Zhariff, a passionate photographer based in Kelantan, is one of the finalists of the Sony Bird Race 2025. He started out as a hobbyist, but photography has grown into a side business, and he now runs his own studio in Kelantan.
Encountering with Bird Photography
I first picked up a DSLR camera 17 years ago, focusing mainly on landscapes and portraits photography. However, around four years ago, I developed an interest in bird photography because a client hired me to make a coffee table book named “Birds of Kelantan”. And with Alpha A7 IV and FE200-600mm, I photograph birds around places in Kelantan and managed to publish the book with lots of good bird photos. The experience opened my eyes to beauty, patience, and challenge behind capturing birds in motion.
Alpha 7R V | FE 300mm F2.8G OSS + 1.4x TC | 420mm | F4.0 | 1/250s | ISO 1250
My Passion for Bird Photography
Bird photography is a wonderful hobby that allows me to feel close to nature. It’s a bit like fishing—some days I return home with a great catch, and other days with nothing at all. But that’s part of the excitement. The joy doesn’t end in the field. It continues when I sit down to edit, discovering the intricate details and vibrant colors of the birds I’ve captured. Each image tells a small story of patience, timing, and luck.
My passion for this field is so strong that I hardly notice the weight of my gear. Even on family vacations, I bring my telephoto lens along—just in case I spot some birds to photograph.
Alpha 7R V | FE 300mm F2.8G OSS + 1.4x TC | 420mm | F4.0 | 1/1000s | ISO 2500
About Camera, Lens and Tips for Bird Photography
Basically, any camera and telephoto lens can be used for bird photography. Even with the older camera Alpha 6300 paired with E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS lens, I believe you can capture beautiful bird photos as long as there’s enough light.
The most important things are not the gear itself, but the skills — spotting birds, blending into nature, aiming through the viewfinder, finding the right exposure, focusing accurately, and pressing the shutter at the perfect moment.
But bird photography is one of the genres that requires you to push the camera and lens capability to the max. When that happens, you’ll start to feel the desire to upgrade. Better cameras and lenses increase your chances of capturing great shots in challenging conditions, such as low light or high-speed action.
Alpha 7R V | FE 300mm F2.8G OSS + 1.4x TC | 420mm | F4.0 | 1/2000s | ISO 3200
What I Look for in a Camera for Bird Photography
Higher Megapixels:
I need a camera with a larger megapixel count but with good noise control. This allows me to crop the photos while still retaining the fine details of the birds clearly.
Better Auto focus:
Accurate and super-fast autofocus is essential for capturing fast-moving birds.
Higher continuous shooting rate:
Sometimes 10 frames per second is not enough for me when capturing birds in action. At least 20 frames per second or more gives me a better chance to get the perfect shot.
Pre-capture:
This is new features in Sony line up and only available in flagship model. It’s very useful for bird photography, and I hope Sony will introduce this feature in those A7 series in the future.
The camera I usually use is Alpha 7C II with both FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS lens and 1.4x/2.0x teleconverter. But recently, I had the opportunity to borrow Alpha 7R V at Sony Bird Race, which opened up new possibilities for my bird photography.
Because Alpha 7R V excels in these areas; High Megapixel and larger buffer storage, and it significantly enhances the quality of my photos. This allows me to obtain more detailed images, further increasing the enjoyment of bird photography. Larger buffer storage in Alpha 7R V allows me to shoot at high frame rate continuously for longer duration of time and thus giving more chance to get good photo
Alpha 7R V | FE 300mm F2.8G OSS + 1.4x TC | 420mm | F4.0 | 1/250s | ISO 100
Sony is the only brand in Malaysia that organize a Bird Race event. It’s a great event that not only promotes the brand but also encourages interest in bird and nature photography itself. I was very happy to join this event in both 2024 and 2025. I learned many new things, met professionals, and made new friends.
I’m looking forward to joining future events organized by Sony — not only in birding but also in other genres such as landscape and portrait photography.
