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

SX40 Super Zoom (5 Viewers)

I got my SX40 after Christmas and having been using it quite a lot. I'm generally pretty happy with it. Two issues: it tends to be too slow to focus on what I want and too often is overexposed using either auto or sports settings. See the osprey and egret as examples. On the other hand the zoom to 35x is brilliant and even the digital zoom to 140x is awesome. See the kestrel photos for examples. I had great fun trying to get pictures of the moons of Jupiter without a tripod.
So the camera is every bit as good as I'd hoped for, wanting to stay with birding rather than photography as my hobby, but with drawbacks.
 

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Regarding the question of digiscoping with it, here are two pictures of pintails I took yesterday at Vane Farm RSPB reserve. The first is with the SX40 at maximum digizoom on a tripod. The second is from my Nikon digiscoping kit. I think the camera alone wins. The only snag is changing the shoe from the scope to the camera to fit on the tripod, you wouldn't want to be in a hurry. But attaching the camera with mount to the scope for digiscoping isn't fast either.
 

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Two months on with the camera and I'm still really impressed. I haven't had much time to get out recently but when I do, the SX40 is so convenient and so much fun. I'm loving the video facility. I've been taking small clips here and there with a view to putting them together into a monthly video digest. (Two months since the 7D/500 F4 took a pic! - oo-errr!)
 
I've had mine a couple of weeks now and am also really impressed, I agree the focusing can be a bit slow and it does tend to overexpose a bit so I usually keep it at -1/3 ev but all in all, a great camera. I have to say there seems to be a lot more being said about the panasonic fz150 and Im sure that's a great camera, but I don't think the sx40 is getting as much attention as it deserves, or not when I was looking for a camera anyway. I have also just bought the canon 270ex flash for it and Im really pleased with it. The small size fits the sx40 very well and it seems to be performing great :)
 
Ooooerrr! I've just discovered CHDK (Canon Hack Development Kit). I've loaded it and now I have RAW files (!), Time Lapse and Motion Capture. It's going to take a bit to suss it out but Wow! What a machine! There are time lapse videos on Youtube - they look great.
(It's add-on software which doesn't replace the camera's existing system)
http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK

Adrian
 
We got one of these cameras for Xmas and took it to Spain. It really is pretty good for pics. However for me it is the video side that I think is really good, better then a 7D as it autofocuses!! We are also finding it better than our Panasonic camcorder!!
 
Call this fun with the SX40.

This past weekend I took the boys to a submarine museum.

One photo is inside the museum. It was actually quite a bit darker in there than it appears in the photo and I have not adjusted the brightness. No flash was used. The sub model is 50 feet long. The older SX30 would have done poorly on this shot. Too dark.

The other fun photo is looking through a periscope at the museum sub (USS Nautilus) outside.

I've reduced the size of the photos to attached but otherwise they are not adjusted in any way.
 

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crazyfingers said:
Call this fun with the SX40.

This past weekend I took the boys to a submarine museum.

One photo is inside the museum. It was actually quite a bit darker in there than it appears in the photo and I have not adjusted the brightness. No flash was used. The sub model is 50 feet long. The older SX30 would have done poorly on this shot. Too dark.
.
Click to expand...


The first shoot is superb, which lens did you use?
 
seeofbirds said:
The first shoot is superb, which lens did you use?
Click to expand...
The one that is attached to the Camera I reckon - the SX40 has not got interchangeable lenses has it?
BTW 'crazyfingers' that sub shot is very good for ISO 1600.
 
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SX40 Problems

How is everyone getting on with their SX40's? I got one a Xmas and knowing what it can do, from images posted on various forums I was very keen to get out and give it a go.

I have to be honest I struggled from the off. I just couldn't seem to get really crisp focus, and this problem has in the last few days got much worse!

In the last few days whenever I turn the camera on, I get a Lens Error, two beeps and the camera shuts down. The only way I can get the camera to extend the lens, is to remove the battery with the camera switched on. Leave for a while then replace battery. The camera will then turn on without the lens error issue.

Then, other problems arise? Although the camera auto focus says it is focused on the subject (green square, focus beep) it actually isn't? Sometimes the camera says it is focused when you can see through the viewfinder, it blatantly isn't. Then it can show that it is focused and it looks very sharp through the viewfinder. However, when you get home and put the pics on the computer, non are in sharp focus. Even though when checking the focus points in the image editing software, they are perfectly on the subject?
The other extreme is that is will not focus at all, giving the yellow warning focus failed icon.

I am about to return the camera to Jessops to see how they can help me? I am looking for a replacement or a refund. I don't want a repair. We will see what they suggest. If I go for the replacement, should I stick with the SX40? I read a lot of reviews before purchase and they on the whole said the SX40 had the best IQ. I know the 35x reach also influenced my decision. What competes with a (Working) SX40 in the superzoom world?

Regards

Moocher
 
Just a thought, I have had weird problems with a Fuji HS20, refusing to focus or to take pictures and shutting down, it turned out to be a faulty SD card.
 
speckled wood said:
Just a thought, I have had weird problems with a Fuji HS20, refusing to focus or to take pictures and shutting down, it turned out to be a faulty SD card.
Click to expand...

Even with SD Card removed, same issue. Took it back to Jessops today. They had not got one in stock to replace it. They have ordered me a replacement though that should be here on Friday.

Moocher
 
Jessops customer service superb! They phone today to inform me that my replacement SX40 was in. Picked it up on way home from work. Battery charged and ready for the weekend. Moocher
 
1st Day with SX40

I finally bit the bullet and bought an SX40HS after a lot of research on line, including here. I love my dSLR and big lens, but not the hassle of carrying it, changing lenses etc.

Here are a few pics from my 1st day with the SX40 - All are slightly tweaked in Lightroom, with some mild cropping and selective sharpening. I have stored the following settings in the C2 setting - max optical zoom, 1.5X tele-zoom, spot metering, burst mode, flexi-focus in the metered spot. With these settings, I'm almost in digiscooping territory!

Also, I have found I can keep the camera much steadier by using the viewfinder rather than the LCD, and keeping it pressed to my forehead, while cradling the extended lens with my left hand.

Lots to learn!

Richard
 

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