Photography News Issue 67

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

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coupled with the OM-D cameras, plus at a weight of just 1270g, I was pretty happy swinging it around without any aches and pains. Using the OM-D camera bodies made it a lot easier to switch between focal lengths – essential when the nature of what youmight come across can be so unpredictable. With the 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO, I could work through the zoom range and grab beautifully sharp portraits of some young lions who had been chowing down on an unsuspecting elephant. The detail with the constant f/2.8 aperture is stunning, with droplets of blood highlighted on the cubs’ chins. Equally, zooming in on my shots of an elephant basking in the sun, the detail on a nearby swarmof flies is impressive. On a sunrise shoot, our early start was rewarded with a pride of playful lions. Such a treat to see these magnificent animals relaxing around the waterhole. While the male was absent, the juvenile cubs enjoyed some time playing together. The E-M1X is capable of high-speed sequential shooting at a max 60fps and with AF/AE tracking, a max of 18fps was possible. This was more than adequate to capture sequences of vultures flying where the AF tracking locked reliability to my scavenging subjects each time. The joystick control was an added advantage, so I could quickly select my subject and lock on, allowing the tracking to step up and work on keeping focus on my speedy subjects. I took advantage of the E-M1X’s deep learning programmed subject detection, and while there is not yet a function for birds (it ’ s rumoured to be on the cards), using the planes setting was pretty effective for the vultures, where moving through the menu system I could select how sensitive I wanted the CA-F. Having pro wildlife photographer, and Olympus ambassador Tesni Ward with us on the trip was gold. As well as seeing how she worked, and piggybacking on her suggestions for the best shots, it was great for picking up some tips. Speaking with Tesni, she advised: “Consider your light when on safari andmake use of the golden hours; early in the morning and late in the evening are best to avoid harsh light. Consider backlit and front-lit images andkeepan eye onyour backgrounds. Try and Consider your light when you’re on safari, and make use of the golden hours

Images The access at Wilderness Safaris was incredible, and the reach of our kit meant we were able to capture stunning details

shoot at the animal’s eye level; the articulated screens on the OM-Ds are really helpful for this.” If you have the opportunity to do so safely, Tesni advises getting down low, even if that means putting your belly in the dirt. She also suggested using the custom menus to set up quick functions. This was a lifesaver when it came to rapidly changing between Pro Capture, as I was able to set up a ‘ speedy birds ’ setting on the dial closest to manual. Another thing that came in handy was charging on the go with a USB-C cable. Two BLH-1 batteries fit the E-M1X, and shooting 2580 images is possible before recharge is needed. Both batteries can be charged in around two hours

using a portable battery pack – ideal for our remote location. While my time in Africa was brief, I came away with long-lasting memories and thousands of pictures of my experience to enjoy forever. I learnt about conservation and anti-poaching, the 95% unemployment rate in Zimbabweandwhat initiatives likeWilderness Safaris are doing to support the community. Our camp in Hwange was stunning, and everyone there was so welcoming. As for the kit, I was gutted to pack it up for return. For wildlife and fast-moving subjects as well as stunningly detailed portrait and close-up shots, I could not fault the gear or the glass.

Find out more

wilderness-safaris.com olympus.co.uk tesniward.co.uk

See the Instagramstory fromthe trip @photonewspn