advice needed (1 Viewer)

[hummerfan]

Hi,

I'm a new member and very much of a novice when it comes to picture taking. My one and only camera is a modest Olympus D-510 which I purchased about three years ago. Now, I am looking for something better and because of my love for birds and butterflies would like to know what would be a decent moderately priced camera that I could graduate to so I can capture these digitally. Also, can someone explain about add on telescopic lenses and what one should look for when purchasing these?

Like I said I am a beginner and need some serious guidance.

Thanks in advance,

Max

 

[Andy Bright]

Hi Max, a big welcome to Bird Forum.net.
My suggestion would be to look at one of the Olympus digitals with a 10x optical zoom lens.... the latest incarnation is the C-740 ultra zoom, but there were several similar models before that incorperated a 10x zoom (that you may be able to pick up quite cheaply).
As you know, magnification is everything with bird photography (unless you use stealth or lay in wait for them from a concealed position). Even the 10x that an Olympus 740uz will give, it can still seem not enough for small birds at most distances. You can add teleconverters to these cameras to increase the magnification, usually magnifying the 10x by a further 1.4x - 1.7x

Over the last few years, a number of birders have discovered that they can attach certain digital cameras to a spotting scope (many of us use these scopes every day to get a 'bird in the hand' view).
This method is called Digiscoping and allows huge magnification (check my website or the gallery to see some of the images taken with this method).
Regards,
Andy

 

[hummerfan]

Hi Andy,

Thanks so much for your reply. I have been doing some research on my own and have looked at the Olympus C-730 which is probably an earlier model of the C-740.

Also, before I joined the forum I looked at all your wonderful bird pictures and those of others and have to say I was in total awe of your achievements. If I could capture just a fraction of what you guys have accomplished I would be one happy girl.

I think what I will do is take this in steps. First, get the camera and play around with it to learn it and then eventually graduate to a teleconverter or spotting scope. My goal in the long run is to learn the fine art of digiscoping though.

Thank you so much for your advice. It is exactly what I was looking for.

Have a great day!

Max

 

[hummerfan]

Hi Andy,

I hope I am not being a pest but I was wondering if you could give me a little advice here. I have seen the Olympus C-740 for around $400. On Ebay I saw this package. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2928819002&category=30010 and was wondering that for a couple of hundred dollars more if this might be a better value in the long run. Are any of these lenses any good for taking bird pictures in your estimation? Do you think this would be a good value for me? Please let me know when and if you get a chance.

Thanks for your help.

Max

 

[IanF]

Hi Hummerfan,

Just in case Andy doesn't get back to you in time as I see the auction ends pretty soon, I thought I'd chip in.

I have the Olympus C2100UZ a forerunner of the C-700 series, which also has the 10x optical zoom, but is only 2.1 mp. I certainly like my camera and it is well favoured by wildlife photographers unless you want to spend a little more on say the Sony DSC-717 or go the whole hog for a digital SLR.

I've tinkered around with several different teleconverter lenses and shared in reviews by other people likewise minded. Having looked at this Ebay auction, I can't say I've heard of or seen any reviews regards the Opteka lenses. One thing I have come to realise though is that results from teleconverters vary widely. The best by far are the Olympus B-300 and now relaunched Tcon-17. I'd be very wary of other brands if you particularly want the lenses for bird photography.

The actual package in this auction does seem very attractive though. In fact if I was starting over and wanted the full works kit wise, I'd be very tempted by this auction myself. I'd give it a go with the lenses, but as the Tcon-17 is available for around $90, I'd have the option of the aditional lens at a later date.

BTW I find the best setup for my C2100 is to use the B300 and Tcon-14 in tandem. There's a thread on here about how to do it.

However, I see that you may also wish to get into Digiscoping at some point. I found that the C2100 isn't an ideal camera for digiscoping, possible because of the 49 mm lens thread, which is a little too wide for scope eyepieces. I went down the course of getting a Nikon C4500 for use when digiscoping. I still have both cameras though.

