Ecuadorian Antpittas (Nikon D300s and Olympus OM-D E5)

Just returned from Ecuador and I'll be posting pictures from my trip in the next few days.

I usually carry on my back a Nikon D300s, a Nikon 500mm f4, a Gitzo tripod and a Wimberley head.  Adds up to about 20 pds of gear plus the back pack and the binoculars.  I have so far managed to that regularly.  But age and energy doing their thing, I have opted for and OM-D and a Zuiko Micro 4/3 75-300 mm lens as a back up kit.

So here I am, in the lower Andes, weather is uncertain, rainy, hot, the trail is muddy and steep and I have about 2-3 km to get to the antpittas observation spot.  I confess. I choose the light OMD.  Managed to get some acceptable shots of the ochre-breasted antpitta.  It was very dark, so shot at high ISO, hand-held.

On the other hand, the white-bellied antpitta shot was shot with my D300s and my 500 mm, on a tripod.  Weather was more acceptable and the walk much shorter.

Love both cameras.  

White-bellied Antpitta (Nikon D300s, 500 mm, ISO 1000

Ochre-breasted Antpitta (Olympus OM-D, Zuiko 75-300mm, ISO 4000)

Ochre-breasted Antpitta (Olympus OMD, Zuiko 75-300, ISO 6400)