Is there a Canon A95 popular replacement?

[YellowBudgie]

Hello Everyone,

I've been trying to find a digital camera that's been favored by the digiscoping community (for it's manual options, good scope connections available, etc, etc)

I understand the scope is the most critical part and most cameras will produce okay to good results but I would like a camera with features and options that are "bird scoping friendly"

The Canon A95 is no longer on their web site and I would really like to purchase a new camera comparable to the A95.

Is there a current favorite birder camera similar to the Canon A95 listed on the Canon web site?

The top end "A" model looks like the A700. The A700 looks to have a wider diameter front lens and 6x zoom. I assume this creates problems matching it with a scope and more vignetting issues.

There's also the High-End Digital section on the top. Are the Power Shot S70 or S80's popular bird cameras?

Since I've heard I should be staying with a small diameter lens on the camera is there a way in the tech specs they mention the diameter of the outer lens to match it with the scope?

The A95 I think is at least a year old but I could try to get one of none of the current choices are better.

Thanks!

[alan_rymer]

Hello Everyone,

I've been trying to find a digital camera that's been favored by the digiscoping community (for it's manual options, good scope connections available, etc, etc)

I understand the scope is the most critical part and most cameras will produce okay to good results but I would like a camera with features and options that are "bird scoping friendly"

The Canon A95 is no longer on their web site and I would really like to purchase a new camera comparable to the A95.

Is there a current favorite birder camera similar to the Canon A95 listed on the Canon web site?

The top end "A" model looks like the A700. The A700 looks to have a wider diameter front lens and 6x zoom. I assume this creates problems matching it with a scope and more vignetting issues.

There's also the High-End Digital section on the top. Are the Power Shot S70 or S80's popular bird cameras?

Since I've heard I should be staying with a small diameter lens on the camera is there a way in the tech specs they mention the diameter of the outer lens to match it with the scope?

The A95 I think is at least a year old but I could try to get one of none of the current choices are better.

Thanks!I assume thats Northeast UK?.
If so, Jessops still have new A95s for £213.

[YellowBudgie]

I assume thats Northeast UK?.
If so, Jessops still have new A95s for £213.

I'm from the Northeast part of the US (I should change that to mention US, since this site must be hosted in the UK)

I can check the places around here first and see if it's still around. I don't mind ordering it from Jessops if it's not around here new.

There's so many cameras out there I can look for the options for what people see as good birding cameras and go on and on trying to find something. All the well liked "birding" cameras are always just out of production or way out of production.

I'm guessing one of the new Canons has the same options or better but then there might be 1 bad thing people have run into.

Who knows maybe there's a great birding camera on their page and I didn't notice it.

Thanks,

[YellowBudgie]

I'm wondering now if I want a 2 or more year old camera. One reason is the more megapixels the more I can repair vignetting and the more detail I may be able to get out of a smaller object that I want to print to 8 1/2 x 11 clearly.

I wish there was a Digiscopers award with runners up every year or half year for digital cameras. I could focus on whats new now that has the most digiscoping features people like.

I noticed today that newer cameras seemed to lack threading to add an adapter (in a small camera section of a retail store).

If anyone has any new favorites Canon or otherwise I would like to hear from you and would like to see your photos.

[rob lee]

I'm wondering now if I want a 2 or more year old camera. One reason is the more megapixels the more I can repair vignetting and the more detail I may be able to get out of a smaller object that I want to print to 8 1/2 x 11 clearly.

I wish there was a Digiscopers award with runners up every year or half year for digital cameras. I could focus on whats new now that has the most digiscoping features people like.

I noticed today that newer cameras seemed to lack threading to add an adapter (in a small camera section of a retail store).

If anyone has any new favorites Canon or otherwise I would like to hear from you and would like to see your photos.

Hi yellowbudgie, a camera that seems to be getting overlooked to me is the Sony cybershot P200. I bought one of these after becoming frustrated with my coolpix 4500`s lack of speed & the desire to have something smaller. So far i have not regretted the decision. It has 7 mega pixels, 3x optical zoom, a Carl Zeiss lens & a sufficient amount of manual control. You can also buy an adapter that will give you a 30mm thread. I bought one of these with a 28-30 step down ring & was able to carry on using the adapter i had for my old coolpix. If you log on to surfbirds & look at the UK stop press page you will see a picture i put on there this afternoon of a Laughing Gull a species you are no doubt familar with

[YellowBudgie]

Hi yellowbudgie, a camera that seems to be getting overlooked to me is the Sony cybershot P200. I bought one of these after becoming frustrated with my coolpix 4500`s lack of speed & the desire to have something smaller. So far i have not regretted the decision. It has 7 mega pixels, 3x optical zoom, a Carl Zeiss lens & a sufficient amount of manual control. You can also buy an adapter that will give you a 30mm thread. I bought one of these with a 28-30 step down ring & was able to carry on using the adapter i had for my old coolpix. If you log on to surfbirds & look at the UK stop press page you will see a picture i put on there this afternoon of a Laughing Gull a species you are no doubt familar with

Haha...
I just started looking at the top birders cameras again and found the CP4500 and ordered one online via Amazon.com. I was thinking of getting this one before, but put it off because of its speed thinking there would be more options for cameras, there were not too many more popular digiscoping cameras so I'll settle for the CP4500.

