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Camera Advice (1 Viewer)

MLoyko

MLoyko

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I just recently statred being interested in capturing photos of birds after taking a zoology class in school and wanted to know what a good camera for beginners is. The camera I have now doesn't take clear photos as one could see from the pictures i've posted. Thanks for your help
 
Sputnik1089 said:
I just recently statred being interested in capturing photos of birds after taking a zoology class in school and wanted to know what a good camera for beginners is. The camera I have now doesn't take clear photos as one could see from the pictures i've posted. Thanks for your help
Click to expand...

Hi Sputnick.
There are some very knowledgeable people on this site but I will give some basic advice.
In photography terms birds are normally very small-therefor you need to get CLOSE or have a good/long lense.
Bearing in mind I don't know your circumstances (you might be a $ zilliionaire).
A decent digital SLR with a big lense is going to set you back a minimum of £1,000.00 (new) e.g. Canon 30D with 500mm 3rd party lense.
You might look at compact "point & shoot" such as Luminex, Olympus etc. with built in zoom lenses which will give you something in the region of 500mm and cost you in the region of £300/£400. I started with the Olympus and progressed (some would argue with that).
It's a great hobby-I wish you the best.
 
The best camera for bird photography is - in my opinion - a digital SLR (Single Lense Reflex) as these have the option of interchangeable lenses and you can review your results instantly.

A cheaper entry could be to consider a secondhand older model rather than a new model and a third party lens rather than an own make. For example I see Canon 20D bodies at around £400 / $800 and this is a well proven camera.

Lenses from makers like Tamron and Sigma offer a significant saving over Canon or NIkon and can be upgraded as funds become available or the photography bug takes over.

For practicing your technique you may well want to try setting up or visiting a feeding station as this will give you the opportunity to work on different combinations of shutter speed and aperture with a subject that is generally less wary.

Once you have mastered the basics then the next learning step is that of fieldcraft - the ability to get close to birds in their natural habitat without causing disturbance - this comes with practice, patience and a lifetime of trying. |=)|
 
I'd agree with Karl, both on camera choice and giving yourself the oppurtunity to practice. If I were starting afresh, secondhand is where I would start. I'm not familiar with the nikon system, so my recommendation would be for a Canon 20D (or perhaps a 350D if you are on a smaller budget)with a tamron 200-500 or sigma 50-500 - all of which can be found in good condition secondhand. I would also factor in buying a tripod and head - it's likely that you will use one at least some of the time with a big lens.
 
Hi Sputnik,

You have a fairly good point and shoot camera already -- the Panasonic DMC-LZ2. I have looked at your photos in the gallery, and unless there is something wrong with your camera, you should be able to get sharper pictures with that camera than what you have posted. I did not see anything obviously wrong with your settings in the image properties, but you might want to start a new thread in the Panasonic or photography sub-forum asking how you can get sharper pictures with your camera. Be sure to provide a link to your photos and give lots of details about how you shoot and what if any thing you have done to the photos in your gallery in the way of post-processing. Just a suggestion.

Best,
Jim
 
Last edited:
yeah most of the pictures i took were zoomed in and that when its gets fairly fuzzy, i have to try to get closer to the birds i guess
 
My son Paul taught me, there has to be come contrast between the subject and the background. Sometimes my zoom just would not focus sharp, and the was usually the problem. I take about fifteen of one bird if I am able. Out of those I might maybe get one decent sharp one. And yes, if you can get closer, it helps. that chipping sparrow was on a very cold day, I put out food. He was letting me get within three or four feet. But I took six on that same shot. Only one focused like that.
 
I see, um not really sure for the price range because my job only pays minimum (Modell's $7.15) so I'd have to save for a while. Im also 18 and need to get a car on that job too so I guess a new camera will have to wait for a while. But I was trying to get ideas from you more experienced people since I just became interest after, like I said above, the zoology class I took at school.
 
Sputnik1089 said:
yeah most of the pictures i took were zoomed in and that when its gets fairly fuzzy, i have to try to get closer to the birds i guess
Click to expand...

You should be able to get clear pictures when zoomed in also. I did not check all your photos, but it looks as though you are shooting at low shutter speeds. 1/80 second in one case, and 1/13 second in another. That would cause blur, especially when zoomed in or when a bird moves. I do not know if your camera has a shutter priority mode, but if it does, you might try that and stick to 1/500 second if you can. Some other tips:

-- make sure you have image stabilization turned on
-- make sure you press the shutter halfway and give the camera time to focus on the subject before actually snapping a photo

It might be that your camera does not have sufficient manual controls for good bird photography. I use the Panasonic FZ18, which is less expensive (and much more convenient) than going the DSLR route. Many people find it works pretty well for bird photography (check the threads in the Panasonic forum), though getting good bird photos can be a challenge in low light conditions. But I would try experimenting more first. See if you can at least get good zoom photos of nonmoving subjects.

hope this helps,
Jim
 
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