Canon SX50 Specs (3 Viewers)

Roy C · Jan 23, 2014

senatore said:
I find it much harder to keep this camera steady than I do with my 7D and 400 lens.Am I too old for this camera ???

Max

I found the same thing when I had one Max - I could hold the 300/2.8 + extenders (almost 3kg) a lot steadier than the SX50. With a long DSLR lens you can get a far better holding position by extending your left arm while keeping both your elbows tucked in to your body. With the little superzooms you are too bunched up to use a good landholding technique in my experience. I am probably also too old Max

Bigshent · Jan 24, 2014

Its always a pleasure see what the camera is producing in the hands of mere mortals. Im still getting to grips with the camera I'm very happy with the Sx50 especially distance shots. All shots in JPEG as I'm blady lazy at processing.

senatore · Jan 26, 2014

Had a go at a long distant shot today with the SX50 in not ideal conditions.

Trying not to exaggerate the Great Grey Shrike was about 150m away.I think I was on full optical zoom with the 1.5 converter on.Although not a great shot it was better than I got with the 7D and 400 prime lens.

Max.

greenfrog · Feb 2, 2014

Just got my sx50. Loving it.

There are so many settings and I don't know whats the best one to use really for birds.

I started shorting in shutter priority or program becauase that lets me use RAW which I like to think can rescue a bad image.

But the highspeed burst or sport mode is really great cos I can just point and shoot and take a look at the results after, especially good in scenarios where I only have a few seconds shooting the bird.

Not sure what are some must have settings or what people have had most success with?

Here are some of my first shots:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd....x206/1234822_10151833827886269_75128074_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1/1690608_10151833828076269_123411898_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/t1/1779926_10151832303221269_1334792233_n.jpg
https://scontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1/1780730_10151832274771269_368862241_n.jpg
https://scontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t31/1150567_10151832210066269_1377151107_o.jpg

crazyfingers · Feb 2, 2014

greenfrog said:
Just got my sx50. Loving it.

There are so many settings and I don't know whats the best one to use really for birds.

I started shorting in shutter priority or program becauase that lets me use RAW which I like to think can rescue a bad image.

But the highspeed burst or sport mode is really great cos I can just point and shoot and take a look at the results after, especially good in scenarios where I only have a few seconds shooting the bird.

Not sure what are some must have settings or what people have had most success with?

Here are some of my first shots:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd....x206/1234822_10151833827886269_75128074_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1/1690608_10151833828076269_123411898_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/t1/1779926_10151832303221269_1334792233_n.jpg
https://scontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1/1780730_10151832274771269_368862241_n.jpg
https://scontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t31/1150567_10151832210066269_1377151107_o.jpg

In my experience the single most important setting is to set AF frame to Flexzone and save to C1 or C2. After that it's what you want to experiment with. Setting to flexzone forces the camera to focus on the center focus rectangle where more often than not your bird will be in the frame, instead of the leaf that might be closer and off to the top left, though you an move the rectangle if you want.

greenfrog · Feb 3, 2014

Great thanks.

Also I have no idea about..Evaluative, center weighted avg or spot for the metering mode?

RAW or 1.5 teleconverter but jpeg hmm?

Also any ISO that people think you should really not go over?

crazyfingers · Feb 3, 2014

greenfrog said:
Great thanks.

Also I have no idea about..Evaluative, center weighted avg or spot for the metering mode?

RAW or 1.5 teleconverter but jpeg hmm?

Also any ISO that people think you should really not go over?

I think that most people would go with center weight as a good general compromise when photographing birds.

The 1.5 and 2x teleconverters are handy and I have them set to toggle using the "wild card" S button so I can turn on or off fast.

I have never tried raw, too much fuss after the day out.

Some day I might mess with iso, etc.. but for now, I let the camera choose and have been very satisfied.

It really depends on how involved in the choice the camera makes you really want to be. Some want to make those adjustments. I don't really want to get that involved. Auto does me fine other than flexzone.

eddy the eagle · Feb 3, 2014

SX50HS Specs.

After a month I am very pleased with the SX 50 HS.Here's a picture I took yesterday just as the bird took off from a bare branch about 50m away.Your critique would be appreciated.....Eddy

maltese falcon · Feb 9, 2014

Had my SX50 since Christmas but today was the first time I managed to use it in the field. I haven't started fiddling around with the settings yet so every shot was taken in all the default settings in auto mode. I am reasonably happy at the moment but I'm sure the results will improve the more I use it and the more I dabble in the settings. (Obviously had to make the pics smaller so I could upload them).

TheScrutinizer · Feb 11, 2014

Yesterday, I discovered birdforum(!) and this thread. I've been struggling with my SX50 for an year. Some pictures have been ok, but not as amazing as a lot of the pictures posted here. Hopefully the settings and advice from this thread will improve my images. Thanks to all!

Here's a few images, a crested tit and tre sparrow from 2013 (cropped and sharpened), followed by tree sparrows and collared dove taken with new camera settings. The latter taken through the windshield!

ClarkWGriswold · Feb 11, 2014

TheScrutinizer said:
Yesterday, I discovered birdforum(!) and this thread. I've been struggling with my SX50 for an year. Some pictures have been ok, but not as amazing as a lot of the pictures posted here. Hopefully the settings and advice from this thread will improve my images. Thanks to all!

Here's a few images, a crested tit and tre sparrow from 2013 (cropped and sharpened), followed by tree sparrows and collared dove taken with new camera settings. The latter taken through the windshield!

