83x anyone? The new Nikon P900 (8 Viewers)

[Iceberg slim]

High on just purchased this Camera, off to urkey in the morning, so cant really troll through all the pages,
1, what is basic Birdwatching mode
2, is Auto ok to use straight away
3, where does it tell you what optical zoom you are using
4, image size to use
5,special effects, what to set?

thanks boys n girls

 

[poledark]

Auto is good, I rarely use anything else. Bird watching gives you a 7 shot burst, you can zoom as much as you want. I set the evf/screen to optional, saves power. There is a button on left hand side which allows you to zoom back to wide angle if you spot a bird in foliage, it goes back to where you were zoomed when you release it........very handy.

I have played around with settings, but always come back to auto, I can never see any improvement in the pics, to be honest, they are often worse.

Enjoy your camera, don't get obsessed with the zoom, and forget digital except when using it as a telescope, camera is excellent for that.

Have a good trip,

Den

 

[Iceberg slim]

Auto is good, I rarely use anything else. Bird watching gives you a 7 shot burst, you can zoom as much as you want. I set the evf/screen to optional, saves power. There is a button on left hand side which allows you to zoom back to wide angle if you spot a bird in foliage, it goes back to where you were zoomed when you release it........very handy.

I have played around with settings, but always come back to auto, I can never see any improvement in the pics, to be honest, they are often worse.

Enjoy your camera, don't get obsessed with the zoom, and forget digital except when using it as a telescope, camera is excellent for that.

Have a good trip,

Den

Thanks Den

 

[Spiekeries]

I have played around with settings, but always come back to auto, I can never see any improvement in the pics, to be honest, they are often worse.

Settings won't necessarily make pictures better or worse, it gives you better control over the way the camera work so you can get more out of different situations. If you don't know anything about cameras and the way photography works then auto is OK, but if you want more then different ways of manual control is the way to go.

 

[Spiekeries]

I never use auto but now that I have time I checked it out again. It it not for birding. You don't have any control where it focus or over the light metering. You can't set the iso, white balance or anything else. It is useless for birding.

And

don't get obsessed with the zoom

Other words "Don't buy this camera or any other superzoom. " The zoom is what this camera is about. Why else buy it? Then rather buy a lesser zoom but bigger sensor camera. For similar mony you can get a entry level APS with a fair zoom lens.

 

[poledark]

I was one of the first to buy a P900 and have taken thousands of shots with it, mostly birds of various sorts. I have spent many happy hours testing out the different settings and now I rarely bother to use anything other than Auto with burst, this is what the Bird setting really is. I can override the 800 mm setting and just use the zoom button.

Den

 

[poledark]

Oh dear me! Spieks, for your info I was one of the first to buy a P900, and have taken thousands of shots with it. Don't put words into my mouth, I have advised dozens of people to buy a P900.

Most, if not all, of my bird shots don't give me time to adjust settings, look down at camera to adjust setting and look up and bird has flown.

Den

 

[Spiekeries]

So what do you use? Auto or Scene set on Bird? There is a difference. It is getting a bit confusing here. Even on "Bird" it use auto iso range up to 800 and image quality on normal instead of fine which will both reduse quality where is is not necessary. That is why I don't use "Bird". And what does advising people to buy it has to do with settings?

 

[poledark]

Spiels, perhaps you should read back on your last few posts. You seem to imply that "if you don't know anything about cameras". And in a later post you imply I am saying "why buy a super zoom"

The guy asked for help and I gave him some advice, but didn't allow for the fact that you are the real expert and I should have not said anything.

You are very defensive of the 900, it is a good bit of kit, but until you(he) gets used to it, then auto is the way to go, after all, I think Nikon know more about cameras than you or I will ever know.

I have to admit that unless I get up close, then the quality of the shots is very average, and apart from record shots the long range ones are not really any use at all.

Den

 

[Spiekeries]

It is still confusing as to what setting you recommend, Auto (the green camera icon on the top dial) or the pre-set Bird (the Scene setting on the top dial and then select Bird-watching in the menu). The pre-set is some of the settings you would otherwise set yourself, done on your behalf. Only it it not necessarily the best settings but better than auto for birding.

I have seen some people with smart professional cameras and lenses that after more than a year with it still don't know how to use it other than auto. Once they learn how to properly use the different settings they hardly ever use auto again.

