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Bridge Camera Shoot Out!!! (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter WHIMBREL
- Start date
Roy C
Occasional bird snapper
Is that so 'Punta' - that should certainly make the AF a bit snappier especially when contrast is not great. It will be interesting to see how experienced DSLR shooters rate the Cam!I see the HS50 has phased based AF Roy - so that's a plus point imho
You can get appx. 1200mm mag with the Panasonic FZ-200--all you have to do is enable the 2X Extra Optical Zoom function, which is basically a teleconverter setting. (Though that setting isn't available if you shoot RAW.) And the FZ-200 is the only superzoom that has a constant minimum aperture throughout the zoom range, making it superior to all the others when shooting at high zoom in low light situations. So, I'm not sure I see a need for Panasonic to "respond" here; what they have now already stands out.
Jim
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WHIMBREL
A lifelong Naturalist...
I am not sure that Canon even make a HS50
Thank you Roy...that S is now an X :t:
crazyfingers
Well-known member
What's an HX50? Canon has an SX50 HS
Adey Baker
Member
For a more in-depth 'AP' test on some of the cameras mentioned here check out this link http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/reviews/compacts/1
Sony, Canon and Panasonic on the first page
Sony, Canon and Panasonic on the first page
Yet another review which completely ignores the issue of focussing in on a subject through clutter - something absolutely crucial to most wildlife photography.
Such reviews are, to my mind, more or less useless, I say on the basis of the frustrations of using my first bridge camera, which I mention further up the thread.
David
New Fuji bridge with 1000m lens, manual zoom ring and phase detection AF:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=252231
crazyfingers
Well-known member
I agree with DavidNB that for birding and other wildlife photography the ability to correctly get a focus on the critter and not get confused by clutter is a big factor to consider on a bridge camera where most of the time manual focus is not so easy to do either because of the controls or the not so great viewers.
I have only used the Canon camera in the review in the OP but I've been very happy with the Canon SX50's (and SX predecessors SX40, SX30) ability to focus on the critter though the clutter.
Here are two recent examples. Turtles on a log and then the clutter I focused though and then the bunny and the bush he's in. The bunny was probably harder because the distance between the critter and the clutter is closer. With the turtles, there was a lot of distance between the turtles in the pond and the clutter between the trail and the pond's edge.
IMO the Canon does a great job correctly focusing on what I want to photograph and not getting distracted by clutter.
I have only used the Canon camera in the review in the OP but I've been very happy with the Canon SX50's (and SX predecessors SX40, SX30) ability to focus on the critter though the clutter.
Here are two recent examples. Turtles on a log and then the clutter I focused though and then the bunny and the bush he's in. The bunny was probably harder because the distance between the critter and the clutter is closer. With the turtles, there was a lot of distance between the turtles in the pond and the clutter between the trail and the pond's edge.
IMO the Canon does a great job correctly focusing on what I want to photograph and not getting distracted by clutter.
Attachments
Chosun Juan
Given to Fly
I so want to like the Fujifilm HS50, what with its nifty manual zoom, you beaut, blindingly fast phase detect AF, quicker apertures, and poofteenth bigger sensor.
I need to like it (a lot!), to justify the significantly higher price than the Canon SX50HS here, and its slightly shorter zoom.
So why then am I left unimpressed with the Fuji's IQ, compared to the results produced by the Canon so far (see Roy C's stuff, and Crazyfingers 'rabbit out of the hat' - well okay - clutter, both above)?
Can it be all down to bad light (even with all that reflecting snow on the ground)? Is it all down to photographers comfortably ensconced behind double glazed windows? A function of the learning curve perhaps?
These are questions I would have posed on the Fuji thread, but didn't want to break up the love-in, and have the thread nazi's go all whoop *ss on my personage .....
To me, the Fuji's IQ looks soft, and lacks detail.
Will a champion come forward (with the pix to prove) to save the day? The jury awaits ......
Chosun :gh:
I need to like it (a lot!), to justify the significantly higher price than the Canon SX50HS here, and its slightly shorter zoom.
