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What Superzoom? Dissatisfied with the Nikon P100 (4 Viewers)

Hi all,

We've been photographing our birds with the SX30 for several months and have been very pleased with it. You can see many of our SX30 shots (taken both near and far) here:
http://kenn3d.smugmug.com/Nature/SX30/15050225_a88Zy#1203879042_XjuCD

Kenn

Those are excellent. I found your link in another thread before I started this one and decided that the photo quality should suit me fine.

Have you had any dissatisfaction with its ability to focus at high zoom on birds in trees?
 
All interesting stuff here. Some great Canon images, I really don't think you could expect any better than those shots, they are superb and would rival just about anything I've see. But I really need the burst modes that the Canon just doesn't have. The new Sony super zoom HX100V may be one of the best yet, but we won't get any meaningful reviews until its officially released next month.

SueO maybe you should wait and have a look at that camera as well, although you do run into the old problem of if you keep waiting for a newer model you'll never buy anything.

With regards to teleconverters, I use a 2x Sony on my FZ18 and FZ100. I use stepdown rings so that it can fit the cameras. It gives good images, but I think the ones taken without the converter are just a little sharper, but its better than using the digital zoom
 
Teleconverters

I haven't read this whole thread, so I don't know if you've got a telconverter or are thinking of getting one.

In my opinion they are a good low cost alternative to getting an SLR, although SLRs have lots of other advantages. Just for interest, here are some comparison shots I took with my Canon S3, with and without 1.7x teleconverter. I found the improvement astounding.
https://picasaweb.google.com/pshute...LDH175817xTelephotoConversionLensComparisons#

Your experience with teleconverters is much the same as mine. They work quite well and give a better image than what you would get if you went into the digital zoom area. My Sony converter actually clips on to the adapter it comes with and can be taken on and off very quickly. No need to try and screw the lens onto the thread.
 
Those are excellent. I found your link in another thread before I started this one and decided that the photo quality should suit me fine.

Have you had any dissatisfaction with its ability to focus at high zoom on birds in trees?

The SX30 focuses very sharply both near and far. But like all superzooms, the autofocus is pretty slow and requires good contrast at the focus point to lock properly. AF seeking can be problematic in low light or when the frame is filled with elements other than your target at various distances.
We've found it's always best to half-press the shutter and rely on the viewfinder to assure proper focus before taking the shot. This requires practice, especially on distant shots.

hope this is helpful,

Kenn
 
The Olympus SZ-30MR superzoom (25 - 600mm) which was announced yesterday may be a consideration - it appears to have some interesting features.

Another combo to consider would be the Panasonic G2 (or GH2) and the Panasonic 100-300mm. Lightway for a "DSLR" and near to the price of the Nikon combo discussed in post #38.
 
All interesting stuff here. Some great Canon images, I really don't think you could expect any better than those shots, they are superb and would rival just about anything I've see. But I really need the burst modes that the Canon just doesn't have. The new Sony super zoom HX100V may be one of the best yet, but we won't get any meaningful reviews until its officially released next month.

SueO maybe you should wait and have a look at that camera as well, although you do run into the old problem of if you keep waiting for a newer model you'll never buy anything.

With regards to teleconverters, I use a 2x Sony on my FZ18 and FZ100. I use stepdown rings so that it can fit the cameras. It gives good images, but I think the ones taken without the converter are just a little sharper, but its better than using the digital zoom

Hi there, I agree with you re: the new Sony. It does look promising and it's the one I'm most interesting in seeing the results of.

I'm also interested in your teleconverter set-up. I've never bothered with the 1.7x panasonic converter because it just didn't offer enough of a gain (on my camera) for the price. However, 2x is a little more tempting. May I ask what the set up is exactly that you use, please?
Thanks
Hobbes
 
Hi All,
My other half, GeneO, has just read this thread because I was unclear about some things. I wanted to know how far a lens on a dslr would stick out. I walk narrow paths sometimes and I can't have a lens half my body length sticking out as I bird.
What exactly do you mean by "stick out"? If you mean projecting horizontally from your body like a superzoom does, then you'll find that they don't do that. SLR lenses are so much heavier than the camera that they point down when the camera is hanging from the strap. Even a superzoom with a teleconverter tends to do that.

With a very heavy lens you'd attach the strap to the lens foot instead of the camera, which would make it hang more horizontally, but still not perpendicularly to your body.

I tend to wear the strap over my left shoulder, with the camera on my right hip. That means the weight is on my shoulder rather than my neck. When I need to shoot, I slip my right elbow back through the strap so the camera is hanging from my neck. You need a longish strap to be able to do this.

If the path is narrow I can move the camera around a bit more so it's behind me rather than beside me.

Some people hang it straight down from their shoulder, but I feel like it could easily slip off like that. I found a page showing the three ways to hang it:
http://www.diyphotography.net/the-diy-r-strap
That's a fairly short lens by birding standards, but it still hangs down.
 
What exactly do you mean by "stick out"? If you mean projecting horizontally from your body like a superzoom does, then you'll find that they don't do that. SLR lenses are so much heavier than the camera that they point down when the camera is hanging from the strap. Even a superzoom with a teleconverter tends to do that.

With a very heavy lens you'd attach the strap to the lens foot instead of the camera, which would make it hang more horizontally, but still not perpendicularly to your body.

I tend to wear the strap over my left shoulder, with the camera on my right hip. That means the weight is on my shoulder rather than my neck. When I need to shoot, I slip my right elbow back through the strap so the camera is hanging from my neck. You need a longish strap to be able to do this.

If the path is narrow I can move the camera around a bit more so it's behind me rather than beside me.

Some people hang it straight down from their shoulder, but I feel like it could easily slip off like that. I found a page showing the three ways to hang it:
http://www.diyphotography.net/the-diy-r-strap
That's a fairly short lens by birding standards, but it still hangs down.

