some new frog and toad photos with a state of the art camera....

[Gato Moteado]

...and makeshift flash diffusion.

i gave away my custom flash diffuser and am looking to sell my nikon D750, D850 as well as my nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 zoom and my lumix G9 with the olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 pro zoom.

i just purchased a nikon Z8 (which i made these images with) and an olympus OM-1.

i'm confident that once i have some custom diffusion, the photos will be 1000% better....here are the first shots with the new nikon and the nikkor 50mm macro for Z mount:







this toad shot was a bit under-exposed, but view it at 100% and look what's behind his/her left elbow:

[MOMFUDSKI]

1. Thanks!

Frogs 🐸 rock

[Wingus Dingus]

2. Yuck, is that a tick?

Beautiful photos!

[MiHale]

7. Believe so...seen way too many ...

Unintended subjects are always cool to find.

[Gato Moteado]

9. yep, it's a tick

and i've been seeing the toad in the same area every night...tick was still on it last night. i'm tempted to remove and kill the tick.

[ShazzieB]

28. I always thought ticks only went after warm-blooded animals.

I've read that sensing body heat is one way they find hosts. Obviously that is not the only way!

If you get a chance to remove that thing from the frog, I would do it. Just because.

Beautiful detail in these photos. It's always fun to get such a closeup view of tiny creatures and see all the details that aren't discernible to the naked eye.

[Gato Moteado]

29. reptiles get them all the time....i just never recall seeing an amphibian with one.....

....but toads are pretty terrestrial and don't enter the water very much and if they're only in water for short periods, a tick would not likely drown.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. My dear Gato! These are just wonderful. The clarity and details so impressive. Thank you! ♥ nt

[Gato Moteado]

15. thanks, peg

[anciano]

4. Like! 👍

[Gato Moteado]

16. thank you

[Bayard]

5. These are terrific, Gato!

[Gato Moteado]

17. thanks...they're ok...we're gonna get better from here

[Ocelot II]

6. Beautiful photos!

[Gato Moteado]

18. thanks....with more diffusion of the flash they should get much better

[2naSalit]

8. Amazing!

[Gato Moteado]

19. thanks...not there yet...but i'm shooting for it

[Bundbuster]

10. National Geographic quality!

[Gato Moteado]

20. thanks! damn, i wish i were nat geo quality

[AndyS]

11. I don't usually link equipment to the images it makes.

I still believe that cameras do not make pictures, they simply allow you too extract them from inside your imagination and share them with others.

While that is still true, for someone with your skill set, expertise and knowledge adding a new set of tools will open new doors.

It is amazing how much technology that mirrorbox held up and Nikon took full advantage of losing that obstruction. It's like they made the decision to go mirrorless and told their design engineers, "Fly little birds! Find the heights and then go higher!"

I won't comment on the OM1 as I tend to get a little evangelical

As you explore the new menus and find all the magic stored there your pictures will get better--not that any ordinary person will see it at your skill level--even if you are the only one to see it. You and National Geographic . . .

[Gato Moteado]

21. thanks, man...

yes, i agree that it's the photographer, not the camera brand or model number.

nikon was too slow to get into the mirrorless game and their AF was unimpressive for a long while....this last gen of Z cameras is so much better and hopefully the AF will continue to improve. anyway, i'm ready to let go of the D850 and D750.

yeah the OM is a great little piece of technology....the single point AF is lightning fast.

[Ferrets are Cool]

30. That's the reason I went to Sony years ago

And never went back. Great stuff there!!

[Walleye]

12. Excellent pictures, that red eyed frog looks like he's about to speak

Is that a tick on that toad, didn’t I know they went for cold-blooded animals. That’s a beautiful macro lens.

[Gato Moteado]

22. thanks....yes, it's a tick....

...reptiles get them all the time....i see snakes loaded with them. i think this is the first amphibian i've seen with one, though, it's not surprising as these cane toads rarely go into the water for anything other than breeding.

[Walleye]

25. Cool, thanks

[flying_wahini]

13. You are such a great photographer Gato.

The birds and frogs are my favorites!

[Gato Moteado]

23. well, thank you so much....i've got a long way to go to get where i'd like to be

[Grumpy Old Guy]

14. Congratulations, & welcome to the world of mirrorless.

You're going to love the Z8. It's an amazing camera, as is the D850. Someone else will put your old camera to good use.

Excellent photos, as always. The detail is superb. Too bad you can't use the same diffusion setup.

[Gato Moteado]

24. thanks....and while this is my first nikon mirrorless....

i got into mirrorless with a sony years and years ago.....then about 5 years ago (give or take) i bought my first lumix. then i upgraded the sony to a sony A7Rii and the lumix GH4 to a G9. i woulda got into the nikon Z platform much earlier but they really struggled with AF. the Z8 seems solid where AF is concerned. the frame rate is insane and no blackout!

[mike_c]

26. these are beautiful

Flash diffusion is like the holy grail. You never stop pursuing it.

[Gato Moteado]

27. yes! you understand that as well as anyone....

....especially with shiny stuff like beetles!