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A Bridge Camera ~ "don't waste your money"! (1 Viewer)

Ptarmi

Ptarmi

Dick Glasgow
Reading tips by Mike Atkinson on Bird Photography, I note, in the section on Equipment Recommendations, he has this to say:

"Don't be swayed into thinking that a compact or 'bridge' digital camera with a high zoom ratio and megapixel count will give you comparable results to a DSLR. These cameras have tiny sensors (typically less than a tenth the size of DSLR sensors!) that generate images with high digital noise and little latitude for effective post-processing. They also have poor autofocus and handling for bird photography. I'm not convinced that even the best non-DSLR camera can compete with the cheapest used DSLR gear, so don't waste your money."
Click to expand...

Anyone care to argue in their defence? ;)

Cheers,
Dick
 
I'm curious .... does any member here regularly post photos in the Gallery, which were taken using a Bridge Camera?

Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be any way of searching the Gallery for camera specific shots.

Cheers,
Dick
 
Hi Dick

I understand that Superzoom is another term for a Bridge Camera. In which case there are many people posting pictures using them (including me).

Getting results by searching the Gallery, requires the poster to have filled in the Equipment field when uploading. I don't think anyone would use "Bridge" in that field, but would actually name the camera they use - mine's an Olympus SP55O-UZ.

But don't be mislead by looking at my pictures, I'm one of the worst photographers in the world!

Oh! and I haven't "wasted my money". I can't afford a DSLR, and couldn't carry it if I could.
 
Looking at his list of cameras he lists the Canan EOS D300, now some 8 years old, I had one, to be honest I would not like to try to match that against what I am seeing from people with modern 12 mp bridge cameras such as the Panasonic 150. True that a DSLR setup is going to to get you the best of results but it is like comparing a Ford Fiesta with a Bentley, it just depends what you want from your camera, whether you you want the convenience of a superzoom bridge camera or the carry the DSLR and two or there heavy lenses with you, and of course whether you can afford £1,000 pluse for the DSLR as against the circa £350 for the Bridge superzoom.

A good modern superzoom bridge camera is a good starting point and later if you choose to buy into a DSLR system it can still provide for those situations when it is not convenient to carry a DSLR and associated lenses with you.

Of course the DSLR can deliver the best rersults but you are not wasting your money by buying a superzoom bridge camera if it gives you the results that YOU want. The part of the camera recomendations that you have given the link to does not seem to mention anything other than Canon cameras, when here there are many who use Nikons with equally good results and also obtain good results from other makes of interchangeable lens cameras such as Pentax, Olympus and Sony.

I am sure that there are plenty of other people prepared to enter into this debate.
 
delia todd said:
Hi Dick

I understand that Superzoom is another term for a Bridge Camera. In which case there are many people posting pictures using them (including me).

Getting results by searching the Gallery, requires the poster to have filled in the Equipment field when uploading. I don't think anyone would use "Bridge" in that field, but would actually name the camera they use - mine's an Olympus SP55O-UZ.

But don't be mislead by looking at my pictures, I'm one of the worst photographers in the world!

Oh! and I haven't "wasted my money". I can't afford a DSLR, and couldn't carry it if I could.
Click to expand...

Like you Delia, I just couldn't afford to go down the DSLR route.

Anyway, thanks for the tip .... I'm off to the Gallery, to try again. :t:
 
Its worth looking on Flickr, the camera used is usually listed there and if you click on "actions" you may well find the exif info there as well.
 
Aye speckled wood, I felt his put down of Bridge Cameras was a little on the harsh side.

From the excellent reviews & comments I have read on cameras like the FZ150, it would appear to me that there is certainly a place for a good bridge / superzoom camera. After all, not everyone has thousands of pounds to spare, but at the same time, they may not want to be restricted by the limitations of a compact.

Cheers,
Dick
 
For a while I had a sigma "bigma" 50 to 500 lens, the results I had were dreadful and it was a waste of money, I sold it on to someone who gets excellent results from it.
 
mooreorless said:
Delia you are too hard on yourself. You have a lot of excellent shots!
Click to expand...

*Blush* thank you very much Steve. Though I don't count myself as a photographer, I'm a birder who takes pics. It's great when you get a good 'un isn't it:-O
 
This guy HERE gets some great shots with the SX40. He post loads of stuff with it on DPreview. Just shows what can be done in the right hands. If you read a lot of his post he also explains all the settings he uses.
 
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My camera's a Fufi Finepix HS10 and I love it. Like Delia, I'm a birder who takes photographs - and only birds if they stay still for a while! I've tried two cameras that are supposed to fit on the scope but they were such a faff I couldn't be a***d - I found I couldn't watch a bird if I was wanting to take a photo too. So I've almost given up bird pics

Although I love the camera I know I'm not getting the most out of it - at last look I think the on-line instruction guide was about 70 odd pages. And there are lots of buttons that I've never touched - just leave it on 'auto' ! In fact I expect the other buttons have sealed up and won't move if I try.
 
I think a good understanding of photographic techniques (manual metering, focussing modes, shutter speeds, continuous shooting ..........) as well as good processing skills such as selective noise reduction and sharpening is probably more essential with the Bridge Cameras than even DSLR to get the best out them.
 
Like most other posters here, I find that superzooms are far from a waste of money and time. Especially in good light, the results can be really good. I also feel that the next level (I chose Pana GH2 + 100-300) did provide an improvement, and it is possible I could have gotten even better performance in low light with a full-frame dSLR - but to me that would have meant a camera that was so heavy it would have spent most of the time on the shelf, and the camera that is at home cannot help you at all!

Niels
 
I have all the DSLR gear and recently took just my HS10 on holiday and was surprised how versatile it was. I could do landscapes, birds and macro all with one camera and a Raynox lens in my pocket.

That SX40 looks very good!
 
Andrew said:
I have all the DSLR gear and recently took just my HS10 on holiday and was surprised how versatile it was. I could do landscapes, birds and macro all with one camera and a Raynox lens in my pocket.

That SX40 looks very good!
Click to expand...

I think Andrew's nailed it. If you want to travel light and take everyday usable (if not always competition winning quality) photos of plants, landscape and birds/mammals is quick succession a good 'bridge' camera is ideal. Versatility is the watchword here,
 
Having recently sold my DSLR birding lens I was thinking about a Canon 300mm f2.8 IS MkII (£5k) but have ordered a Canon SX40 today to give it go (could be £4755 saved lol).
 
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