquire focus across all settings is not the primary consideration?

[@RichardCookphotography]

Hi Steven and thank you. 1 day I would like to try the MK11 and the 150-400 but at the moment I’m fine playing with the 2 systems I have. There is always something new…I’d rather try and master what I have first. Thank you👍🙏

[@ulflundh_birdsandnature]

I use OM1 mkll and Z8 :) Very good together.

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@ulflundh_birdsandnature Thanks very much. Yes they make a great combo💪🙏👍

[@chrismc2090]

Nice video Richard, could be worth updating the OM1 firmware to the new Version 1.7 and see how that performs, will it be better still? I've just updated mine but not had chance to test it fully yet.

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@chrismc2090 yes I will when I get a chance. Have heard some horror stories though about the OM1 bricking during a firmware update. Thanks👍😃🙏

[@chrismc2090]

@@RichardCookphotography whatever you do, let it go through its full update routine, do not switch off until it tells you to do so. Also put a fully charged battery in the camera. I have updated mine three times now with no problems via OM Workspace.

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@chrismc2090 thanks for the tips👍🙏😃

[@garydubberly6608]

⁠@@chrismc2090So you did not use the OI.Share app on your mobile phone but instead OM Workspace to download the 1.7 firmware? I have read of success and failures with both methods. I’m waiting till the smoke clears on the best method. Happy to hear yours went well. That process can make for some anxious moments.

[@paul--b]

@@RichardCookphotographymy 1.7 update went perfectly from my iPhone

[@markburton3306]

Lucky enough to get swallow and martins nesting on our house in Scotland. The swifts seem to prefer the neighbours house over the road

[@RichardCookphotography]

That sounds great Mark. Used to get House martins at my mum's house years ago but no more unfortunately. Take care👍🙏

[@philipgowdy]

As a Sony A9 mk 1 user in the UK, I watched this video with great interest as I too have just completed a Swallow feasting up session on insects over the Wheat fields before they go on migration. I have to say that even with my camera that is now 5 years old it produced a lot of sharp images, more in line with your OM1 than the Nikon. Of course it doesn't have bird eye detect but with this kind of fast moving object, that's not of great use. I do feel however that the most important factor with this kind of photography is having the larger area in full frame gives a great advantage to keep subjects in the middle of the viewfinder to give the AF the best chance of grabbing the subject. I did an experiment with switching over to crop as an Apsc and of course this was much harder still. Pre-Planning the area in your mind and focusing there is a must for pretty well all systems with this kind of work. I was using both the Sony 100-400 mm with 1x4, I think your Nikon may well have been quite a bit better with the Z mount lens. I am sure some Nikon users will have a say on this. As ever great to see a Video, where you get a good indication of the area, problems, the good and the bad..Regards and keep up the interesting work.

[@RichardCookphotography]

Thanks Philip for a great comment. Yes you are right ..pre focusing is essential for this type of photography and the larger area of full frame really helps especially with the 45 mp of the Nikon for cropping later. I have always wanted to try an A9,they sound awesome... You have any plans to try and get the mkiii?

[@philipgowdy]

@@RichardCookphotography I have been thinking on that ever since it came out and it looks pretty amazing but I know my limitations of the A9 and its cropping ability. I am thinking more on an A1 as there are so many great reviews on that Camera especially for Birds in Flight my main Subject matter. I have used the A7R5 and its pretty great except for the rolling shutter and superb for serious cropping, but a slow number of frames per second is poor. I am constantly checking to see what specs the hopefully new A75 might have when it gets here. For me all the Cameras mentioned except the A93 have no Pro Captur Buffer and that is really what I hope for in my next Camera...Live in Hope as a past user of the Olympus System..

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@philipgowdy yes, once you have tried Pro capture you don't want a camers without iit!

[@RichartAsia]

I see rolling shutter on both which you think is better?

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@RichartAsia To be honest...I've never noticed any rolling shutter with either camera. Both control it very will I think🙏😃👍

[@richardfichera2971]

Very interesting video. I currently own an OM1 (original) with the so-so 100-400 lens, and I find the autofocus a bit hit and miss for birds in flight. Your results with the nice 300mm lens were definitely superior. To be fair, sometimes the autofocus is obviously picking them up and I am reacting to the softness of the lens at its full extension. I have rented the 150-400 pro lens for trips to Costa Rica and Ecuador, and the autofocus was better, as well as the lens being amazing.

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@richardfichera2971 Hi Richard and thank you. I imagine the AF on the 300mm would be better than the 100-400 and I'm pretty sure images would be sharper. How did you find the 150-400? That much better?

