"I wouldn't go out without my binoculars if I was taking photos"

Chris Packham's gift for communicating his passion for the natural world makes him one of the UK's best-known naturalists. A popular TV presenter since 1986, he's also a prolific author and photographer, as well as an active conservationist and campaigner.

Chris regularly presents nature programmes for channels including the BBC, National Geographic and Animal Planet. Among them are the BBC's Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch, which he co-hosts with his stepdaughter Megan McCubbin, a zoologist, conservationist and photographer.

In this exclusive interview, John Maurice, Canon Europe's European Product Marketing Manager, talks to Chris and Megan about their experiences of observing nature with binoculars, the Canon kit they use to capture wildlife images and why a company's ethics are so important.

John: Binoculars are a key tool you use for identification. What magnification do you prefer?

Chris: There's always a balance between field of view and magnification, but I've used Canon's 10x32 IS binoculars since they first came out. They live in my kitchen cupboard because I've got a window nearby from which I look out onto my bird feeders. 10x is a good entry for people who don't know how good the image stabilisation is, because they'll be astonished if they try it. It's so good I've thought of increasing to a higher magnification to 12x or 14x, because the stabiliser makes those magnifications practical and hand-holdable.

John: Within the series you own, there's the 10x32 IS, 12x32 IS and 14x32 IS, and they're all the same size and weight – it's just the magnification that differs. A 10x pair of binoculars is about the equivalent of a 500mm lens. For things like birdwatching, people tend to use 8x up to 12x magnification. Meg, which binoculars are you using?

Megan McCubbin: I'm also using the Canon 10x32 IS binoculars. They're absolutely glued to me everywhere I go and even at home they're always within reach. They're the most comfortable binoculars I've used. I never realised how much I needed image stabilisation before I had them – it clears my mind so I can just focus on that detail I'm watching. Looking through those binoculars, I've seen things I wouldn't have otherwise seen.

John: There's a natural similarity between putting an Optical Image Stabilizer unit in binoculars and in our lenses – the optics shift, compensating for your movement. Without it, your eyes have to work really hard, especially when using high magnification binoculars, leading to eye fatigue and headaches if viewing over a long period of time.

Chris: For me, the other key thing about image stabilisation is the increased ability to identify things. There's no question, if you're looking at something at the extreme end, of its ability to be identified, specifically dots in the distance. As soon as you press the Image Stabilizer button, you can identify it. I think it buys you an extra bit of magnification because it allows the clarity of detail to appear as soon as you touch that button.

John: The binoculars you're using at the moment are not as heavy as the all-weather and waterproof models, but they still have some degree of weather resistance. That's probably where a lot of people will find a nice balance.

Megan: It's that sweet spot, isn't it? Because carrying cameras and lenses, the weight easily adds up, especially in remote locations when you're doing a lot of walking and hiking. But equally you don't want to compromise too much on that quality.

John: Chris, you've recently started using the Canon EOS R5. How have you found the experience of using that camera?

Chris: My favourite camera in recent years has been the Canon EOS 5DS R, but I was loaned a Canon EOS R5 and was so enamoured that I bought one. I love it. It's a phenomenal leap forward. The first thing I did with it was take it out to the beach on a sunny day with my dogs. Photographing black dogs running fast on a contrasty sunny day is never a joyous task. I was using the tracking focus, which picks up the eye, and it was astonishing. I got more sharp photos of those dogs pummelling down the beach at me than I'd ever got before, in one afternoon.

To go with it, I bought the new lightweight Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM lens. When I put it on the EOS R5, it's a game changer, because I can carry that easily. That's my go-to lens now. I shoot everything on it because I really like shallow depth of field.

John: How about you, Meg?

Megan: I'm using the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and my favourite lens is the Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x. That lens lives on my camera. It's slightly heavier perhaps, but I willingly carry the weight because I love the effect it gives and the extra magnification. I like details in my images, but I want to get as close as I possibly can without disturbing an animal's behaviour.

Chris: I recently had a Canon EOS R converted to infrared. It's the best thing I've done for years photographically. It's a really good discipline to have and interesting to explore what infrared can do in different situations.

There's something critically important to us that we haven't touched on, and it's all to do with ethics. One of the key reasons we're very happy Canon users is because of Canon's ethical policies when it comes to things like trophy hunting, employment conditions, waste and minimising pollutants in the production chain.

Megan: I get asked a lot more questions now about the ethics of the optics brands I use, rather than the quality of them. How brands are functioning is becoming quite a hot topic in the wildlife sector.

John: We've said before that we don't support any hunting activity and we never put up funds for sponsoring these events. Our brand team constantly looks at all the things we produce for cultural sensitivity but also environmental sensitivity.

Chris: It's all about change, isn't it? We have to constantly make those changes which are beneficial to ourselves and the environment. It comes down to education and it's up to people like Megs and myself to make sure we're flying that flag.

John: Conserving our natural environment ties into the observation and appreciation of nature and capturing it. Hopefully, doing that will encourage people to look after the environment and appreciate the value and beauty of it.

Megan: When they're starting out observing nature, people often feel they have to be able to identify everything they see, but sometimes it's just about the mental wellbeing that the natural world gives us. How we experience the biodiversity in our gardens, whether we're photographing it or looking at it through binoculars, adds so much richness to so many different people's lives.