These two bank vole images are not cropped:
Bank voles are approx 3" / 8cm in length - excluding the tail which is half the body length.
Since first discovering the bank voles I've placed a few small pieces of limestone rock adjacent to their 'hideaway'; the seed encourages them to pose for a few seconds on the rocks. The reserve is a disused limestone quarry.
Camera used is a modified Nikon 1 J5 fitted (for these images) with 21mm extension tube and a 1 Nikkor 70-300mm VR lens. (189-810mm FF equivalent) … usually at the 300mm setting which enables an approx 2m comfortable lens to subject distance.
Lens is also used with up to 99mm length auto tubes for 'in the field' insect images. The 1" sensor has a 2.7x crop factor.
The 'entry level' plastic bodied Nikon J5 has the best sensor of all the discontinued Nikon 1 cameras - but it does not have an EVF - hence the adapted Zakuto finder attached to the J5's monitor which enables very comfortable viewing / composition. The J5/ tubes/ lens combination is supported on a Gitzo tripod / Jobu Design gimbal … which is an 'overkill' for the lightweight outfit … but it enables efficient composition.
The whole apparatus with me sitting on the trolley seat … but on this occasion used without tubes for photographing small birds at the same habitat. This image was taken by my friend and forum member barnack-bill (Mike J)
Using the trolley seat just above ground level for photographing bank voles is a relaxing and comfortable experience … and being 2m distant gives a better perspective than when e.g. using a shorter focal length lens with a closer more intrusive subject distance.
And to show the same apparatus' close-up potential with butterflies the following Peacock specimen was photographed last week at the Swaddywell reserve. These two images were taken 'handheld' without a tripod using the J5 and lens IS.
Nikon did not offer any extension tubes for the Nikon 1 system but several independent brand auto tubes sets are available … in sets of two or three. I use as many as 7 coupled tubes to achieve up to 99mm extension with the 70-300mm VR lens
dunk
Best wishes
dunk
