Flying Falcons at DVinfo.net

Sassi Haham · November 24th, 2008, 05:54 AM

Some birds in flight.
RED-FOOTED FALCON 2 By Sassi Haham On ExposureRoom
Best is to download, second best is HD directly from Exposureroom
Cheers
Sassi

Steve Phillipps · November 24th, 2008, 08:23 AM

Excellent stuff Sassi, are you still using the XL-2? If so, how're you getting the slomo?
Presumably on a big lens for the CUs of hovering falcons (500mm?)
Looks like a great place to spend a day filming raptors!
Steve

Sassi Haham · November 24th, 2008, 10:05 AM

Hi Steve ,I slowed from 60i (half resolution), the close ups are 500mm and the rest is 200mm-500mm range. Shutter is 1/400-1/30 (I prefer 1/120) .
The RF Falcons migrate through some parts of the country and one can expect them to fuel up for a few days on a good field.
These were the only falcons I saw this season and I had them only for one and a half hours.
Sassi

Per Johan Naesje · November 24th, 2008, 12:54 PM

Sassi, excellent footage you got there. At first glance I thought you've used a HD camcorder for it's rich color and sharpness!
I've never seen a red-foot falcon "live" myself. Very impressive close-up with the 500mm.
Strange to view how the falcon is able to "lock" the head in the air and only it's wing and body are moving.
Thanks for sharing!

Ofer Levy · November 25th, 2008, 07:26 AM

Great work Sassi !! Some of the shots are fantastic and your technique is impressive. Imagine getting this with the Sony PMW EX3, in camera slow motion of 60fps played at 25p, 1/2 inch sensors, 1920x1080, 25p, if you think about upgrading - this is the camera for you....

Brendan Marnell · November 26th, 2008, 12:27 PM

Delightful to watch, Sassi.

What size file was your 6.47 minutes before compression? How was that amount of footage compressed to under 74Mbs? After such good videography well-edited it is great to be able to view the finished result in high class image quality.

Steve Siegel · November 26th, 2008, 08:23 PM

Sassi,
These shots are just stupendous. It's like watching "Winged Migration". The hovering shots are so perfectly free of extraneous movement. What tripod and head do you use?

Dale Guthormsen · November 27th, 2008, 06:54 PM

Sassi,

I have been involved with raptors for 47 years and some of your footage is the best I have seen in a couple regards. You show extremely well how when they are flying that their heads stay still while the body makes all the adjustments!!! You have caught hovering (all kestrel type falcons do this) the absolute best. the shot with the adult on the far side and the immature to the front is fabulous!!!!
The dark falcon is just a dark morph or melanistic version of the same species, right?
It is always interesting finding family groups together or areas where they congregate to feed on abundant food. It appeared they were mostly feeding on locusts or some sort of large insects. However the one you showed flying off with a substantial kill in its feet.

Got a kick out of the crows mauling each other!!

the large raptor, was that a Kite or a form of harrier?

Truly great stuff and after seeing how good that was in hd on my hd monitor I am going to have to gert an xlh1 this spring.

thank you for sharing!!!

The site you use, do you have to suscribe to that site or is an open site??

Annie Haycock · December 4th, 2008, 03:41 AM

Awesome footage.

I haven't been to Isreal, but the falcons, black kite, hooded crows, cattle egrets etc took me back to Greece and Turkey 19 years ago. What was the warbler? I know - I should get the books out again and figure it out for myself!

Mat Thompson · December 4th, 2008, 04:51 AM

Hi Sassi

Great stuff. I've been trying to film Kestrels here in the UK. The problem is always you see plenty hovering by the road side, hunting the verges where its tough getting access to them and in more open countryside you rarely see them.

Anyway, as Per mentioned the stillness of the head when in flight is amazing and you document this really well. Love the music too, although by way of a small critique the edit seems not to follow much of thread but is fine as a collection of shots.

Well done fella !!!

