[ziggy]

Maybe the solution is to have a binoculars that takes pictures :)

[TheThing]

Originally Posted by ziggy©

Maybe the solution is to have a binoculars that takes pictures :)

Tried a pair of those and they were a spectacular failure! No zoom on the camera so while you're looking at something in detail, the camera is taking shots of tiny dots!

[xmesox]

Camera every time for me. I enjoyed photography before becoming interested in birds, my interest in birding was ignited when I was out taking photos and I happen to come within close range of a male Malachite Sunbird and managed to get some photos of it. From that point I found myself wanting to find birds to photograph, and from that point I became interested in other aspects of it, more interested in the birds habits, their migration and their rarity.

One can argue all they want, but nothing has helped me in bird identification like photographs have. I can study species in books all I want but when I take a photograph and then go through the matching process of the book to my image, it implants the image in me. I am now easily able to ID all the birds I have photographed before.

I rarely use my binocs, as carrying a Bigma and binocs ends up being a bit much.

My goal is to photograph every species I see, even if the shot isn't great, I love the idea of actually having proof of what I have encountered, but definitely aim for the best possible shot.

[lulubelle]

Bins first & foremost.

I think one does need to apply some effort into studying the birds, learning habitat, field marks, calls etc. I think this is more the hallmark of a birder than bins or a camera. You have to realize what you are seeing......

I don't think taking photos and then asking others to ID them qualifies anyone as a birder.

Have lost the bird fiddling with the camera, have regretted not having the camera, have taken the shot & glad I have proof. Have gotten a shot of a lifer and didn't know it. As a novice birder, saw a hawk, chose to enjoy the moment & chose not to take the shot. Regret it til this day since I now know it was a rarity for the area and without the photo, I have NO PROOF.

Both birders and photographers can be arrogant and poorly behaved. My experience leans towards photographers the most poorly behaved & arrogant at this point. That could change any time!!! Both can be extremely knowledgeable, fun, great teachers and great birders! Not every birder is a great photographer (I suck) and vice-versa. I know many awesome birders who are now great photographers.

Always have the bins and always have the camera - your shot may not be beautiful, but it can be proof!

[Phil Andrews]

Originally Posted by lulubelle

Bins first & foremost.

I think one does need to apply some effort into studying the birds, learning habitat, field marks, calls etc. I think this is more the hallmark of a birder than bins or a camera. You have to realize what you are seeing......

I don't think taking photos and then asking others to ID them qualifies anyone as a birder.

Have lost the bird fiddling with the camera, have regretted not having the camera, have taken the shot & glad I have proof. Have gotten a shot of a lifer and didn't know it. As a novice birder, saw a hawk, chose to enjoy the moment & chose not to take the shot. Regret it til this day since I now know it was a rarity for the area and without the photo, I have NO PROOF.

Both birders and photographers can be arrogant and poorly behaved. My experience leans towards photographers the most poorly behaved & arrogant at this point. That could change any time!!! Both can be extremely knowledgeable, fun, great teachers and great birders! Not every birder is a great photographer (I suck) and vice-versa. I know many awesome birders who are now great photographers.

Always have the bins and always have the camera - your shot may not be beautiful, but it can be proof!

Photographers who like birds will prefer a camera; birders who like photography will prefer bins. Simples!

[ACW]

Depends what you mean by camera? Bins over a point and shoot or bridge. But proper camera over bins imo.

But if I'm out with a 7D (1.6 crop sensor) with a 500mm lens and 1.4TC that gives an effective focal length of 1120mm if I worked that out correctly which should equate to 22.4x?

It's not quite as agile to handle as a pair of bins at times, but as with most equipment, the more you use it, the more you get used to it. Just like handling bins can be a skill which helps you observe birds, so can proper use of photographic equipment.

Personally I always prefer viewing through spotting scopes opposed to bins anyway as I like the one eye approach anyway, that probably explains my preference for cameras.

[Robert Wallace]

Binonoculars I would suggest are essential, even more than telescopes.
Cameras capable of taking decent photographs of birds are a realatively recent phenomena (digital) for most people. In the days of SLRs telephoto lenses tended to be very expensive.
I guess it is the development of digital technology that prompted the question.On a personal note, photography is very time consuming to do it properly and I don't have the inclination. Ironically my four thirds digital camera has a 400mm (35 mm equivalent) which would have been regarded as a specialist lens when I started photography. Interesting to see whether the integrated telescope and camera will take off.

[RyanI]

It has to be binoculars! On a recent trip to Texas I saw many 'birders' with just cameras and they continually complained about missing warblers as they flitted through the trees while everyone with bins got great views! They missed out on some great birding in the pursuit of a photo!

[Steve Arlow]

It must be remembered that binoculars and cameras serve different purposes. Binoculars are designed to optimise the viewing experience and are designed to be more user friendly from a holding and quality viewing perspective, often through high definition glass. Camera's are designed to take photos and not as an observation tool so attempting to view birds, such as fast moving warblers in trees, through a single, narrow and sometime poor quality eye peice will not have the same affect.

Each really should be used in conjunction with the other. A camera will enhance the birders experience as they can record the image of a great bird for reflection in years to come whereas binoculars will assist in getting a good photograph as you can observe so much better a birds behaviour and anticipate where a bird may go or do next and be ready for it with the camera.

I am a birder and a photographer so I am well versed in the use of both and I would never ever go out and leave my binoculars behind.

A recent trip to Israel I came across a group of birders with one of their party having only a camera and no bins. Those with the bins were happily watching a Ruppell's Warbler whilst the camera only guy was having difficulty in both watching and following the bird through the scrub and was having even less success in securing a photo, even a bad one. The binocular only totting group had great views whilst the camera only guy left disappointed in not getting a photo AND not seeing the bird well and complaining that it was the second time he missed a good bird that morning. I also found out that the day before he had left his hotel only to find he had left the camera battery in the charger back in the hotel and lost a day of everything, viewing and photos. If he had bins he would still have had a good day out.

Obviously everyone's different but someone who goes out 'birding' using a camera only will be limiting their options. If you have both, take both and don't miss something that either bins or camera can provide.