DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY NEWS FROM ePHOTOzine

  Do Your Research

So attracting birds in the winter is fairly easy – it's a perfect season for baiting them, but do a little research to find – firstly – the birds in your area, and secondly the foods that will attract them. Most Bird books will list birds by region, and detail their preferred foods. Most garden birds are fairly easy, fat-rich foods will attract most types to your garden, try black sunflower seeds, fat balls, and peanuts, but make sure they are all in appropriate feeders. Peanuts need to be in a wire feeder for small birds such as tits, as they will otherwise get stuck in their throats. Robins love mealworms, which can be bought either dried, or live. Blackbirds, starlings and the like love old fruit – so when your Christmas fruit is getting a bit wrinkly – put it out for the birds, and you'll be treated to loads of visitors to your garden.

Remember, as well as garden birds, the British Isles – with its thousands of miles of coastland, is a haven for wintering waders, with Hooper Swan, Dunlin, Oystercatcher and Knot numbers swelling through the winter months. A visit to the coast can prove very successful through the winter.

 

Setting Up

Make no mistake, photographing winter birds is cold work, sitting outside for a few hours without any exercise to warm you up means you really do need to wrap up warmly. I use a portable hide, with a built-in seat, my tripod with a Gimbal head with either a 400mm or 600mm lens on my camera. The Gimbal head effectively takes all the weight of the lens, and supports it exactly on it's point of balance. It can be locked in both the vertical and horizontal planes, or left free to pivot and follow moving birds, both in flight, or moving over the ground.

Although long lenses are essential, particularly exotic glass isn't always necessary, with excellent results possible from 80-400mm or 100-400mm lenses. Wide maximum apertures make focusing and composing quick and easy, but you don't need f/2.8 apertures for 99% of your bird photography, but remember, as you get beyond 300mm, lenses become significantly more difficult to use, more prone to movement, with a very narrow band of focus. Rather than relying on super-long lenses, spend and extra half-hour getting closer to the subject.

  Feed The Birds

When preparing to photograph garden birds, don't simply put the food out in your garden and expect them to come immediately – rather, feed them through the whole of the winter, and you will be rewarded with a rich variety of garden visitors. If you are using a hide, make sure it's in place for a good few days before you even attempt photography.
 

Move your Feeders

Pictures of birds on feeders really don't inspire, so make sure your feeders are situated in an area where there are good natural perches – or interesting ground for ground-feeders. Wedge nuts and pieces of fat-balls into cracks in the trunk or branches of a tree - birds feeding from these hidden "feeders" look much more natural – acorns wedged into the bark of a tree can attract Jays – so try to get a supply soon from your nearest oak tree.

 

Photo by John Gravett
 

Let It Snow

If you're lucky enough to have a covering of snow, it always adds to the wintry feel, but check your exposure first, to make sure you're not underexposing the snow. With low winter light levels, be careful to ensure a high-enough shutter speed and sufficient depth-of-field in your photos. It's always tempting to shoot at a wide aperture and throw the background out of focus, but make sure enough of the bird is sharp! I've got photos where the eye is in focus, but the front of the breast isn't – and although you might not get everything from beak to tail crisp, beak, eye and breast is a good minimum.

At The Coast & Nature Reserves 

For shoreline birds, there are other considerations. Tides being the most important, - especially if you're thinking of using a hide. I often work without a hide by the coast – using long grasses for cover. As the tide comes in – shore feeding birds are forced further up the beach – closer to your vantage point. Do make sure you are above the high-tide line if you're planning this approach. Whenever you're working on a beach, do all you can to break up your outline, even lying prone on the beach covered with a bit of camouflage netting can take away the obvious human outline. For cheap camo netting, look on eBay, there's always loads about. Your local RSPB reserve can have a wealth of winter visitors, and their web-sites will usually have a list of birds visiting. 

Article by John Gravett of Lakeland Photographic Holidays -www.lakelandphotohols.com

 

Sony has launched the Alpha 7 V, the fifth generation of its full-frame mirrorless A7 series, featuring a new 33MP Exmor RS sensor, improved AI-powered autofocus, blackout-free shooting up to 30fps, and advanced video capabilities such as oversampled 4K 60p in full-frame and 4K 120p in Super 35mm crop mode. Alongside the camera, Sony also introduced the compact FE 28–70mm f/3.5–5.6 OSS II lens, designed to complement the A7 V’s speed and versatility. The Alpha 7 V body is priced at around £2,799 / €2,999 and is already available, while the new lens is scheduled to arrive in February 2026 for about £429 / €479.