I have trouble with both hands so a small camera may be more of a problem. I think the size of the CP4500 may make it better to grasp plus it won't be as heavy as a DSLR w/ Lens. I want to use it for your typical shots as well and the tiny cameras I may have not been able to use well. Chance of dropping the small camera would be great.

Since I don't have a good scope I'll create some type of savings plan to get a nice scope and perhaps a swing attachment so I can view via the spotting scope and then swing down the camera. My dad had let me borrow his tri-pod since he no longer uses it. I may try to get away with this tri-pod but if I get into birding shots out of my yard I may need a heavy tri-pod to keep it still. A replacement liquid head sounds nice too I never knew what they were. When I found out I was happy such a thing exists. I always have to adjust and fumble with the tri-pod set it too low and let it rise itself and usually one time doesn't do it. All that time wasted when the bird may take off.

I'm a novice and may buy the scope attachment and get some scope in the $300 to $400 range. I'll see what local stores sell them, try it out and return it, if I'm not happy with the results then step up a model. If I can get a decent array of pictures I'll keep it. Then if I really get into this save for a Swarovski Scope, Swarovski Digital Camera Base, Liquid Head and Nice Tripod. But thats only if I get serious. I hope I do since my main hobby is sitting at the computer all day and everyone tells me to get out.

I may also add the 6x screw on lens and see if the birds let me get close enough and then use the advantage of the 8.0 pixels to crop to the bird and hopefully still have a nice quality photo to print at 8 x 11 paper. The birds last year did let us quite close because the feeder was crazy with activity and we had to change it so much they were used to us and let us closer.

[YellowBudgie]

I'm all set!

I just decided and ordered a Nikon Coolpix 8400.

You know I do feel like buying the Canon A95 as a backup but theres that money thing.

Thanks for posting!

[YellowBudgie]

I assume thats Northeast UK?.
If so, Jessops still have new A95s for £213.

Are these the web sites you refer to: jessops.com or jessops.co.uk? I checked and all that I found was the underwater housing for the A95. I did order a Nikon Coolpix 8400 but would also like to order the A95 as well. I may have decided too late. There are refurbs out there but I'm not sure thats a great idea.

Thanks

[alan_rymer]

Are these the web sites you refer to: jessops.com or jessops.co.uk? I checked and all that I found was the underwater housing for the A95. I did order a Nikon Coolpix 8400 but would also like to order the A95 as well. I may have decided too late. There are refurbs out there but I'm not sure thats a great idea.

ThanksYellowBudgie

Sorry, no, not on the website, I just looked there and found the same as you!.
It was actually in their High Street shop in Reading, UK I saw it!.

There are several on Ebay though!.

[YellowBudgie]

I assume thats Northeast UK?.
If so, Jessops still have new A95s for £213.

I found one. I tried a search on amazon.com and nothing came up. A search on google took me to a link on amazon.com that showed the camera. Amazon did not have any but the 3rd party option showed about 5 or 6 places with them new in the box still. Can you tell I just received my paycheck?

I decided because of the speed issues with the CP8400 I would get the A95 as well and have 2 cameras. It seems the camera is almost the lowest priced part in most digiscoping setups I may as well get camera(s) first. The CP8400 may still be a good birding camera, but for birds like in my attachment.

When I started looking for a zoom lens for the CP8400 I saw the Nikon TC-E3PF (Phase Fresnal) 3x Auxiliary Tele Convertor Lens for Coolpix 8400 Digital Camera and saw the price. $450.00!

Thanks

[YellowBudgie]

Hi yellowbudgie, a camera that seems to be getting overlooked to me is the Sony cybershot P200. I bought one of these after becoming frustrated with my coolpix 4500`s lack of speed & the desire to have something smaller. So far i have not regretted the decision. It has 7 mega pixels, 3x optical zoom, a Carl Zeiss lens & a sufficient amount of manual control. You can also buy an adapter that will give you a 30mm thread. I bought one of these with a 28-30 step down ring & was able to carry on using the adapter i had for my old coolpix. If you log on to surfbirds & look at the UK stop press page you will see a picture i put on there this afternoon of a Laughing Gull a species you are no doubt familar with

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the tip. I ended up getting a A95 as well. I decided the speed on the CP8400 may frustate me with some types of birding shots. I heard it was slow but I didn't know it was that slow (I checked the benchmarks). It's a much better camera than the Kodak DX6440 I'm working with but I always hated waiting for the Kodak to move my 6 rapid shots to memory and this was just with birds at a feeder, not a rare bird. The CP8400 is moving much more data across, to bad you can't upgrade it's core memory for speed. I think it will be a good camera still as well as the A95.

I checked too late on your picture of a Laughing Gull. I did a search on surfbirds for Laughing Gull but could not find your name with the pic. Do you have a web site or could send a link to the picture? Thanks also for telling me about surfbirds, what a great looking site. I have not had time yet to look it over but it looks like a great site already.

Thanks