Help: about equipment! (1 Viewer)

Hi! Well, here it goes my first question...
I need some advice about what equipment should I buy...At the moment, I have a Lumix FZ72, it has got a large range of zoom and it works well, but I think I should get something better. I've been looking for teleconverters , and I think some of them are compatible with my camera. I don't know if I should buy a new camera and also new lens, or if I should buy a compatible teleconverter for the camera I've already have. I was also looking for telescopes, but a boy that is my age said to me that teleconverters are cheaper and easier to carry. Of course, I trust on him, but I'd also like to hear more professional opinions. When answering, think that I'm only 14 so I can't and I won't carry a really heavy scope or camera...
Thanks! :bounce:

Hi Puput I've moved your post to a more appropriate forum where the camera experts are more likely to see it.

In addition I've subscribed you to the thread so you don't lose track of it.

Hi Puput !

In general I'd only ever use teleconverters with high quality lenses / cameras as they are usually (though not always) noticeabley detrimental to IQ and to the Autofocus. If Panasonic have made a TC for specific use with your camera then check out reviews/reports before you buy. It may be OK or it may not be.

If you are looking to get more reach (and your FZ72 does already do x60) do note that longer reach = greater susceptibility to vibration and operator movement (you !) so you will need greater stability (tripod, long lens techniques) or/and in- camera image stabilisation (different manufacturers call it different things e.g IS / VR etc). So longer may not mean you get sharp pictures and in fact cropping shots from your FZ72 could still end up being better !

Don't forget that environmental factors (heat haze and pollution) will also affect your shots the further away you are shooting (e.g. over 50-100m).

In conclusion, I don't think you are going to get the IQ you are looking for from a TC and your better options may be digiscoping or .. just learning how to get closer to your subjects with your FZ72

Thank you both! So...you reccomend me the opposite than my birder friend...oh well. I know I'd have to use a tripod, and I've already have one so this wouldn't be a problem. Panasonic had made a TC for the FZ72, and there are also two or three other options with universal adapters. I love your photos btw! What camera/lens do you use? And thanks delia too! ||

Puput said:

Thank you both! So...you reccomend me the opposite than my birder friend...oh well. I know I'd have to use a tripod, and I've already have one so this wouldn't be a problem. Panasonic had made a TC for the FZ72, and there are also two or three other options with universal adapters. I love your photos btw! What camera/lens do you use? And thanks delia too! ||

Click to expand...

If Pana have made a TC specifically for the FZ72 then you'd have to assume it does an OK job ! I'd still look for reviews / reports on Panasonic forums to see if there is praise or there are any complaints.

You are going to get into extreme reach so bear in mind the need for stability (cheap tripods usually won't do - though try hanging extra weight off the centre column - and you'd probably need to fire the shutter by remote too) and of course note the climatic conditions - it is often warm in Spain so those thermals are going to destroy IQ at long distances.

re. photos. Thank you ! I am currently using Nikon D3s/D800E (D800 before that) and a 300/2.8 VRII with x1.4 and x2.0 TCs.
Some of the earlier photos were taken with a Pentax K5, 300/4 and x1.7 TC.

What you should get are highly dependent on the maximum weight you want to carry, and how much you're willing to pay. Without those two constraints, the optimization problem is unbounded.

Because you are looking at extenders, you are looking for more reach? A quick search on the fz72 suggests that it goes out to 1200 mm (35mm equiv). I'm afraid that at that point adding on more focal length is going to end up with a very shaky setup. At those distances, atmospheric haze is also going to degrade your image significantly. If you move to DSLR's you're not going to be able to get anywhere near 1200 mm without paying an arm and a leg. I think the most important thing to get better photos is to get closer to your subjects. Either learn better fieldcraft or find an area where the birds are more tame/accessible. If you need 1200mm+teleconverter to fill your frame, the images are going to be mediocre no matter what setup you're using.