 

From Sony:

Sony introduces the Alpha 7 V, the highly anticipated fifth generation in the popular Alpha 7 Full-frame mirrorless line-up powered by the newly developed partially stacked Exmor RS™ CMOS image sensor with approximately 33.0 effective MP (megapixels). The new image processing engine BIONZ XR2™1 incorporates the AI processing unit functions of the latest α™ (AlphaTM) series. Through these innovations, the Alpha 7 V delivers a significant performance boost across every aspect of imaging, from Real-time Recognition2 AF(Auto-Focus) to Real-time Tracking3, speed, stable colour accuracy, still capture, and video versatility.

Additionally, Sony launches the FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS II, a full-frame compatible, compact and lightweight standard zoom lens that supports the Alpha 7 V’s high-speed continuous shooting.

“The Alpha 7 V resets expectations on what an all-around Full-frame camera can achieve,” said Yann Salmon-Legagneur, Head of Marketing, Sony Imaging, Products and Solutions, Sony Europe. “By evolving autofocus intelligence, colour science, and system responsiveness, we’re enriching our expanding lineup with a powerful new option that provides creators with an advanced tool capable of keeping up with their creativity and bringing them one step closer to achieving their dreams.” 

AI-Powered Performance Boosts

The Alpha 7 V integrates the AI processing unit into the BIONZ XR2 engine, delivering a substantial leap in autofocus speed, accuracy, and reliability. The Alpha 7 V has up to 30% improvement4 in Real-time Recognition AF that instantly recognises targeted subjects and continues to capture them with high precision. With 759 phase-detection points and up to 94% frame coverage, the camera ensures precise subject tracking across nearly the entire image area, even in challenging low-light conditions down to EV -4.05.

High-resolution RAW processing is now supported through Imaging Edge Desktop application6 for unparalleled post-production flexibility. 

 

No compromise High-speed Continuous Shooting

The combination of a partially stacked Exmor RS™ CMOS image sensor with approximately 4.5 times faster7 readout speed increased and the BIONZ XR2™ processor results in high image quality with minimal distortion.

Additionally, high-precision tracking with up to 60 times AF/AE calculations per second and blackout-free continuous shooting up to 30 fps8 with AF/AE tracking9 ensures no missed opportunities even with fast-moving subjects moving in complex patterns, such as in wildlife and sports photography. Even during 14-bit RAW shooting, it achieves high-speed continuous shooting at up to 30 fps with AF/AE tracking.

The Pre-Capture function10, which can record up to 1 second before the shutter is pressed, captures decisive moments even with subjects whose movements are difficult to predict, such as pets and sports.

 

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Outstanding Still Image Performance

Engineered for maximum creative control, the Alpha 7 V achieves up to 16 stops of dynamic range11, ensuring remarkable tonal detail across highlights and shadows. Even in scenes with extreme contrast, it expresses natural and smooth gradations from dark to bright areas.

The newly introduced AI-driven Auto White Balance (AWB) leverages advanced scene analysis for consistent colour rendering and uses light source estimation through deep learning technology. By automatically identifying the light source in the shooting environment with high precision and adjusting to appropriate colour tones, it enables natural and stable colour reproduction, resulting in more faithful colours and reducing post-production workload.

 

Versatile Video Capabilities

Expanding creative possibilities for hybrid creators, the Alpha 7 V introduces additional 4K recording modes, including 7K oversampled 4K 60p recording12 available in full-frame mode and 4K 120p13 mode recording in APS-C mode/Super 35mm delivers rich, detailed footage with exceptional flexibility in editing.

Full pixel readout without pixel binning enables highly detailed video recording down to the finest details.

The image stabilisation features Dynamic Active Mode14, enabling smooth and stable video expression even when handheld. Users can enjoy high-quality video recording in a wide range of scenes, from vlogs and creative productions to capturing family memories.

The camera also features an Auto Framing function that automatically maintains optimal composition of subjects during recording through AI-powered subject recognition. This enables stable composition video recording in various scenes

New in-camera noise reduction and improved internal mic functionality15 ensures high-quality audio recording by reducing steady background noises, minimising interference, and maintaining natural sound.