I did not imply that you said "why buy a super zoom". I asked that if you should not use the zoom capabilities of a superzoom camera then why buy it? What does your words "don't get obsessed with the zoom" means? I am sure most people buying a superzoom wants to use that capabilities so why advice against using it? Like I said before, if it was not for the zoom of this or other superzooms I would buy a APS camera with a lesser zoom and get better quality photo in that zoom range.

I never said I am a expert. Where did I say that? I am sure most if not all of us here are amateurs and wish to help each other. We do have different opinions and mine is to learn to use the camera with better settings from the beginning. Not like that guy that was on here that refused to learn and only used Auto and could not get good pictures. After sending two cameras back he still insists it is a crappie camera compared to his older one. Only problem was that he was not willing to learn anything to improve his pictures.

I am not defensive of the 900. Should it be a Canon or Sony or anything else, the same way of using it applies. It is about helping a person getting better pictures from the beginning with any camera. Yes Nikon and Canon and other manufacturers know more about cameras and taking pictures and photographers requirements, that is why they programmed their cameras with different settings and not just auto. For a test on birding, set your camera on Auto (the green icon on the top dial) and aim at a bird or something small on branch on the far side of a tree and see where it is focusing. It will focus randomly on different places ond not necessarily where you want it to focus, on the bird. I checked now, even Bird pre-set does not spot focus so it is sometimes difficult to focus on a bird in a tree.

I mostly use "P" (Programmed Auto) where everything is pre-programmed by yourself except shutter speed and aperture. It will use the biggest aperture possible and adjust shutter speed accordingly. Thereafter you don't have to set anything but zoom. You can then use it by just simply point, zoom and click.

 

[Iceberg slim]

camera takes much better pics than my sX 50, grabbing a still from video is pretty good, but i'm having issues uploading movies to smart phone, or can you not do that, because when connected, the only files showing are Stills?,
keep with the advice where constructive and helpful, newbie learning fast.

PS me using a monopod in Turkey isn't going down well, i think they think Khaki and monopod with a strap = paramilitary, lol

 

[Iceberg slim]

i used P on my canon, but they are detrmined settings, and light and circumstaces will usually mean these are changedm Shutter priority is a way i might try, but Auto, and no digital zoom(so far)

 

[excubitor05]

My experience with p900

I've been using this camera since last october. I'm more a birder than a photographer, but I do love to take nice pics if it's possible. This camera allows me both. I can carry it out on my walks, along with my binoculars, and has helped ID some really far and moving birds. Also, I've used it in hides, when birds are more confident and easy to "catch".
I ALLWAYS use birding mode.

 

[harr1y]

Ditto for Auto and zoom ..I took these yesterday and have never used a camera in my life ..probably not the greatest to the purists but im happy enough with them..The Snow Bunting was 50 metres away and taken hand held

 

[Iceberg slim]

A couple from Turkey, obviously nowhere near as sharp as originals, as these are compressed to buggery

1, Lesser grey shrike
2, Rufous Bush Robin

 

[mbobo]

Here some shots from me. The first one was taken with a macrolens. I'm still happy with the camera. I use "A" Mode with spot AF field and matrix or spot light metering. My device is a diva, when the object is far away - then sometimes the autofokus works not reliable - means - the autofokus says "OK" (green mark) but when I control it on the display it is not 100% sharp. Then I change the autofokus position on the object and make different shots - mainly this resolve the problem.


regards,
Mario

 

[Spiekeries]

Nice.

 

[Spiekeries]

Ducks in a row.

 

[George Edwards]

Could please someone post bird pics in deep shade - i.e. forest canopy? They don't have to be great pics - just to get an idea of grain, noise, blur, colour etc. Thinking of moving on from my SX50. I know this is the most challenging type of pic, but it's also where the rarest birds are in the tropics…

 

[Spiekeries]

This picture was taken on a overcast day late afternoon when the sun was already behind a high hill with trees and buildings on top. We were sitting under some trees and it was poor light conditions. I took the picture hand held at 1/30 second and ISO 100. It was post processed as jpg do allows for it. I can't remember exactly but it was about 5 - 6 meter away.

Picture to follow, first have to resize it on computer as the pic on cellphone to big for the forum.