My biggest recommendations are to customise most if not all of the buttons to your liking, use custom modes for specific genres and scenes, experiment with lower shutter speeds than adviced when possible, and use hightlight&shadow clipping thresholds. The OM-1 II is heavily customisable, birds are dynamic, and one will often change settings. Procapture is also a really great standout setting as well from what I have heard, though I have not tried it yet.
The stabilisation is wonderful, and if the bird is quite still, you can get away with very low shutter speeds. For instance, I have no issues handholding the 300 Pro at 1/10s, both with and without teleconverters. Some motion in the wings or legs can also give some character in some scenes.
As for highlight&shadow clipping thresholds, I recommend exposing for the highlights whenever there is white and bright plumage, usually -0.3 to -1.3 EV. If the bird is dark allover, I recommend exposing for the shadows, usually +1.0 to even +3.0. Highlights are less forgiven, so focus on those first.
Perhaps watch this video. My settings is quite similiar to his.
When you get a macro lens and pair it with a flash, use S-OVF. Otherwise, the viewfinder will be very dark. Do yourself a favour and get a flash and diffuser (a cheap one is fine, but a "shield" is definitely better) right away, to be able to use low ISO values, freeze the subjects and use consistent light.
When focus bracketing, focus somewhere on the subject and move the camera slightly back to get the front of the insect in focus as well. Focusing directly on their thin antennas will often lead to focus hunting or less precision. If it is a bit windy, hold the leaf and/or branch with one hand.
My biggest recommendations are to customise most if not all of the buttons, use custom modes for specific genres and scenes, experiment with lower shutter speeds than adviced, and to use hightlight&shadow clipping thresholds. The OM-1 II is heavily customisable, birds are dynamic, and one will often change settings. Procapture is a really great standout settings as well, though I have not tried it yet.
The stabilisation is wonderful, and if the bird is quite still, you can get away with very low shutter speeds. For instance, I have no issues handholding the 300 Pro at 1/10s, both with and without teleconverters. Some motion in the wings or legs can also give some character in some scenes.
As for highlight&shadow clipping thresholds, I recommend exposing for the highlights whenever there is white and bright plumage, usually -0.3 to -1.3 EV. If the bird is dark allover, I recommend exposing for the shadows, usually +1.0 to even +3.0. Highlights are less forgiven, so focus on those first.
Perhaps watch this video. My settings is quite similiar to his.
When you get a macro lens and pair it with a flash, use S-OVF. Otherwise, the viewfinder will be very dark. Do yourself a favour and get a flash and diffuser (a cheap one is fine, but a "shield" is definitely better) right away, to be able to use low ISO values, freeze the subjects and use consistent light.
When focus bracketing, focus somewhere on the subject and move the camera slightly back to get the front of the insect in focus as well. Focusing directly on their thin antennas will often lead to focus hunting or less precision. If it is a bit windy, hold the leaf and/or branch with one hand.
My biggest recommendations are to customise most if not all of the buttons, use custom modes for specific genres and scenes, experiment with lower shutter speeds than adviced, and to use hightlight&shadow clipping thresholds. The OM-1 II is heavily customisable, birds are dynamic, and one will often change settings. Procapture is a really great standout settings as well, though I have not tried it yet.
The stabilisation is wonderful, and if the bird is quite still, you can get away with very low shutter speeds. For instance, I have no issues handholding the 300 Pro at 1/10s, both with and without teleconverters. Some motion in the wings or legs can also give some character in some scenes.
As for highlight&shadow clipping thresholds, I recommend exposing for the highlights whenever there is white and bright plumage, usually -0.3 to -1.3 EV. If the bird is dark allover, I recommend exposing for the shadows, usually +1.0 to even +3.0. Highlights are less forgiven, so focus on those first.
Perhaps watch this video. My settings is quite similiar to his.
When you get a macro lens and pair it with a flash, use S-OVF. Otherwise, the viewfinder will be very dark. Do yourself a favour and get a flash and diffuser (a cheap one is fine, but a "shield" is definitely better) right away, to be able to use low ISO values, freeze the subjects and use consistence light. When focus bracketing, focus on the subject and move the camera slightly back to get the front of the insect in focus as well. Focusing directly on their thin antennas will often lead to focus hunting or less precision.
My biggest recommendations are to customise most if not all of the buttons, use custom modes for specific genres and scenes, experiment with lower shutter speeds than adviced, and to use hightlight&shadow clipping thresholds. The OM-1 II is heavily customisable, birds are dynamic, and one will often change settings.
The stabilisation is wonderful, and if the bird is quite still, you can get away with very low shutter speeds. For instance, I have no issues handholding the 300 Pro at 1/10s, both with and without teleconverters. Some motion in the wings or legs can also give some character in some scenes.
As for highlight&shadow clipping thresholds, I recommend exposing for the highlights whenever there is white and bright plumage, usually -0.3 to -1.3 EV. If the bird is dark allover, I recommend exposing for the shadows, usually +1.0 to even +3.0. Highlights are less forgiven, so focus on those first.
Perhaps watch this video. My settings is quite similiar to his.
When you get a macro lens and pair it with a flash, use S-OVF. Otherwise, the viewfinder will be very dark. Do yourself a favour and get a flash and diffuser (a cheap one is fine, but a "shield" is definitely better) right away, to be able to use low ISO values, freeze the subjects and use consistence light. When focus bracketing, focus on the subject and move the camera slightly back to get the front of the insect in focus as well. Focusing directly on their thin antennas will often lead to focus hunting or less precision.
My biggest recommendations are to customise most if not all of the buttons, use custom modes for specific genres and scenes, experiment with lower shutter speeds than adviced, and to use hightlight&shadow clipping thresholds. The OM-1 II is heavily customisable, birds are dynamic, and one will often change settings.
The stabilisation is wonderful, and if the bird is quite still, you can get away with very low shutter speeds. For instance, I have no issues handholding the 300 Pro at 1/10s, both with and without teleconverters. Some motion in the wings or legs can also give some character in some scenes.
As for highlight&shadow clipping thresholds, I recommend exposing for the highlights whenever there is white and bright plumage, usually -0.3 to -1.3 EV. If the bird is dark allover, I recommend exposing for the shadows, usually +1.0 to even +3.0. Highlights are less forgiven, so focus on those first.
Perhaps watch this video. My settings is quite similiar to his.
When you get a macro lens and pair it with a flash, use S-OVF. Otherwise, the viewfinder will be very dark. When focus bracketing, focus on the subject and move the camera slightly back to get the front of the insect in focus as well. Focusing directly on their thin antennas will often lead to focus hunting or less precision.
Jun 15, 2026 at 06:28 AM
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