So why then am I left unimpressed with the Fuji's IQ, compared to the results produced by the Canon so far (see Roy C's stuff, and Crazyfingers 'rabbit out of the hat' - well okay - clutter, both above)?
Can it be all down to bad light (even with all that reflecting snow on the ground)? Is it all down to photographers comfortably ensconced behind double glazed windows? A function of the learning curve perhaps?
These are questions I would have posed on the Fuji thread, but didn't want to break up the love-in, and have the thread nazi's go all whoop *ss on my personage .....
To me, the Fuji's IQ looks soft, and lacks detail.
Will a champion come forward (with the pix to prove) to save the day? The jury awaits ......
Chosun :gh:
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flossiepip
Well-known member
Second all of that. Would love to try this one, it sounds good but not blown away yet and very expensive against the Canon SX50.
Thread nazi's :-O
I think I've seen every single picture taken with HS50 posted on dpreview forums in past few weeks - birds, dogs, brushes, crayons, garden hoses, buildings, bikes, cloudy or sunlight, jpeg or raw, from new users or those already familiar with HS series, and although some were very nice they just seem to lack acuity and fine detail I regularly see on pics posted in SX40/50 threads here and elsewhere. That said, I am much more ready to miss a shot I otherwise wouldn't if I had fast focus and manual zoom, than being unable to crop because of the watercolour effects, perfect handling and quality of build notwithstanding.
Biancone
to err is human
Yes, you're not wrong there, embarrassing for the rest of us.
I have just got the HS50 to replace my FZ45. I have prioritised the long zoom (even though not the longest), manual zoom control, high speed AF & start-up etc. I'm hoping these features will enable me to miss fewer raptor shots than before. This summer will tell.
Hours wasted web-surfing leads me to suspect a bit of experience is needed to get the best IQ out of the HS series. Meanwhile, take a look at the blog page HERE for a demo of apparently out-of-the-ordinary resolution (images down the page a little) !! Well, I was impressed!
Brian.
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Chosun Juan
Given to Fly
Brian, yes, quite - we empathise much!
Very useful info you dug up on that blog - particularly about the noise reduction settings - that may be a key to better detail - something that may have emerged earlier in an "open discussion".
I really hope the IQ comes up to scratch, as one of the things I hate about all bridge cameras is the powered zoom for photography, and all the battery, and time wasting that entails. The Fuji's manual zoom ability is the only one that appeals, along with other leading features you mentioned, and I too am hoping for some BIF raptor shots.
Our lighting here can be quite harsh at times (in fact all sensor sizes can struggle under some conditions), so higher shutter speeds /lower iso will help, and hopefully other improvements in technique (such as the noise settings) come to light to help the Fuji match the Canon for IQ. With that price difference though, something's gotta give .....
Some of the feather detail from the Canon is stunning for a bridge camera. From what I've seen "Molly MacFudge" is producing the best images out of the Fuji so far, but they're not quite in the same league as the best of the Canon's ....... time will tell. Good luck.
Chosun :gh:
Very useful info you dug up on that blog - particularly about the noise reduction settings - that may be a key to better detail - something that may have emerged earlier in an "open discussion".
I really hope the IQ comes up to scratch, as one of the things I hate about all bridge cameras is the powered zoom for photography, and all the battery, and time wasting that entails. The Fuji's manual zoom ability is the only one that appeals, along with other leading features you mentioned, and I too am hoping for some BIF raptor shots.
Our lighting here can be quite harsh at times (in fact all sensor sizes can struggle under some conditions), so higher shutter speeds /lower iso will help, and hopefully other improvements in technique (such as the noise settings) come to light to help the Fuji match the Canon for IQ. With that price difference though, something's gotta give .....
Some of the feather detail from the Canon is stunning for a bridge camera. From what I've seen "Molly MacFudge" is producing the best images out of the Fuji so far, but they're not quite in the same league as the best of the Canon's ....... time will tell. Good luck.
Chosun :gh:
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