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

Canon SX50 Specs (2 Viewers)

It does look good but my guess is that it is still best to wait a few months to see how others get on with the camera and also to see if the price drops after christmas. I suspect that by February it should be readilly available for around the £350 mark or below. Aslo there is a fair chance that HS40 prices will start drop to around the £250 mark or below.
 
Superb shots. I'm watching the SX50 with some interest as I use the SX30 for my bird shots and have been very happy with it. But am now looking to move up a little and not sure between SX40 or SX50. Any ideas anyone between the two for birding?

Most of my photographs which there is in the gallery are photographed in SX40 and SX50. I do not use SX40 after having begun to use SX50. When I photograph a bird, it is got satisfaction SX50.
 
It does look good but my guess is that it is still best to wait a few months to see how others get on with the camera and also to see if the price drops after christmas. I suspect that by February it should be readilly available for around the £350 mark or below. Aslo there is a fair chance that HS40 prices will start drop to around the £250 mark or below.

Check out Camera Price Buster - Lowest price is £389 but on top Canon are doing a £50 cashback. Total price - 339.
 
I'm afraid the weather has been pretty poor here the last few days with heavy cloud, fog and rain, so I've not had opportunity to take as many photos as I'd like.

Here's a few though from the last day or two.

1. Red-breasted Flycatcher from around 15m.
2. Redwing - 5m
3. Goldcrest - 2m
4. Red-throated Diver - 35m
5. Rock Pipit - 5m
 

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A couple more taken on a brighter day earlier in the week.

1. Turnstone
2. Purple Sandpiper
3. Purple Sandpiper
4. House Sparrow
5. Common Darter
 

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Ian,

Amazing pictures. What zoom factor did you use for most of your pictures? Also, were they taken on a tripod? Thanks for sharing.

I bought my SX40 just two weeks ago and am seriously considering returning it and buy the SX50.

Granville
 
Ian,

Amazing pictures. What zoom factor did you use for most of your pictures? Also, were they taken on a tripod? Thanks for sharing.

I bought my SX40 just two weeks ago and am seriously considering returning it and buy the SX50.

Granville

All were taken hand held and most if not all at maximum optical zoom bar the first dragonfly.

I must admit that I'm very happy with the results it's producing so far.
 
One of the main upgrades from the SX40 to the SX50 that interests me is the reported better/faster AF - has anyone had the chance to compare both Cameras in this respect?.
IQ wise I would be surprised if there was much difference as they both have the same size sensor but of course the SX50 has a longer focal length albeit it is slower at the long end and has a slower burst rate than the SX40. Another interesting comparison would be the SX40 + 1.5 tc v the bare SX50 at the top end of the zoom - here I would guess the SX50 would have a definite edge as it will be using the whole sensor.
For birds the main thing with these small sensors is to get reasonably near to the target thus avoiding big crops IMHO. To this end I have all but given up using the SX40 for distant waders on the estuary - maybe the SX50 is going to be a lot better in this respect, I guess we will not know until an experienced SX40 user tries the SX50. The latest versions of Cameras most always show improvements over the previous version so I would expect the SX50 to be a better Camera, but by how much and in what respect is the important things if considering upgrading.
Ian's pic's are certainly superb and a great advert for the SX50.
 
As it seems with most Canons any filter holder has to be added. lensmate are advertising an imminent release of a filter holder for the camera. I have used lensmate before on other cameras and have always been pleased with the result.
 
More excellent shots Ian,thanks for putting in the distances as well,great for us novices to see.
That Goldcrest shot is amazing.
Keep the info coming as I am sure more of us will be buying this great little camera,especially with Christmas around the corner.
 
I guess we will not know until an experienced SX40 user tries the SX50.

There's only one thing for it Roy,you will have to go and get one and carry on the great input, the same as you have with the SX40.
I am sure a lot of us have gained a lot of tips by reading the SX40 thread.
 
I guess we will not know until an experienced SX40 user tries the SX50.

There's only one thing for it Roy,you will have to go and get one and carry on the great input, the same as you have with the SX40.
I am sure a lot of us have gained a lot of tips by reading the SX40 thread.
I may just do that at sometime Bob, in the meantime I have a new toy which is my latest fad - a 600mm f7.5 astroscope which is absolutely brilliant when used with a DSLR at 900mm but different altogether than the lightweight walk around like the SX Cameras. When I get bored with it I may well try the SX50 lol :-O
 
I may just do that at sometime Bob, in the meantime I have a new toy which is my latest fad - a 600mm f7.5 astroscope which is absolutely brilliant when used with a DSLR at 900mm but different altogether than the lightweight walk around like the SX Cameras. When I get bored with it I may well try the SX50 lol :-O

That set up sounds great Roy,a different tilt on digiscoping.
 
Any pics yet Roy!!!!!
Here is a few from last weekend - all taken at 900mm (1440mm on the 7D). all these are cropped to some extent and all taken from at least 120 feet.
Mind you its a heck of a lot more to lug around than the SX50 lol. For clarity these were not taken with a SX40/50 but via a astroscope in answer to a query in post #36.
 

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I agree with Roy, as in most photography equipment the closer the subject the better this little camera performs. The autofocus is quite fast though a problem I've been having for birds in flight, even large birds like Cormorants is trying to locate them in the viewfinder/LCD as at 1200mm the field of view width is quite narrow. Plus of course a DSLR view finder is through the lens whereas the view is slightly offset with the SX50, so it's not as natural to lift the camera and locate the bird. I've found it's easier if I keep both eyes open when locating the bird in flight. At present though I can't see it ever replacing the DSLR for birds in flight.

I wouldn't rule out the SX50 entirely though for more distant subjects as the 50x zoom fills the frame better than using my 7D + 400mm lens. I came across a distant group of Whooper Swans today. I managed better photos with the SX50 than I did with the 7D+400mm lens even when using a 2x teleconverter - though both sets of photos were taken hand held in windy conditions. The SX50 of course has a very effective image stabiliser.

1. Whooper Swans with Canon SX50 - 120m+
2. Whooper Swans with Canon 7D + Canon 400mm f5,6 - 120m+
3. Red-breasted Mergansers - 150m+
4. Common Scoter - 150m+
5. Goldfinch - 2m ;)
 

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I am just a couple of hours train ride away from the Barnstaple area, and coupled with my cheap piv rail tickets and brompton bike a good day out can be had by me for less than £10 .. I must get out more, all of Roy's pictures are inspiring me. A lightweight camera like the SX50 sounds like fun to me.
 
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