Camera sits on the remote head, about 10 m from where the birds are. I’m 20 m back with a phone and a small joystick — live video off the camera, pan and tilt, autofocus and shutter, all remote. No bait, nothing automated; the framing and the timing are still mine.

I’m a product manager by day, not a camera engineer, so this is very much a hobby build: CNC aluminium, two joint motors, and a small Linux SBC doing the video link over WiFi. Latency is around 50 ms, which is just about fast enough to follow a bird by hand.

Short clip of it running at a park here in Singapore: https://youtu.be/Tw6rA5hzyMc?si=8xU7_FCOHvec9fA_

What it actually fixed for me: I used to shoot everything at 800mm from 25–30 m out. Now the camera is at 10 m with a shorter lens and the files are noticeably cleaner, mostly because there’s far less air in the way.

What’s still bad about it:

• Heavy. Two motors plus the aluminium add up about 1kg
• A plain 3/8" screw works loose under the yaw inertia, so it really wants a video tripod with a bowl.
• No internal battery — runs off a 100 W USB-C power bank.
• Takes a few minutes to set up, so it’s useless for anything that happens suddenly.

The question I actually have: is “I can’t get close enough” a real problem for you, or am I just impatient? I’d genuinely like to know whether this is a solution looking for a problem before I spend more weekends on it.

Nothing for sale, no Kickstarter, no newsletter. Just the clip and the question.

Whidbey Island, WA

Birds are my special interest. I was a wildlife photographer for over 5 years. Sadly, photography quickly consumed my entire life. I was trapped by perfectionism and competition. Addicted to external validation. I constantly pushed myself past what was healthy. I deep down felt like an imposter. I so often lost sight of the moment. Instead of spending time with the birds I became impatient with them. I’m someone who talks to wild birds, names them. When I let go of the camera, my relationship to them transformed to something more intimate. There was less pressure to produce. To please my family.

However, I can now look back at my photos with mixed feelings - grief, gratitude, and new founded self love and internal boundaries. They are emblematic of my journey and growth as an artist and person. I have 1000s of photos that have vivid memories attached to them. I am no longer interested in picking up my camera though, I tried and it gives me tremendous anxiety and flashbacks.

I just binos or using my eyes and ears. I hardly even take photos with my phone - and I cry a lot, feel so connected.

The little girl who frolicked at the zoo is alive now.

The best part is I now believe I am good enough - and I love standing in a forest or next to a creek and being fully immersed. The presence without pressure to produce an image is amazing.

I now see the beauty and value in it all, and the journey.

The birds have been with me through everything. 🥰

A broad-headed bark spider (Caerostris sp)

Have you seen one before?

Which one is your favorite?

Ive been thinking about buying a cheap camera to upgrade from my s25 photography, although I'm more into the wildlife rather than the photography.

Fall photoshoot with my local bear cubs - looks like we have a little female cub along with another little male this season. Changing it up from the two males she had last litter.

See that little dangly bit on the end of her tail? That’s her perennial tuft that helps direct urine away from her body and towards the ground behind her to stay clean and aid in scent marking.

Even caught Mumma Bear cooling off in the new water feature before getting back to her busy foraging schedule.

After several fruitless attempts, we finally managed to sight a Serval, one of the most elusive cats of the savannah.

📷 Photographed with Nikon Z 8 + Z 180-600 mm

🧭 Amboseli National Park, Kenya

I believe they were all shot on om1 with 300mm f4.

Shot today in Utah

NE Wisconsin

Catalina Island Fox seen on a hike on Santa Catalina. Very cute little endemic species on the island.

British Columbia Canada

Spotted in a small forest patch - a female Broad-handed Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa latipes) nectaring on Blue Fountain Bush (Rotheca serrata / Clerodendrum serratum).

One of the largest bees we have here in India, completely black with wings that flash blue-green-gold depending on the light.

Location: Koyna, Maharashtra

ID help: The flower is also known as Bharangi / Blue butterfly bush.

Whidbey Island, WA

Portrait of a Heron. Taken at my local park

An Elephant and her calf, just around two month old, walking through the savannah.

📷 Nikon Z8 + Z 180-600 mm

🧭 Amboseli national reserve, Kenya