Bridge camera advice, please (1 Viewer)

[pshute]

Have you considered the P1000 ?

The OP did say "I've looked at the Nikon Coolpix 950 and 1000 options, but don't think they're for me. Too bulky and slow auto focus".

How do you find the AF speed?

 

[poledark]

I have both the 900 and the 1000. Never had a problem with the “autofocus speed” I spend a huge amount of time either sitting or wandering about and if I see something I just point the camera and click ��

One of the best things about the 1000 is the manual focus ring especially when searching in foliage for a bird, a simple click to manual and then a twist of the focus ring and you will be able to pick out any small bird deep in foliage.
To be honest, I have not found any situation where I have been unable to get a shot due to slow focus, or poor light. These type of complaint seem to come from people who don’t actually own or use either of these cameras.

The joys of a modern bridge camera are the versatility to take ANY type of shot, from distant objects (like mars) right down to ants 1 inch from the lens, and the P1000 will do all of these very easily.

A year or so ago, I was out with my 1000 and I was chatting to another guy. It was getting quite dark and a bird swooped down on to a post about 80 yards away. The bird was just a dark shape but I fired off a burst and when I checked after down loading and some editing, it turned out to be a Merlin. Now it took a bit of work to get an even half good image, but the camera had captured enough for me to get quite a good image, certainly more than enough to ID it

Den

 

[Charlie Spencer]

I have both the 900 and the 1000.

You may have already answered but how do you carry the P1000 around if you're going to be out for three to five hours? My FZ-70 weighs around a pound. I have a camera case I strap over my shoulder and a cross my body, with the case on my right side so I can pull the camera out when needed. I also have binos on my chest on a harness.

I'm only 61 and in decent shape but the notion of toting that howitzer around for a few hours is ... intimidating. I'm trying to decide if the extra reach is worth a pound more weight than the P950.

 

[pshute]

To be honest, I have not found any situation where I have been unable to get a shot due to slow focus, or poor light. These type of complaint seem to come from people who don’t actually own or use either of these cameras.

The OP experienced the problem with a friend's camera. Might have been in an unusual situation, or some kind of settings problem?

 

[Jeff@]

This will be my first camera specifically for birding. I don't want to go down the DSLR route, mostly for budget reasons, but also because I'm looking for a camera for record shots and bird ID rather than cracking good images (though hopefully there'll be a few worth keeping). And I don't want my regular birding trips to become more about photography than birding.

I have been researching which bridge camera would work for me best. My birding is mostly walking rather than static, so something portable and quickly deployable is what I'm looking for. I'm usually toting a scope/tripod setup so don't want to be overly weighed down. I've looked at the Nikon Coolpix 950 and 1000 options, but don't think they're for me. Too bulky and slow auto focus (when I tried a friend's). I've narrowed things down to either the Panasonic Lumix FZ300/330 or the FZ2000/2500. The main thing that's causing my indecision is how to evaluate the small sensor + 600mm reach of the former against the 1"sensor and 480mm reach of the latter in practical terms of achievable end results.

Has anyone any thoughts that might help me decide, or a recommendation for alternative I might have missed?

Don't forget if you reduce the picture size to 10mmp your lens has 675mm not the standard 4800mm