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

Canon SX60HS in Action (4 Viewers)

Here are a few images from the wetlands yesterday with the SX60. Out to about 1200 mm in bright/hazy light.
Neil.
 

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Here are a few images from the wetlands yesterday with the SX60. Out to about 1200 mm in bright/hazy light.
Neil.

Hi Neil,

Were those all handheld? Did you have any of the jumping around that others are reporting? Did you need to use that outside IS button?
 
Were those all handheld? Did you have any of the jumping around that others are reporting? Did you need to use that outside IS button?
Neil, same questions from me:

  • Were those handheld?
  • Did you use the outside IS button?
I consider those quite acceptable if there is no need for the extra button pushing, which at this point is probably my show-stopper.

My basic argument is if I'm in a hurry to shoot something and am fumbling for an extra button, it's a shot lost. Not sure what Canon was thinking having the user push an additional button to stabilize a shot...it really just should be on or off from the settings menu.
 
I found this review from PC Magazine just today that all the SX60 fence-sitters might find interesting. Granted, it's not from a photographer's point of view, or birders, but more of a consumer-oriented point of view. Which to be fair, this camera is at best a "prosumer" camera.

It does make some technical comparisons between other cameras in this class, including focus speed, sharpness, etc. which are more useful than many other reviews I've read. Also is more balanced about expectations...no mention of "but compared to a DSLR" and that sort of thing...it's evaluated with a proper mindset, IMHO. Also a few more sample pictures.

Many reviews and blogs have scared me from considering the SX60, but this review (unless someone here cares to poke holes in it), combined with Neil's photos, give me reason to think the camera isn't quite as "bad" as is thought by many.
 
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Hi Neil,

Were those all handheld? Did you have any of the jumping around that others are reporting? Did you need to use that outside IS button?

The first 4 were taken resting on the window ledge of the hide. The Grey Heron was taken handheld using the lens button to help stabilisation at 750 mms at about 60 metres. There can be "jumping around"but you have to let it settle which might take a second or two. I had already walked about about 2 kms with all my gear on my back when I took this shot so was a bit shaky and need the extra stabilisation. It wasn't in burst mode either as I was shooting raw, although this is the jpeg ( I shoot Raw+jpeg) when I can. It is a small crop so probably equivalent to about 900 mms.
Neil.
 
It's been cloudy here for the last few days so the SX60 has been selecting higher iso (Auto) up to iso 640 and I noticed a lot of noise as a result. In these photos of the night herons in the local park I've had to use a noise filter.
The last two are at full zoom with the 2x teleconverter switched on. The Teleconverter multiplies the lens by two so the range is 42 - 2730 mm as has been mentioned before. The Digital Zoom only kicks in at the end of the optical zoom range and seems more pixelated for some reason. I leave the 2x on all the time for birding and Continuous Burst Mode.
This video shows the full zoom with 2x on at (2730mm) . The video was shot handheld with the Lens IS button pressed. You can see how noisy it is. I've slowed the video down by 50% and Stabilised the second half in FCP X.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/7892550@N03/15433351927/
Neil
 

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Just for fun I went back over some of the California trip sx60 raw images and ran them through DPP HDR ( single Raw) and Vivid.
Neil.
 

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Cheers Neil.
Above, Crazyfingers mentions turning IS onto 'Shoot Only'. Tried this setting today with an active RB Fly and basically there's no way on earth that it can work (even with IS button pressed in)......so for 'normal' birds I'd personally keep it on 'Continuous' as when I switched it back I could get plenty of pics. Just a thought
 
Cheers Neil.
Above, Crazyfingers mentions turning IS onto 'Shoot Only'. Tried this setting today with an active RB Fly and basically there's no way on earth that it can work (even with IS button pressed in)......so for 'normal' birds I'd personally keep it on 'Continuous' as when I switched it back I could get plenty of pics. Just a thought

Hi birdboybowley,

What's RB Fly?

I don't understand what you're saying. Could you describe in more detail? I generally just take photos of sitting still critters. (SX50) I'm not sure that continuous IS provides more than marginal extra help vs shoot only considering the battery drain that it causes.
 
Neil sure is taking some nice photos. I am starting to wonder if some of the reviews I've read are in error. Of course $550 is not a quick decision.
 
Hey CF,
RB Fly = Red-breasted Flycatcher. Guess you guys'd call it RBFL ;)
IS set to 'Shoot Only' is impossible to use to get a pic of a small, fast-moving bird, esp at long zoom. The image is bobbing about and shuddering through the viewfinder. Hitting the IS button on the barrel will stabilize it but is of no use when the bird sits still so little. Put it back onto 'Continuous' and you can follow the bird with minimal (if any) camera shake and can take a decent pic. Not used the 50 so can only speak of the 60, and it almost transforms the camera.
I agree that if taking pics of a slow-moving bird, eg a heron etc, then you could prob get away with it on 'Shoot Only'
 
Lovely shots Adam, and very encouraging as these look more like the kind of situations that I'm likely to be trying to take shots in. Birding "on the hoof" "shots - I particularly love the first RB fly shot - I'd be more than chuffed with it. I'm guessing (hoping) that these are handheld? Can you give us some details about focal length and any settings you are finding useful.
Incidentally going all the way back to your starling shots can you give us the same details - handheld etc? I hardly need to ask if the IS "turbo" button was used!

Cheers,

Phil
 
Cheers Phil,
The shots were taken in P-mode and were handheld (and 'auto smart fixed' in PS). With the above IS setting (continuous) there's no need for the 'turbo' button to be used with closer subjects (I guess the Fly was c20-30ft away? And the light wasn't great for any but the gull) but is very useful when max-zooming distant subjects...in fact probably compulsory to use it.
For BiFs I find this camera alot easier to get nbetter results than the 40 that's for sure, and the burst mode is pretty good too...byt again, like any of the superzooms, bad light will affect the results moreso than a dslr.....
Not sure of any of the details as to be perfectly honest I ain't gotta a clue about f-stops and aperture speeds etc! ;)
 
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