A decent digicam for birding video? (1 Viewer)

Not this one anyway,

I picked up a JVC Everio Hybrid Camera w/ 30GB Hard Drive / 34x optical zoom. Model GZ-MG255.

I wanted the HD since it would record for a full 7 hours through the window aimed at the feeders. I could come home from work and watch what's been feeding in the yard.

I went out with the camera to try it out on the birds with a tri-pod and fluid head. The first thing I found was the auto focus would not focus on a feeder tube (aimed at the seeds). The tube was 1/3rd of the frame in the center of the frame.

I turned on spot metering so auto focus would focus on the feeder. It did the same thing. Even though the spot was right on the seeds in the tube at 15x to 20x it would not focus on the tube.

Then I saw 3 Eastern Bluebirds, a first for me. I zoomed up to full 34x with the bluebird in the entire frame in auto focus mode and it did not auto focus. I had a blurry video of a Bluebird. I did get some good digiscoping photos of them the next week

I returned the digicam.

I'm wondering what people have used to video the birds and found the cam they purchased a good unit. I don't need a hard drive in the cam, it would be nice but not really needed. I could settle for an hour or 90 minutes.

I'm looking for something that has decent quality video first, will auto focus on spot metering correctly and has a good zoom like 30x.

Just curious what people have liked for digicams and birding.

Thanks,

The must greater magnification you can have is 20X (optic) and it's a very "rare bird" (Canon got some), the most common are 10X. For wildlife especially you need to use the manual focus and a focus ring like on Dslr lens, 3CCD camera f:1.8 lens. You can look on e-bay or specialty store for a used Canon GL1 camera On this older camera you can found some very good deal: 20X zoom, f:1.8 APO L lens, manual focus, ND filter, anti shake, etc..
Other option are panasonic GS 500 or equivalent in this line, 3 ccd camera with manual ring type focus and Zeiss lens (miniDV). with a very good CCD camera you don't need the HD.
Century optic company made some high quality 1.5X to 2X extender for those camera. My wife use the GL1 with the CO 2X, with that combination her reach is higher than my 400mm + 1.5TC + 1.6X crop factor and she start at F:1.8. Luminous!

avan said:

The must greater magnification you can have is 20X (optic) and it's a very "rare bird" (Canon got some), the most common are 10X. For wildlife especially you need to use the manual focus and a focus ring like on Dslr lens, 3CCD camera f:1.8 lens. You can look on e-bay or specialty store for a used Canon GL1 camera On this older camera you can found some very good deal: 20X zoom, f:1.8 APO L lens, manual focus, ND filter, anti shake, etc..
Other option are panasonic GS 500 or equivalent in this line, 3 ccd camera with manual ring type focus and Zeiss lens (miniDV). with a very good CCD camera you don't need the HD.
Century optic company made some high quality 1.5X to 2X extender for those camera. My wife use the GL1 with the CO 2X, with that combination her reach is higher than my 400mm + 1.5TC + 1.6X crop factor and she start at F:1.8. Luminous!

Click to expand...

Thanks Avan,

I'll defiantly check those out for a good dedicated birding camcorder. The 1.5x or 2x extender sounds like a very nice option. I may pick one up if I can can find them on ebay and find some good extenders and keep it for only birding.

After some research I may end up buying a low cost digicam to birdwatch from my computer or TV. I was thinking of getting a wireless transmitter/receiver that can send video and audio and send it to my computer or 2nd tivo I don't use any longer or setup an older PC and have it send video over the network from the cam. Then I could setup a nice quality web cam.

I'm in a room where I can't see any of the feeders. It would be great to have a way to watch and record whats going on out there from inside the house looking out a window.

I just had to start moving two tube feeders I had hanging in my window away from the side of the house. The Goldfinches and House Sparrows would feed at these. What a mess to clean the side of the house!

The nice thing was you could stand inches from them and with the screen they don't see you unless you move quickly. You could leave the window open with the screen in place and hear them or wake up from goldfinch calls

The depressing part was I saw the results up close of mycoplasmal conjunctivitis and that was very depressing to see. You do everything you can but watching these sick little birds get worse is heat breaking.

I'm moving the feeders slowly to another place in the yard. It will be nice to digiscope them this spring/summer in their new location near some apple trees.

Thanks!