[@richardfichera2971]

@@RichardCookphotography From what I've heard, the 300mm is the sharpest telephoto that they make, but I've never used it. Re the 150-400, it is night and day compared to the 100-400, razor sharp all the way to 400/500 mm, and probably not that much worse than the 300mm, and the autofocus is faster. Even when you flip the teleconverter on, it does not seem to degrade the image, other than changing the aperture to 5.6. And the fact that it is a constant F4.5 gives the tiny MFT sensor a boost. And it is amazingly light and well-balanced for a large (95mm) pro-quality internal zoom). But it is astonishingly expensive. For the same $7500 that they want for that lens I can buy a brand new Canon R5 + a very good 100-500mm lens and a few bits and bobs. I was recently in Ecuador for two weeks, and two of the people in our group were shooting R5s with the 100-500 lens. Despite it being nominally slower (F7.1 at full extension), the larger sensor of the R5 resulted in equal or better low-light images. I was impressed. Here's a link to some of my Ecuador pictures if you want to see the images from an OM1 with the 150-400 lens - photos.app.goo.gl/37f6PTdCZAAwpdDv9

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@richardfichera2971 Some Fab photos there and what amazing birds?? Well done👍👍👍

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@richardfichera2971 And yes that 100-500 looks like a great lens!!! Almost looks like a M43 lens😃

[@richardfink7666]

I love your videos! P.S.: With the OM1II the swallows would have worked a little better.

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@richardfink7666 Thanks Richard that's really kind. And I really really appreciate your support... You comment on every video. I might pop over to Germany and borrow your MK Ii👍😃🙏

[@richardfink7666]

@@RichardCookphotography Everthing for your algorithm!🤣

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@richardfink7666 thank you🙏

[@Owen-gc8yc]

The great thing about the om-1 300mm f4 set up is that you can get it in the uk used for £2500 (body £1200 lense £1300).This is exceptional value for money when placed against the superb z8 set up.I think its quality value for money and portabilty combined with excellent tc's makes it a brilliant birder/action set up

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@Owen-gc8yc yes absolutely. For the price it is pretty well unmatched in terms of it's capabilities. Fab set up. Thanks so much🙏😃👍

[@wayneemery5709]

very nice video

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@wayneemery5709 thanks Wayne. Appreciate it👍🙏

[@EgoundderRest]

Ein Faktor, den man nicht hoch genug einschätzen kann, ist Übung. Immer wieder üben, üben, üben. Oft führt das Ausschalten der Stabilisierung zu besseren Ergebnissen, da der Stabi den Bildausschnitt oft zu sehr hin und her springen lässt und der AF - Messpunkt nicht auf dem Motiv bleibt, obwohl man ruhig und gleichmäßig mitzieht. Das wird oft schlicht vergessen, wenn man Flugaufnahmen mehr als Beifang aufnimmt. Ich habe da selbst mit der D500 erstaunliche Ergebnisse erzielt. Natürlich sind die modernen Kameras da noch besser aufgestellt. Höhere Lichtstärke, kürzeste Belichtungszeiten, kein Rolling Shutter usw.

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@EgoundderRest Thank you. Yes practice is Soo important. I got my best ever swallows shots with the D500... Haven't matched them yet with either these 2 set ups🙏👍😃

[@zayacz123]

I’m not sure there birds. They’re more like bullets.

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@zayacz123 Haha... Yes they are. Thank you🙏🙏

[@lesw.1748]

With two cameras in your hands, you look like a commandos with two boozukas ready to shoot anything coming your way ;) Great video and images.

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@lesw.1748 thanks Les. I imagine actually shooting swallows would be nigh on impossible. I'll just stick to trying to take photos. Thanks for your support. Have a great week🙏👍😃

[@dougedwards7570]

I watched the first five minutes and got tired of the whining - but the thought that kept crossing my mind was -- why doesn't he just walk to the other end of the field?

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@dougedwards7570 It’s private land mate. But thanks for the whine👍

[@Swaggerlot]

You've got too much cash to blow Richard.

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@Swaggerlot I wish. Got great deals on everything I bought...all the lenses were second hand. However my part time career as a international jewel thief does allow me to buy some nice photography gear!

[@Swaggerlot]

@@RichardCookphotography Just baiting. You had a perfectly good system and now you have chosen to add to it, not that you actually needed to.

[@richardfink7666]

@@RichardCookphotography 🤣

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@Swaggerlot I knew that mate. Thanks for watching the video😃🙏👍

[@Swaggerlot]

@@RichardCookphotography Always enjoy your outings mate!

[@markwalker8374]

What a whinger. If the conditions are bad make a video another day

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@markwalker8374 you whinging about me being a whinger is great. I have a busy schedule mate. I am looking after my kids most of the time while you are posting negative comments on KZbin. If the video is bad watch another video😂

[@prokremelskidezolati1426]

Typical Nikon AF...

[@RichardCookphotography]

@@prokremelskidezolati1426 I find the AF fine for most things actually. This definitely challenged it though👍🙏😃

[@joeiscoffee]

Wait, you’re slamming z8 af using a non z lens and after only two 10 minute sessions. Do better.

[@RichardCookphotography]

@ No...I haven't slammed anything...I reported my experiences on the day but clearly said different day, different conditions the results might will be different and if you had just taken 10 seconds to look at my other videos your would see that I use the NikonZ8 as my main camera and think it's AF is great...I even did a video after this one where I photographed Swallows just with the NikonZ8. So instead of misinterpreting free resources that you dont have to watch and then reprimanding the person who made the effort to make those resources...why not make your own or clean your ears and wipe your glasses and actually listen to what people say. Do better!👍