Robert L Jarvis said:
I think that it shows in the later posts that many are missing the point. As the current format stands irrespective of the monthly subject, the comp favours DSLRs. In this month all the shots were very good so an argument that one has seen poor shots taken with DSLR is irrelevant because they would never be selected for the final viewing. Contrary to what Snowyowl wrote things are not fine as they are, thta is an Ostrich stance.
Invariably the winners of the comps are usually action shots which by and large can only be achieved by DSLR. The old adage that if it is not broke don't fix it does not mean there is no room for discussion and revision. I also believe some of you are splitting hairs talking of what size lens, how many shots in a burst etc. Contrary to some views it is not equipment that takes bad shots or good shots it is the user. There is a straight forward division either one used a DSLR or digiscoped no further demarcation needs to be made.
Robert
Robert, you're contradicting yourself....and/or not reading what others are writing.
Specifically in my posts I have said that I have seen terrible shots taken with 600/4 on 1Ds2's and brilliant images by the likes of Ann Cook taken with a digiscoping system. That actually means its the user not the gear, so you're not breaking new ground with that statement.
As for what you said here: "In this month all the shots were very good so an argument that one has seen poor shots taken with DSLR is irrelevant because they would never be selected for the final viewing."
In a final format where 30 shots are selected for final voting, they will be the best 30, that does not guarantee their quality. There could be 6 great shots, 17 good shots and 7 less terrible than the rest that didn't make the final 30 cut. DSLR gear is not a passport to taking good shots!!!
As for splitting hairs, you cannot compare the reach and ability of a Canon 600/4 with a Tamron 70-200. Both are taken with DSLR's, it's 70% lens and 30% body quality that makes the difference. The difference between those two systems is greater than that of Digi-scoping to DSLR's.
Only 2/12 of the monthly comps really favour DSLR's...
Like I said before, and I mean this in a very respectful way. There may be just a handfull of digi-scopers in the world who take truly wonderful images. The majority are taking record shots.
Equally with DSLR's, there are 100's of thousands of people out there with 20D's and 100-400 lenses who are snappers.
To repeat myself yet again, there is a huge distinction between the people who spend 8 hours in a hide to get a shot of a skulking warbler, and those who walk around their local wildlife reserve on a Sunday afternoon.
My Egret shot took two weeks to get. Two weeks of getting up every morning at 4:30am, cycling 8 miles in the dark with my gear and tripod on my back, then sitting in freezing waist deep mud, waiting for the combination of light, reflection and action. All the time the birds getting flushed by Chinese crab collectors. Now, I'm not looking for a medal, that's what I do, it's my job.
You are dead right, the shots that are winning the comps are the best shots, maybe if someone spends $10000 on their gear they're a little more motivated.
Equally, you could give top gear to many many people and they still wouldn't get good images....It's the person who rules the show Robert. Ann Cook takes unbelievable bird art with her digiscoping system, she is the exception.
Maybe there should be a digi-scoping/compact comp run alongside the regular comp.
But people could still say, "well how can my such and such a basic scope and camera compete with your super-dooper HD scope and latest 7 mega-pixel compact." Equally, in the DSLR catagory, the difference between a 10D and a 300/4 vs a 1Ds2 and a 600/4 is massive. It is not a fair contest.
The diversity and ability of gear and users goes way beyond your simple demarcation between digi-scoping vs DSLR. No comp can be fair unless everyone shoots with the same gear, then and only then does the skill of the individual become the only variable.
Anyway, I enter these comps so hopefully a few people will visit my website and donate money to WWF...its a bit of fun, not Bird Photographer of the Year.