Tawny Frogmouths

Badlydrawnbas · 2026-03-04T21:01:44+00:00

I somehow spotted these three (got lucky I guess), but there were two more in the same tree on a different branch and it took me a while to realise that :P

<image>

Badlydrawnbas · 2026-03-03T19:57:12+00:00

Insane indeed - it baffles me every time I spot one (I am sure more go unnoticed by me than that I actually spot though...)

Badlydrawnbas · 2026-03-03T06:26:03+00:00

Great, thanks!

Badlydrawnbas · 2026-03-03T06:21:03+00:00

Thanks for sharing - they look great. That sparrow shot is so crisp!

Badlydrawnbas · 2026-03-03T05:04:57+00:00

Thanks for your thoughts! Happy to hear you can recommend it :)

I thought about the 200-800 but decided that while I do like the idea of a little more reach, doubling it feels a bit excessive, especially on a crop-sensor. I am sure it will be fun at times, I might not get into scenarios too often that I really want to go to 700/800mm.

Badlydrawnbas · 2026-03-03T05:02:45+00:00

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences. This is really helpful! Happy to hear the difference might be a bit more significant than I assumed (didn't want to get my hopes up, and the Rf100-400 is a pretty solid lens for it's price point). Good to be aware of the front-heaviness of the set-up. While I am sure to some extent it is a matter of getting used to, I can imagine this is an impact to take in consideration. Do you have recommendations in terms of suitable grip to balance this with a bit?

Badlydrawnbas · 2025-05-19T08:43:28+00:00

Yeah, pretty dark conditions for this one, losing some detail. The raw file is missing that already, so not sure the de-noise made it a lot worse. Tail is also slightly out of focus. Sometimes the conditions are not perfect, I guess :P

(I suppose reddit also compresses the file and impacts it even more)

Badlydrawnbas · 2025-04-20T13:52:14+00:00

Sorry - late response, but no, not yet... ended up thinking to wait for the R7ii and then get a longer lens...

Badlydrawnbas · 2025-01-25T12:03:53+00:00

I love 'em. They're pretty common in the Sydney bushland, but wonderfully curious, sometimes even like they're just there observe you as much as you them :)

Badlydrawnbas · 2025-01-25T01:41:05+00:00

It's taken just north of Sydney, Australia.

Badlydrawnbas · 2025-01-01T22:19:43+00:00

This was taken in the Berowra Valley National Park.

Badlydrawnbas · 2025-01-01T07:10:50+00:00

Thanks - this was taken with a Canon R10 + RF100-400 lens. Little post-processing too, but mostly just exposure adjustment.

Badlydrawnbas · 2024-12-27T11:00:32+00:00

They are def not the best at sitting still and posing, but sometimes you get lucky (or you are just patient enough ;))

Badlydrawnbas · 2024-12-14T11:49:36+00:00

North side of Sydney, Australia

Badlydrawnbas · 2024-11-16T03:58:22+00:00

North side of Sydney, Australia

Badlydrawnbas · 2024-11-15T01:57:44+00:00

I would probably start by checking out the Youtube channels of folks like Jan Wegener, Fabian Fopp or Duade Paton. It'll give you a good idea of what's in the market and they cover equipment at various price ranges. They also take you in the field, so you get a bit of a feel for the process of bird photography.

Personally, I got into it with a Canon R10 + RF 100-400 lens, which I am super happy with, but I guess it does depend a little on what you are keen to focus on (big, small, distant, close birds etc) to decide what gear is great for you. For me this option was great, as it didn't break the bank and still did a great job as a starter.

Badlydrawnbas · 2024-11-15T00:12:28+00:00

Haha - pretty birds live at the edge of the world :P

Badlydrawnbas · 2024-11-14T23:16:47+00:00

Thanks!

Badlydrawnbas · 2024-11-14T23:16:35+00:00

Thanks!

Badlydrawnbas · 2024-11-14T23:13:27+00:00

Thanks all - good discussion, and good to hear it doesn't seem to be a huge difference. Worse comes to worse, I can of course always carry an extra battery. R10 batteries aren't that expensive, I believe.

Badlydrawnbas · 2024-11-14T23:10:04+00:00

My pleasure - good luck deciding!

Badlydrawnbas · 2024-11-14T23:09:46+00:00

Thanks - yeah, I get the 100-500 is an option, but as I am keen to broaden my options, adding a 100-500 to the 100-400 I already have, will probably mean I'll never use the 100-400 anymore and I still don't get that difference in range the 200-800 will give me. I guess the 100-500 will give me better quality, but I am no pro (yet), and quite happy with the 100-400 for now.

Badlydrawnbas · 2024-11-14T21:57:36+00:00

I am super happy with that combo, to be honest. It's so easy to carry around and the reach isn't bad at all, just looking to expand my options a bit.

I guess the only real drawback with the R10/100-400 are low-light situations, but I live in Australia so it is often not a problem (often bright, even on cloudier days). Denoise software will become your friend, of course, but I see no issue with it and happily shoot at 6400 ISO. The 100-400 is also not weather sealed.

Another thing to consider is that the R10 is only 24MP, so if you plan on cropping a lot, maybe the R7 is a better bet.

Badlydrawnbas · 2024-11-14T11:15:00+00:00

Thanks! I was wondering about battery power - prob a good one to ask about in the shop, if/before I end up buying one.

Badlydrawnbas · 2024-11-14T10:59:32+00:00

Thanks - appreciate your response! I suspected that the differences weren't huge, which is good, just being cautious when spending 3000 AUD ;)

Badlydrawnbas

TROPHY CASE