Do you prefer a Binocular or Camera? (7 Viewers)

[ACW]

Depends what you mean by camera? Bins over a point and shoot or bridge. But proper camera over bins imo.

But if I'm out with a 7D (1.6 crop sensor) with a 500mm lens and 1.4TC that gives an effective focal length of 1120mm if I worked that out correctly which should equate to 22.4x?

It's not quite as agile to handle as a pair of bins at times, but as with most equipment, the more you use it, the more you get used to it. Just like handling bins can be a skill which helps you observe birds, so can proper use of photographic equipment.

Personally I always prefer viewing through spotting scopes opposed to bins anyway as I like the one eye approach anyway, that probably explains my preference for cameras.

 

[Robert Wallace]

Binonoculars I would suggest are essential, even more than telescopes.
Cameras capable of taking decent photographs of birds are a realatively recent phenomena (digital) for most people. In the days of SLRs telephoto lenses tended to be very expensive.
I guess it is the development of digital technology that prompted the question.On a personal note, photography is very time consuming to do it properly and I don't have the inclination. Ironically my four thirds digital camera has a 400mm (35 mm equivalent) which would have been regarded as a specialist lens when I started photography. Interesting to see whether the integrated telescope and camera will take off.

 

[RyanI]

It has to be binoculars! On a recent trip to Texas I saw many 'birders' with just cameras and they continually complained about missing warblers as they flitted through the trees while everyone with bins got great views! They missed out on some great birding in the pursuit of a photo!

 

[Steve Arlow]

It must be remembered that binoculars and cameras serve different purposes. Binoculars are designed to optimise the viewing experience and are designed to be more user friendly from a holding and quality viewing perspective, often through high definition glass. Camera's are designed to take photos and not as an observation tool so attempting to view birds, such as fast moving warblers in trees, through a single, narrow and sometime poor quality eye peice will not have the same affect.

Each really should be used in conjunction with the other. A camera will enhance the birders experience as they can record the image of a great bird for reflection in years to come whereas binoculars will assist in getting a good photograph as you can observe so much better a birds behaviour and anticipate where a bird may go or do next and be ready for it with the camera.

I am a birder and a photographer so I am well versed in the use of both and I would never ever go out and leave my binoculars behind.

A recent trip to Israel I came across a group of birders with one of their party having only a camera and no bins. Those with the bins were happily watching a Ruppell's Warbler whilst the camera only guy was having difficulty in both watching and following the bird through the scrub and was having even less success in securing a photo, even a bad one. The binocular only totting group had great views whilst the camera only guy left disappointed in not getting a photo AND not seeing the bird well and complaining that it was the second time he missed a good bird that morning. I also found out that the day before he had left his hotel only to find he had left the camera battery in the charger back in the hotel and lost a day of everything, viewing and photos. If he had bins he would still have had a good day out.

Obviously everyone's different but someone who goes out 'birding' using a camera only will be limiting their options. If you have both, take both and don't miss something that either bins or camera can provide.