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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Canon SX60HS in Action (1 Viewer)

Is that mean we can get maximum resolution (L) while using TC 1.6 or 2 ?
Yes, that has seemed to be the case when I've used the DTC. I'd have to double-check to be 100% sure, so maybe someone else can verify?

To be honest though, I don't use it much, and I'd highly recommend using a tripod (or well braced in some other fashion) when doing so, or using the Framing Assist Lock that adds additional IS for long shots.

Me, I've stopped using the Framing Assist Lock, preferring to use a tripod (I carry one with me most of the time) or just patiently brace the camera and my body. I figure at 2160mm to 2700mm (the ranges DTC provides), no amount of IS is as good as a tripod, and at 1350mm self-bracing has worked well with a bit of practice.

I also found trying to juggle the half-push to focus with also pushing the Framing Assist Lock was too much finger-hand acrobatics when quickly trying to catch a moving animal. So I've reprogrammed the Framing Assist Lock to toggle the DTC (1.6x, 2.0x, none) so I can do it on the fly.
 
OK well I can't explain it anymore clearly than I have - when comparing the image stabilisation on the SX60 with the SX50, both at full zoom, both with and without TC, the SX50 image in the EVF stayed still allowing shot to be fired off easily and quickly.

Whereas, with the SX60 the image moved about so much it was very difficult to keep the focus box on the subject at all. The focus lock assist also causes the image to bounce up and down.

You clearly don' have this issue, but I was asking if anyone who owns an SX60 does. All your other general comments on technique and limitations are well understood. Thanks
 
OK well I can't explain it anymore clearly than I have - when comparing the image stabilisation on the SX60 with the SX50, both at full zoom, both with and without TC, the SX50 image in the EVF stayed still allowing shot to be fired off easily and quickly.

Whereas, with the SX60 the image moved about so much it was very difficult to keep the focus box on the subject at all. The focus lock assist also causes the image to bounce up and down.

You clearly don' have this issue, but I was asking if anyone who owns an SX60 does. All your other general comments on technique and limitations are well understood. Thanks

A lot of people report the IS bouncing around as you describe for the SX60. If not sure whether there is consensus yet or definitive facts on whether some of the production models have either a defect or flaw or or it just how the SX60 performs and some people bring it up and some don't.

Someone here was having the unit repaired, the total lens assembly, including IS, having a defect, but I don't know if the replacement of the lens unit made a difference.
 
It was me, and it didn't, it's come back the same. So either they didn't actually do anything or this is just how the SX60 is, so why repair it or say it needs a repair? It's not my technique because I get on just fine with the SX50

Pretty fed up. I'm going to try a couple in stores next week and compare them to mine. Should have done that a while ago, but no shops near me had stock - it appeared online quite a while ahead of hitting the streets. And besides, I sent it off and believed what I was told
 
Well it sucks. I am glad that I got a second SX50 instead of getting an SX60. With two SX50's I'm taking the older one on my business trip to Japan tomorrow. And that reminds me I have to get up in 4 hours to catch my ride to the airport at 4am for my 6am flight to Chicago and then the over-Pacific flight to Tokyo so I had better shut down.

I hope to get some interesting birds and not just city pigeons, numerous crows and house sparrows.

I know a few Japanese gardens close to my regular hotel.
 
Not sure why everyone's unhappy with the IS on the 60. I'm having zero problems with it and I always shoot handheld - and the button on the barrel works wonders on distant stationary birds....don't try and move the camera whilst it's pushed in as then the image will bounce around!
 
crazyfingers and Marcobf:
Sorry to hear you guys are having so much trouble. To each their own, and I did go back and forth between getting an SX50 and SX60 myself, so I can understand it really comes down to priorities.

birdboybowley:
In defense of the two folks above, the Framing Assist Lock is kinda...goofy. Why on Earth Canon didn't just change the IS so that "past a certain zoom level engage a different IS program" without all the button nonsense is beyond me.

Which is why I just got used to holding the camera still on my own...it's easier than the button gymnastics.
 
Proof that you can shoot BiF at really long ranges and still get a decent photo: my photo of a pair of flying mallards.

This is without using Framing Assist Lock...just handheld and tracking through the viewfinder and a very long, continuous burst. Granted, I admit to using "spray and pray" to catch shots like this; and it would be fair to say alot of luck involved at this range.
 
just checked your latest gallery pics kevin you are getting some superb shots out of your camera,really crappy weather here again but at least there are a lot more birds appearing
 

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Excuse the novice question:

Any tips on using shutter speeds like 1/1000 or even the SX60's max 1/2000?

Is high ISO my only choice? Any recommendations how high I am going to have to go?

I really want to maximize opportunities for those "frozen moment" action shots of really quick little birds like Buffleheads and Stilts (much less songbirds). Granted, this is pushing the SX60's limits, I can't agree more. You know me, trying to eek every last drop of capabilities of my camera. |:D|

Right now, I'm up to 1/800 which seems fairly reliable at ISO 100 or 200 with even marginal lighting (heavy overcast, but not too close to sunup). But 1/1000 was pushing it at ISO 400 and 1/1250 was a disaster in heavy overcast even at ISO 400.

Appreciate the advice.
 
