In this section we will show some of the gear we use to photograph birds. We use a lot big heavy gear to photograph these small birds. Wild bird photography in the Philippines is quite challenging. Even the process of building a rig is not easy. We found it very difficult trying to decide which pieces of kit to purchase from the many choices available. There is always a trade-off, weight, portability, price, quality, and performance. With new items always entering the market its not an easy task filtering all the information.

In this page we will talk about the gear we use, our favorite bits of kit, what we like and what we don't like. Hopefully this will be helpful for those who are thinking about similar gear and are looking for some field reviews. Our experience is based on our trips in the Philippines which has its own unique challenges to the wild bird photographer. We have a nation of 7,107 islands, rainforests, mountains, rivers and dirt trails, sun, rain, moisture, extreme heat and some cold weather. Its not easy to prepare for every situation, so its nice to have gear can handle the varied outdoor conditions.

Unique to the Philippines is the challenge of taking pictures of birds that are very wary of humans. We have visited a few other countries and bird photography is usually easier in other countries because the birds are friendlier. The habitat destruction, the hunting by humans and the general lack of infrastructure make Philippine Bird photography more difficult. I think these challenges are sometimes reflected in the kind of gear we choose.

We will keep updating entries to keep track of the performance, reliability, and durability of these products.