just got an E-P1, stuck a tamron 500mm on the front and shot this - I know I can do better, but am delighted so far

What class is your SD card?

I think they're great - what a great opportunity to see these sparrow hawk chicks so close! I just watched it and my dog = and cat - both pricked up their ears.

Nice color, too.

__________________
**An evolving camera owner.

~ BB
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it doesn't say - so I assume it's nothing special.

Getting a higher class card will improve your video quality.

thanks BBW - my expectations were low as I was shooting with the sun behind the tree (subjects in evening shade) with a lot of wind, as can be seen with the tree, 500mm legacy lens etc I didn't even set the IS FL!

also surprised at the sound - better than I expected.

if they haven't fledged fully by Sunday I will go back and do it again properly with a tripod, DZ glass and 12 hours earlier!

interesting - in what way?

obviously this one has been very compressed on top of the shooting issues

Why does the tree appear to ripple left/right?

This is because of the rolling electronic shutter, used for video, present in most all CMOS sensor cameras.

An interline transfer CCD (used in a dedicated video camera) will have a global shutter that eliminates this effect by integrating all the pixels at exactly the same time.

To reduce that rolling shutter effect, the only surefire method is to up the shutter speed. Of course that is not always preferable in low light siutations, it's the best way to get less jerky results. It won't beat the effect, but it will help reduce its appearance.