Well, answered my own question via experimentation...higher shutter speeds wreak havoc on the shadows, requiring more ISO. I found 1/1600 to be workable at ISO 500 under bright sun. 1/2000 needs about 1/640 or 1/800.

Problem being, I found ISO 400 about as high as I can stand for noise. Starting at ISO 500, trying to hold detail on long shots becomes questionable. So there is a balancing act between freezing motion, but capturing enough detail to make it even worth freezing the motion (since noise is it's own kind of blur).

And at just about any setting, I'm still finding -1/3 or -2/3 EV is necessary to avoid blowing out the highlights.
 
Problem being, I found ISO 400 about as high as I can stand for noise.
While a lower ISO is of course preferable for a Camera with such a tiny sensor you should be able to go higher providing you get the exposure correct (ETTR) and do not crop too heavily.
Attached is a pic from the now ancient SX40 which was taken at ISO 800 (and cropped a fair bit) - surely the SX60 should be just as good if not better as the sensor size is just the same I think.
 

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You'd be surprised how bad the higher ISO can make pics look on the 60 Roy. I'm glad at times I've still got my 'ol 40 too
 
You'd be surprised how bad the higher ISO can make pics look on the 60 Roy. I'm glad at times I've still got my 'ol 40 too
I can't argue with this...and may investigate Topaz DeNoise at some point, just for grins as, a hack.

500 is fairly tolerable, 640 wasn't too bad, but I wasn't liking 800.

I agree with Roy C that it affects some images worse than others. A meadowlark shot tight in the grass at 25m away makes the noise less noticeable, but a pelican shot backlit at 75+m gets too broken-up by the noise. And yeah, once I get my exposures better in-camera, that will likely help (at least a little).

Granted, I'm picky: I've seen DSLR images and know what to look for. I'm also probably over-sensitive, given the reaction to my images so far. =D
 
Attached is a pic from the now ancient SX40 which was taken at ISO 800 (and cropped a fair bit)
How far away from your subject would you say you are? Is it cropped, or reduced/scaled? If so, about how much was it scaled?

(Nice photo, regardless. I'm just trying to get a sense how it compares to my experience.)
 
How far away from your subject would you say you are? Is it cropped, or reduced/scaled? If so, about how much was it scaled?

(Nice photo, regardless. I'm just trying to get a sense how it compares to my experience.)
As I already said it is a fair heavy crop and was taken taken years ago - remember the SX40 only went to 840mm optical and I shot it on optical focal length only (also used RAW (via chdk). What do you mean by scaled !!! - it is cropped and obviously resized for the web.
After I got rid of the SX40 I got a SX50 but sold that one after a while as I just was not satisfied with these tiny sensor Cameras - not knocking them as they are great for record shots and certainly more convenient than digiscoping but that's about all IMHO. Trouble is once you have had a decent DSLR set-up it is hard to come to be satisfied with these so called 'superzooms'.
I would like to see a 'superzoom' with a bigger sensor even if it is double the weight/size of the current ones - it would still be handy as a lightweight walkaround when it was not convenient to take a DSLR set-up.
 
. but a pelican shot backlit at 75+m gets too broken-up by the noise.
If you are underexposing a backlit shot as you are indicating then it is no wonder you are getting a lot of noise - to correct the exposure you must need to 'push' a lot in processing and that is bad news as far as noise goes, especially if you are not using the optical focal length and shooting in jpeg. BTW any shot at 75 metres will basically be garbage anyway IMO.
 
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OK well I can't explain it anymore clearly than I have - when comparing the image stabilisation on the SX60 with the SX50, both at full zoom, both with and without TC, the SX50 image in the EVF stayed still allowing shot to be fired off easily and quickly.

Whereas, with the SX60 the image moved about so much it was very difficult to keep the focus box on the subject at all. The focus lock assist also causes the image to bounce up and down.

You clearly don' have this issue, but I was asking if anyone who owns an SX60 does. All your other general comments on technique and limitations are well understood. Thanks

Marco, I completely understand your frustration. I had two SX60s that performed in exactly the fashion you describe....made me want to jump out of a tall building, since I'd waited with bated breath for it's release, mostly for the better EVF.

I think those who bought the SX60 with no previous Canon superzoom experience, don't have a point of reference to judge the IS of the newer camera. One thing that reinforces this for me is that Kevin says he wouldn't suggest using digital zoom without a tripod. I successfully use digital zoom on the SX50 all the time (handheld,) with much slower shutter speeds than he's willing to use. The SX50 also meters better than the SX60 and is a lot less noisy at higher ISO's.

I was seriously considering getting a refurb SX50 as a back-up to my ageing one, but Nikon's just announced the release of an 83x superzoom (P900) so I'm going to jump the Canon ship.
 
Yep. Too late for me to return the SX60, but I'm looking Nikonward too. Will have to wait and see whether the P610 or the P900 deliver the better images
 
I would like to see a 'superzoom' with a bigger sensor even if it is double the weight/size of the current ones - it would still be handy as a lightweight walkaround when it was not convenient to take a DSLR set-up.
I don't know how much that would help. If you want the same ISO performance and the same equivalent focal length then although the camera itself might be small, the lens would be bigger than most of us ever use on a DSLR.

Perhaps you should be investigating the medium sized sensor, detachable lens cameras like the Nikon 1 or one of the Micro 4/3 cameras.
 

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