Sungai Buloh Nature Reserve with expert birder: comparing the CanonR6mk1 100-500mm with the OM1mk2 150-400mm Pro Zuiko

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When: November 2025 Weather: Warm 27C

OM1 mk 2 100-500mm Zuiko Pro and Canon R6.1 100-500mm

Having recently acquired the OM system we were considering what to get for our second body….another OM1mk2 for convenience and lens sharing or go full frame with the nex CanonR6mk3… our birding guru very kindly offered to go round Sungai Buloh with us to let us try his Canon system for comparison…..we had a great morning out…it’s amazing how much more we see when an expert guide shows us….

A bird perched on a tree branch surrounded by lush green leaves.
First pair of pix was our old friend the Buffy Fish Owl near the car park…
A bird perched on a branch surrounded by lush green foliage.

A stork with outstretched wings stands on a grassy area near water, showcasing its distinctive black and white plumage.
second pair of pix : Asian Open billed stork
A stork with outstretched wings standing on the ground near water, surrounded by green vegetation.
A bird perched on a branch, singing, surrounded by lush green foliage.
third pair of pix of white rumped shama which was also near the car park…detected by its melodious song. Thanks to KC for hearing and finding it!
A small bird with a black head and an orange belly perched on a branch, surrounded by green foliage.

A side view of a stork with a long orange beak and white feathers, standing near a body of water with a blurred background of plants.
Pair 4: painted stork
A large bird with a long beak and colorful plumage standing near a muddy area with some shells, surrounded by greenery.
painted stork

A brown and white heron standing on the shore of a wetland, with green foliage in the foreground and a blurred red dragonfly flying in the background.
Pair 5: The wonderful von Schrenck’s Bittern hunting down dragonflies…
A bird with striking patterns stands on a riverbank, gazing up at a dragonfly hovering above it, amidst lush green foliage.
schrenck’s bittern

So for these 5 pairs of pictures taken at the same spot under the same conditions and processed using LR classic, which ones did you prefer? Answers at the end of the post……

A crocodile partially submerged in water, surrounded by greenery.
The waters of sungai buloh are teeming with crocodiles… CanonR6
A close-up view of a crocodile's head partially submerged in water, surrounded by reflections of greenery.
keeping a close eye on everyone OM1
A close-up image of a red dragonfly perched on a green leaf, with a blurred green background.
stunning image of dragonfly by the CanonR6
Close-up of a bird with a long beak, standing near a body of water with blurred background elements.
the open billed storks were everywhere! OM1
Three birds on the ground with one large bird taking flight in the background, surrounded by green foliage.
this grey heron took exception to the open billed storks OM1
A group of three storks near a water body; two are standing still, while one is gracefully flying above them with its wings spread.
the painted storks were active OM1
A stork flying gracefully against a blurred green background, showcasing its long wings and beak.
painted stork in flight OM1
A water bird with a black body and white facial markings standing near a puddle, surrounded by fallen leaves and aquatic plants.
water hen by the path..canonR6
Close-up of a bird's head showcasing intricate feather patterns and a sharp beak against a dark background.
Schrenck’s Bittern CanonR6
A close-up of a heron standing in shallow water surrounded by greenery, captured in natural light.
Schrenck’s bittern OM1
Close-up of a bird's feathers showcasing intricate patterns and textures in shades of brown, white, and cream.
feather detail Schrenck’s Bittern OM1
A close-up of a small bird perched among green leaves, showcasing its colorful plumage and inquisitive expression.
Last bird of the day, we wandered over to the mangrove boardwalk in search of the copper throated sunbird…..eventually this male appeared… OM1
A close-up of a bird perched on a branch, surrounded by green leaves.
and flashed his gorgeously copper coloured throat at us….needed manual focus to nail this one….OM1

For the 5 sets of paired pictures at the beginning of the post, in each case the first picture was by the OM1 and the second was Canon R6. I would be interested in what viewers think….I don’t think there was much in it and of course the exposure and cropping affects it a bit.

Weight wise, the CanonR6 combination weighs about 20% less than the OM1mk2 combination, about 2kg vs 2.5kg. The price of the Canon is about half that of the OM1 though so these two factors are quiet important in making a decision as to which is the better choice.

One thought on “Sungai Buloh Nature Reserve with expert birder: comparing the CanonR6mk1 100-500mm with the OM1mk2 150-400mm Pro Zuiko”

  1. Super images from both systems. The Olympus lense wins on sheer quality but the R6 iii probably wins on noise and dynamic range BUT only if you don’t crop too severely. If reach and flexibility are top priorities, the OM system is hard to beat.

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