November 24th, 2008, 05:54 AM	#1
Sassi Haham Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Yaad, Galilee Posts: 117	Flying Falcons Some birds in flight. RED-FOOTED FALCON 2 By Sassi Haham On ExposureRoom Best is to download, second best is HD directly from Exposureroom Cheers Sassi Attached Thumbnails

November 24th, 2008, 12:54 PM	#4
Per Johan Naesje Trustee Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Akershus, Norway Posts: 1,413	Sassi, excellent footage you got there. At first glance I thought you've used a HD camcorder for it's rich color and sharpness! I've never seen a red-foot falcon "live" myself. Very impressive close-up with the 500mm. Strange to view how the falcon is able to "lock" the head in the air and only it's wing and body are moving. Thanks for sharing! __________________ - Per Johan

November 27th, 2008, 06:54 PM	#8
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	Sassi, I have been involved with raptors for 47 years and some of your footage is the best I have seen in a couple regards. You show extremely well how when they are flying that their heads stay still while the body makes all the adjustments!!! You have caught hovering (all kestrel type falcons do this) the absolute best. the shot with the adult on the far side and the immature to the front is fabulous!!!! The dark falcon is just a dark morph or melanistic version of the same species, right? It is always interesting finding family groups together or areas where they congregate to feed on abundant food. It appeared they were mostly feeding on locusts or some sort of large insects. However the one you showed flying off with a substantial kill in its feet. Got a kick out of the crows mauling each other!! the large raptor, was that a Kite or a form of harrier? Truly great stuff and after seeing how good that was in hd on my hd monitor I am going to have to gert an xlh1 this spring. thank you for sharing!!! The site you use, do you have to suscribe to that site or is an open site?? __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen

December 4th, 2008, 03:41 AM	#9
Annie Haycock Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Pembrokeshire, Wales Posts: 734	Awesome footage. I haven't been to Isreal, but the falcons, black kite, hooded crows, cattle egrets etc took me back to Greece and Turkey 19 years ago. What was the warbler? I know - I should get the books out again and figure it out for myself! __________________ Canon XH A1; Canon XF100; Nikon D800

November 24th, 2008, 08:23 AM	#2
Steve Phillipps Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Wales Posts: 2,130	Excellent stuff Sassi, are you still using the XL-2? If so, how're you getting the slomo? Presumably on a big lens for the CUs of hovering falcons (500mm?) Looks like a great place to spend a day filming raptors! Steve

November 24th, 2008, 10:05 AM	#3
Sassi Haham Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Yaad, Galilee Posts: 117	Hi Steve ,I slowed from 60i (half resolution), the close ups are 500mm and the rest is 200mm-500mm range. Shutter is 1/400-1/30 (I prefer 1/120) . The RF Falcons migrate through some parts of the country and one can expect them to fuel up for a few days on a good field. These were the only falcons I saw this season and I had them only for one and a half hours. Sassi

November 25th, 2008, 07:26 AM	#5
Ofer Levy Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sydney-Australia Posts: 443	Great work Sassi !! Some of the shots are fantastic and your technique is impressive. Imagine getting this with the Sony PMW EX3, in camera slow motion of 60fps played at 25p, 1/2 inch sensors, 1920x1080, 25p, if you think about upgrading - this is the camera for you....

November 26th, 2008, 12:27 PM	#6
Brendan Marnell Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 938	Delightful to watch, Sassi. What size file was your 6.47 minutes before compression? How was that amount of footage compressed to under 74Mbs? After such good videography well-edited it is great to be able to view the finished result in high class image quality.

November 26th, 2008, 08:23 PM	#7
Steve Siegel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Posts: 839	Sassi, These shots are just stupendous. It's like watching "Winged Migration". The hovering shots are so perfectly free of extraneous movement. What tripod and head do you use?

December 4th, 2008, 04:51 AM	#10
Mat Thompson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 1,397	Hi Sassi Great stuff. I've been trying to film Kestrels here in the UK. The problem is always you see plenty hovering by the road side, hunting the verges where its tough getting access to them and in more open countryside you rarely see them. Anyway, as Per mentioned the stillness of the head when in flight is amazing and you document this really well. Love the music too, although by way of a small critique the edit seems not to follow much of thread but is fine as a collection of shots. Well done fella !!!