Regards

 

[hummerfan]

Hi Ian,

Thanks for all the great information. It almost seems to me that if I can get this outift for around $600 it might be worth it even if the lenses don't work out. I think, but I'm no expert on this, that the other accessories would make it worthwhile minus the lenses. Correct me if I'm wrong on this.

I am very confused as I want to make the right decision. I don't want to shell out $600 and then be unhappy. LOL.

I know the C-750 is out too and that looks decent also. But, being new I'm sure it will go for top dollar. Jeepers, I wish I knew what to do.

Could you just get back to me and let me know if you think the add-ons minus the lenses still make this a sweet deal?

Thanks,
Max

 

[Andy Bright]

Hi Max,
I agree with what Ian has said. The Opteka teleconverters are an unknown quantity to me and aren't likely to set the world on fire in terms of optical excellence, you generally get what you pay for with glass.
Having said that, the teleconverter will do as it claims and make the subject larger.
It's hard to say if it's a bargain, UK vs U.S prices aren't that comparable... look around and see the cheapest 740 you can find.
I think it sounds o.k. to me, no great loss if the teleconverters have all the optical clarity of a milk bottle.
Oh... and none of the Olympus cameras with 10x zoom lenses are any good for digiscoping (but don't worry about that, a spotting scope costs a lot of money anyway).
Andy

 

[hummerfan]

Hi Andy,

So in essence are you saying that I should just stick to a 10x zoom and a teleconverter? Will I still be able to get good pics of birds this way?

I searched around the web and don't understand why the C-740 is cheaper than the C-730. Does that make sense to you?

Thanks for replying,
Max

 

[Andy Bright]

You're probably talking about $800+ for a reasonable scope for digiscoping, in addition to the cost of a Nikon coolpix 4300 or coolpix 4500. If you are seriouis about birding, then a spotting scope is a good purchase that you'll never regret.... if your interest is more photographic, then maybe concentrating upon a more traditional approach is best.

Another aspect is whether you are content with web/monitor photos of your birds, as opposed to large prints. With the former, a 10x zoom on the Olympus should be adequate for much of the time, you can crop to enlarge the bird if it's too small in the photo (you don't need many pixels to make a great looking web image).

The 10x zoom (in real terms it's similar to a 380mm lens on a traditional 35mm camera) should be plenty for backyard birding, with the addition of a teleconverter this is increased further (760mm with the teleconverter on e-bay).

Sorry, I can't answer the pricing differences between c-730 and c-740.
Andy

 

[IanF]

Hi Andy,

The auction does sound decent to me as everything in it is a useful piece of equipment. However there is always the question as to whether you will be needing everything.

For photos, really you just need a decent camera and lens, together with a decent sized memory card - I prefer the 128 mb, though many still like the 64 mb ones which are quite cheap now. That is all I started with and even now tend to carry around with me. I never even use the tripod for C2100 shots.

As a basic system starting off you may be better off with just getting the camera and I would advise a Tcon-17 teleconverter. The combo will give excellent results with both birds and for macro shots. If you later want a bit more reach then consider the Tcon-14 addition.

I don't know the differences between the C730 and C740, but when looking at new purchases I like to read up about the equipment on here Dpreview - both the official reviews and what purchasers have to say - often more pertinent. Yahoo groups are also a useful source of information.

 

[hummerfan]

Thanks guys,

Just the information I wanted. I think I will forget about the auction find a good price on the C-740 and look into the converter and memory card. Like you said Ian I probably wouldn't use all that stuff anyway and it will more than likely exceed the price I would spend on the kit anyway.

Andy, my pictures would all be backyard ones anyway and even with my unsopisticated Olympus D 510 3X I did manage to get a pretty decent shot of a hummingbird last year and some good shots of butterflies. So, I think this is the way to go for me.

Again, thank you so much for you help.

Max