autofocus and image stabilization Oly 550 UZ versus Panasonic FZ50 (1 Viewer)

Just a quick question. What about autofocus and image stabilization abilities when shooting moving objects at long zoom?
How does Olympus 550 UZ compare to FZ30 or FZ50 in this aspect ?

Thank you

Bernard

OlympuSP550-1st shots

A very quick post before I go and watch Liverpool beat Barcelona 5-0.
A few shots on full zoom, through the window, all automatic, non re-touched in any way (partially cropped).

Dave
Wished we got Bullfinches in the garden!
Nil, nil at the moment.
Nice one Mick
Mick

how good is the camera at a distance of 20-30 yards for small sparrow sized birds?

What you have to remember and it's what a lot of people don't realise is that a 500mm lense it similar to looking through a pair of 10x50 binoculars. At 20-30 yards a small bird fills only a very small part of the screen. Even the lads with 500mm plus 1.4 converters want to be nearer than that. Where they score is that the quality of thier lense (maybe f2.8) & camera allows them to crop heavily. But that kit will cost them upwards of £1,500 absolute minimum (the lense might cost them £2000+) AND they can't carry it around like you can with the SP550.
The way I look at it is-I am going to enjoy this camera for a month-then probably buy the 1.7 converter for £100.00. I will then decide do I really want to specialise it telephotography & if so either sell the 550 or keep it for general use and buy a dedicated DSLR kit. It will probably be the Sony alpha plus a Sigma lense circa £1,000.00

Sp 550 Uz

Dave
Anyway getting back to the real story, they lost but got through!
You make some good points there Dave, the camera is good for birding
records and sometimes you manage to get a good pic.
Stuck my head out the door at lunch time and a couple of buzzards were soaring overhead , must have been at well over a couple of hundred feet though.
Pic is on max zoom.
By the way there appears to be a delay with supplies of the 1.7 adaptor.
If you know of anywhere that I can get one now, I would appreciated
your passing it on.
Thanks
Mick

Mick Sway said:

Dave
Anyway getting back to the real story, they lost but got through!
You make some good points there Dave, the camera is good for birding
records and sometimes you manage to get a good pic.
Stuck my head out the door at lunch time and a couple of buzzards were soaring overhead , must have been at well over a couple of hundred feet though.
Pic is on max zoom.
By the way there appears to be a delay with supplies of the 1.7 adaptor.
If you know of anywhere that I can get one now, I would appreciated
your passing it on.
Thanks
Mick

Click to expand...

try pixmania.com they say they have them in stock.

pixmania.com

terryeyre said:

try pixmania.com they say they have them in stock.

Click to expand...

Thanks
Mick