Welcome to BF. Lovely Crested Tit.

Rich

Roy C · Feb 11, 2014

TheScrutinizer said:
Yesterday, I discovered birdforum(!) and this thread. I've been struggling with my SX50 for an year. Some pictures have been ok, but not as amazing as a lot of the pictures posted here. Hopefully the settings and advice from this thread will improve my images. Thanks to all!

Here's a few images, a crested tit and tre sparrow from 2013 (cropped and sharpened), followed by tree sparrows and collared dove taken with new camera settings. The latter taken through the windshield!

All I can say is if the first two were with your old settings and the last to with new Camera settings then I would stick with the old settings if I were you as the first two are very good :t:

TheScrutinizer · Feb 11, 2014

Roy C said:
All I can say is if the first two were with your old settings and the last to with new Camera settings then I would stick with the old settings if I were you as the first two are very good :t:

Thanks! I had to pick a couple of my best shots from last year. :t: Unfortunately, most of my pictures are too soft, blurred and faded.

Here's a few examples. And then a pretty good one. o

JeffMoh · Feb 12, 2014

TheScrutinizer said:
Thanks! I had to pick a couple of my best shots from last year. :t: Unfortunately, most of my pictures are too soft, blurred and faded.
Here's a few examples. And then a pretty good one. o

I'm like you - I get some really sharp photos and then some that are not so sharp. I think the problem is that, as was mentioned some time ago, it is hard to hold the SX50 steady enough when you're shooting at long zoom lengths. I never use a tripod or monopod but I see a real improvement in sharpness when I can e.g., wedge the camera against a solid surface such as a tree.

To me the only real drawback of the SX50 is that the combination of poor viewfinder and shutter lag makes it almost impossible to get photos of birds in flight. So I usually end up carrying my DSLR as well as the SX. Still, at least having the SX means I don't need to lug around a scope.

Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com

crazyfingers · Feb 12, 2014

I get my worst photos with the SX50 when it's either low light or the shot is a long distance away.

On the other hand max zoom on relatively close objects often turn out very, very nice.

Once distance becomes a factor the air quality becomes a factor and there isn't much that can be done about that.

Here are two examples of long distance shots at Max zoom. Different days but from the same spot a long way off. Clearly air quality is a big issue in one of them.

TheScrutinizer · Feb 12, 2014

I agree! Low light and long distances aren't what SX50 was made for. I would love having a camera able to catch what I'm watching in my spotting scope!
Though, the SX50 does a descent job as a documentation camera.

Today I found some swans and gulls willing to pose close and long enough for, what I hoped would become, some nice images. A few did! The distance was 10-15 meters and I used the car and a rail for support. Yet, only 5 % of the pictures were sharp and nice. After some leveling and small amount of sharpening in PSE I was, sort of, satisfied. :t:

Any critics, questions and suggestions are welcome.

Mute Swans

Mute Swan male

Mew Gull adult

Mew Gull 2k

Black-headed Gull

Marys1000 · Feb 15, 2014

Price?

I've been poking along for months on the idea of upgrading to a long(er) zoom than my Lumix 24x. So I was comparing the new Lumix FZ70/72 (I don't think there was a 50x?) or the SX50 and was surprised to see that the Lumix which is new is over a 100.00 less on Amazon US than the Canon. 246.00 vs. 388 to be exact. The Canon is older and surely an upgrade is due to come out. I was surprised that the price hadn't dropped?
Mostly I was considering the Canon because its smaller and has an articulated LCD. I'm a pretty low end user, just want a long zoom for bird id, easy fast point and shoot for a decent result.

dandsblair · Feb 20, 2014

Got SX50 as a replacement for back up body

As well as back up body replacing 50D with Sigma 150-500, it was also to do some video and cut the wieight. On recent trip to Philippines most shots with 7D and 100-400 were better than what we captured on SX50. However, I was pretty impressed with video, see
Spotted Wood Kingfisher http://www.flickr.com/photos/106276678@N06/12641071354/
I was able to record this is in cloudy conditions about 15M away;
but Palawan Peacock Pheasant was early in the morning in pouring rain and virtual darkness and even with high ISO i was struggling on 7D where as Sarah at least got some recognisable footage of a once in a lifetime bird with the SX50. See
http://www.flickr.com/photos/106276678@N06/12641459124/

pshute · Feb 21, 2014

dandsblair said:
As well as back up body replacing 50D with Sigma 150-500, it was also to do some video and cut the wieight. On recent trip to Philippines most shots with 7D and 100-400 were better than what we captured on SX50. However, I was pretty impressed with video, see
Spotted Wood Kingfisher http://www.flickr.com/photos/106276678@N06/12641071354/
I was able to record this is in cloudy conditions about 15M away;
but Palawan Peacock Pheasant was early in the morning in pouring rain and virtual darkness and even with high ISO i was struggling on 7D where as Sarah at least got some recognisable footage of a once in a lifetime bird with the SX50. See
http://www.flickr.com/photos/106276678@N06/12641459124/

What's the background noise in the peacock pheasant video, dandsblair? I can hear rain, just wondering if any of the other noise is from the camera.

The camera seems to have done a reasonable job of focusing through the vegetation most of the time.

Iceberg slim · Feb 23, 2014

Is there a new Canon Mega zoom in the offing, all of a sudden Prices are falling, easily available for £250 on Ebay from England, was £350 a month ago??

Canon SX50 Specs (3 Viewers)

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