I took the Olympus E-PL2 and a tele lens for a workout at the KL Bird Park yesterday. The M.Zuiko 75-300mm lens is equivalent to a 150mm to 600 mm lens in old money. At f4.8 to f6.7, it may not be very fast but this zoom lens is so small and light. It made my romp around the park more enjoyable.

The weather went from hazy to sunny to rainy, all within a short span. Even under adverse lighting conditions, the AF was surprisingly snappy and accurate, requiring little manual intervention.

The only caveat is that the optional VF-2 electronic viewfinder becomes a necessity. Otherwise, it is near impossible to compose and keep steady by looking at the LCD screen alone. Every curious stranger who wanted to peep through the hotshoe-mounted viewfinder was blown away by its amazing clarity. It is a very expensive accessory, though.

Olympus E-PL2, ISO 1600, f6, 1/640 sec, M.Zuiko 75-300mm lens at 187mm

The Victoria Crowned Pigeon is the largest (surviving) pigeon and is very photogenic with its beautiful crest and plume. The ones at the Bird Park are quite tolerant of cameras.

Olympus E-PL2, ISO 640, f5.6, 1/640 sec, M.Zuiko 75-300mm lens at 132mm

The Cockatiels, Conures, Parrots and Parakeets are the first batch of birds to greet you when you walk into the world’s largest free-flight walk-in aviary. Unfortunately, the colourful Sun Conures are now caged-in. There are also a lot of netting in the background that is hard to avoid in this area.

Olympus E-PL2, ISO 200, f5, 1/640 sec, M.Zuiko 75-300mm lens at 75mm

This giant Pelican is a favourite with visitors. The diminutive 75-300mm lens also makes a great candid and portraiture lens at its shortest end.

Olympus E-PL2, ISO 640, f7.1, 1/1000 sec, M.Zuiko 75-300mm lens at 300mm

At the long end, the plane of focus is extremely narrow and tricky. The Auto-Focus nailed it when it locked onto this bird’s eye. It took a few attempts as the bird would turn back and forth, in rapid succession.

Olympus E-PL2, ISO 1000, f5, 1/640 sec, M.Zuiko 75-300mm lens at 75mm

No. This is not your regular Kampung Kok Kok Kai. It is the majestic Red Jungle Fowl.

Olympus E-PL2, ISO 250, f4.8, 1/640 sec, M.Zuiko 75-300mm lens at 75mm

Contortionist Bird. Since I always shoot at the wide 16:9 ratio, how can I resist this guy? The E-PL2 metering (and sensor) handled the scene with decent enough latitude.

Olympus E-PL2, ISO 400, f5, 1/800 sec, M.Zuiko 75-300mm lens at 75mm

Pretty In Pink. The colony of Flamingos turned out to be a little difficult to photograph. They were flapping, turning and twisting randomly, almost non-stop.

Olympus E-PL2, ISO 800, f4.8, 1/180 sec, M.Zuiko 75-300mm lens at 75mm

When the going gets dark, the flash gets going. The sun was setting and the light level was getting too low. I just popped (up) the flash and use it as fill light. Works pretty well on this colourful Indian Blue Peafowl.

Olympus E-PL2, ISO 1000, f3.6, 1/500 sec, M.Zuiko 14-42mm kit lens at 15mm

Pocket Rocket. For its reach and quality, the Olympus Micro Four Thirds 75-300mm  (600mm in 35mm equivalent) lens is smaller and lighter than a bottle of mineral water!

See also:
The Art Of Art Filters | Chinatown Temple with E-PL 2 | Dong Zen Flora Fest

Getting There: MyCen Map to The KL Bird Park

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