Enhanced Operability and Usability 

Designed with efficiency in mind, the Alpha 7 V offers Wi-Fi® 6E GHz compatibility16 for high-speed, stable wireless transmission, along with dual USB Type-C® ports for improved workflow and flexibility.

Vertical format support and an adjustable electronic shutter sound make shooting adaptable across diverse environments.

The 4-axis multi-angle monitor combines tilt and vari-angle design, offering unrestricted horizontal and vertical adjustment for greater shooting freedom.

A better finger fit on the grip provides improved comfort, stability, and control during extended sessions.

 

Built for Reliability 

The Alpha 7 V features upgraded power management and enhanced stamina performance, enabling longer shooting sessions without interruption. A new Monitor Low Bright mode extends battery life17 even further, while improved thermal management supports extended18 4K recording with uncompromised quality, approximately 630 shots when using viewfinder per CIPA standards.

FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS II – The All-Around Lens 

 

Compact, lightweight, and engineered for speed, the FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS II is designed to fully leverage the continuous shooting19 capabilities of the Alpha 7 V sensor. When combined with compatible cameras, this new lens offers up to 120 fps AF/AE tracking20, continuous shooting, seamless body-lens coordinated image stabilisation, AF available even during zooming, and built-in breathing compensation support. From dynamic action shots to fast-paced events or high-quality video capture, this lens delivers smooth, dependable responsiveness and flexibility.

 

Social Responsibility 

Aligned with Sony's ambitious 'Road to Zero' initiative, this product supports the company's vision for achieving a zero environmental footprint by 2050. The Sony Group's manufacturing facilities for imaging products, including the Alpha 7 V and FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS II, operate at 100% renewable energy. The packaging uses Sony's proprietary environmentally friendly Original Blended Material21 instead of plastic22.

 

Pricing and Availability 

The Alpha 7 V Body will be available to purchase from 2nd December 2025 for approximately £2,799 / 2,999 EUR.

The FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS II will be available in February 2026 for approximately £429 / 479EUR.

Exclusive stories and exciting new content shot with the new Alpha 7 V and Sony's other imaging products can be found here, a site created to inform, educate, and inspire content creators.

For more information, please visit the Sony website.

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Footnotes

[1] Bionz XR Two.

[2] Available subject settings are: AUTO, Human, Animal/Bird, Animal, Bird, Insect, Car/Train, and Airplane. Subject types other than the type specified may be erroneously recognised in some cases.

[3] [Tracking] in the menu.

[4] The 30% improvement is a value from Sony's internal measurement comparing the eye recognition performance for human eye with the real-time Eye AF of the Alpha 7 IV.

[5] AF-S, ISO 100 equivalent, F2.0 lens.

[6] The latest version of Imaging Edge Desktop required. Download at Creators' Cloud Web page. Network services, content, and operating system and software subject to terms and conditions and may be changed, interrupted or discontinued at any time and may require fees, registration and credit card information.

[7] Compared to the Alpha 7 IV. Based on Sony measurement conditions.

[8] When using the electronic shutter. [Hi+] continuous shooting mode. A software update may be required for some lenses. See Sony’s support web page for information on compatible lenses

[9] When using electronic shutter, based on Sony measurement conditions. Continuous shooting speed may decrease depending on shooting conditions. When focus mode is set to AF-C, continuous shooting speed varies depending on the attached lens. For details, please check the lens compatibility information support page.

[10] Still image shooting only.

[11] Applicable only in mechanical shutter mode.

[12] When [4K angle of view Priority] is ON.

[13] When [4K Angle of View Priority] is ON.

[14] Angle of view is reduced more than in Active Mode. Clear Image Zoom is not available when using Dynamic active Mode. Maximum ISO sensitivity is ISO25600.

[15] The effectiveness of reducing lens power zoom noise varies depending on the type of lens used. Even with the setting turned on, it may take some time for the noise reduction function to take effect.

[16] 5 GHz/6 GHz communication may be restricted in some countries and regions. Requires compatible wireless network.

[17] Actual performance varies based on settings, environmental conditions, and usage.

[18] 4K recording time @ 25 deg is approximately 90 min; 4K recording time @40deg is approximately 60 min.

[19] Up to 30 fps AE/AF tracking.

[20] For compatible cameras, please refer to the support information.

[21] Paper material made from bamboo, sugarcane fibres, and post-consumer recycled paper.

[22] Excluding materials used in coatings and adhesives.