Hi PS,
Yes, I did mean projecting horizontally because thats how I thought they would hang. I didn't realize they would hang down. Thanks so much for your link: a picture is worth a 1000 words. Even 'hanging down' that projection is too much for me, and you say that's short! I don't want to carry that around for 4-5-6 hours. It looks too cumbersome. Well, that solves the dslr/superzoom dilema.:-O
Sue
 
The SX30 focuses very sharply both near and far. But like all superzooms, the autofocus is pretty slow and requires good contrast at the focus point to lock properly. AF seeking can be problematic in low light or when the frame is filled with elements other than your target at various distances.
We've found it's always best to half-press the shutter and rely on the viewfinder to assure proper focus before taking the shot. This requires practice, especially on distant shots.

hope this is helpful,

Kenn


Hi Kenn,
Those are beautiful shots. I will definitely write the SX30 down. My first digital camera was a Canon 2 megapixel and I liked it. I wouldn't have a problem buying another Canon. I understand what you mean about half-press and focus on distant shots. I had my Sony H5 for four years and got some pretty good shots with it. I did have problems sometimes with the AF sticking on a branch in the foreground, etc. But the Nikon gives me a green light and I get a blob. I gave up on the Auto Mode and I now shoot on the "S" setting (shutter-priority). That way, if I hold my face right, I might get 1 shot out of 11, and even the best lack the sharpness I got with the Sony. The Sony was 7.1 mp and the Nikon has 10.3. I thought I'd get much better shots. :C
Sometimes, I've had decent photos when I set the camera on 'portrait'. I just never know what will happen. I believe that for the money I paid, I should be able to have it set on Auto and get a decent photo and that just doesn't happen.
Thanks for your contribution, it's very helpful.
Sue
 
I went the rechargeable AA route a few years back. Tried to power my flashlights and kids toys, etc.... Got the best ones I could find. They all ended up running out way faster than regular alkalines.

I don't know much about batteries and why a camera battery works for me and rechargable AA's don't but I just don't want to deal with AAs.

As for size and weight, perhaps I'm confusing that camera with a different review I read. I've read so many the last week or so I get mixed up. But the Nikon is 491g with battery installed and the Fuji 20 is 730g with batteries. The Canon is 601g

I've spent a fair bit of money on getting spare batteries for cameras. Unfortunately these become useless when you change camera. Rechargeable AAs have the advantage that, even if you don't use them in another camera, they have lots of uses. Sanyo Enloops are considered the best; part of the problem is rechargeable batteries lose power even when not being used. Enloops do this at a much slower rate than other rechargeables.
 
I've spent a fair bit of money on getting spare batteries for cameras. Unfortunately these become useless when you change camera.

I hear what you are saying though I've not typically had the need for spares for my cameras. With my Canon pocket camera one charge can last me a month or two if I'm not on vacation taking 300 pictures a day. Even when on vacation I have never had the camera lose power during the day as I'm good at charging it in the evening.

I didn't get a spare for the Nikon and it lasted me all day on vacation and charging in the evening.

I would not typically be getting a new camera very frequently. If this Nikon had performed OK I'd have expected to keep it for at least several years.
 
Sue, I would not expect a camera in full auto to perform well for what we do, because full auto is intended for the typical pictures: people snapping their dog or kid, or a snap of the big castle you are standing next to, or the sunset that will remind you of the vacation. Birds among branches and inside forests are not typical motifs, so full auto is not working well. The first thing I do is to turn to "A" setting for aperture priority, select the lowest possible number, get into the menu and try to choose the smallest possible focusing point (usually called spot) and then take everything else from there. Most dSLR's work less well at full auto than the P&S cameras (this last sentence is basically a guess based on my impression from reading regularly in this forum).

Niels
 
Hi there, I agree with you re: the new Sony. It does look promising and it's the one I'm most interesting in seeing the results of.

I'm also interested in your teleconverter set-up. I've never bothered with the 1.7x panasonic converter because it just didn't offer enough of a gain (on my camera) for the price. However, 2x is a little more tempting. May I ask what the set up is exactly that you use, please?
Thanks
Hobbes
Hi Hobbes, I use a Sony converter with two step down rings. I'm away from home at the moment and when I get back I'll post some photos, so you can see what I use.
 
Sue, I would not expect a camera in full auto to perform well for what we do, because full auto is intended for the typical pictures: people snapping their dog or kid, or a snap of the big castle you are standing next to, or the sunset that will remind you of the vacation. Birds among branches and inside forests are not typical motifs, so full auto is not working well. The first thing I do is to turn to "A" setting for aperture priority, select the lowest possible number, get into the menu and try to choose the smallest possible focusing point (usually called spot) and then take everything else from there. Most dSLR's work less well at full auto than the P&S cameras (this last sentence is basically a guess based on my impression from reading regularly in this forum).

Niels

Hi Niels,
I will try that. I have been looking through the manual for my best options. However, I shot the vast majority of my photos on the Sony on AUTO (the little camera symbol). I had to make certain the subject was centered and sometimes a branch or whatever would grab the focus but that was not the norm. Sometimes, I had to lessen the zoom and that would usually take care of focus problems with lots of stuff in the way of the subject. I was usually able to get the bird centered even behind things and the camera got it's shot.
Even when there is nothing in the way, the Nikon images are not sharp.
Thanks.
Sue
 
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Hi Hobbes, I use a Sony converter with two step down rings. I'm away from home at the moment and when I get back I'll post some photos, so you can see what I use.

Thanks Rodger, that would be great. I couldn't find the 2x Sony converter on Amazon.co.uk but I might have been using the wrong search string. Anyway, I'll wait to hear and see the details.
Many thanks
Hobbes
 
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