Canon SX50 Specs (4 Viewers)

[Geoff Pain]

Purchased one of these cameras this weekend and am trying to get to grips with it.Which image aspect ratio and image resolution do most of you use for bird photography?

Thanks Geoff

 

[Roy C]

Purchased one of these cameras this weekend and am trying to get to grips with it.Which image aspect ratio and image resolution do most of you use for bird photography?

Thanks Geoff

The aspect ratio is up to individual taste but with bird photography you are frequently going to need to crop the image if only for a nice composition so it can be somewhat irrelevant. On the SX50 I normally use the full 12mp which is 4x3 but my finished image may end up cropped to 3x2, 4x3,5x4, or 1x1 depending on the image and composition you want.
As far as image res goes I always use the highest possible res. For IQ if you are not going to shoot in RAW (my preference when shooting at up to 1200mm) then I would advocate the least compressed of all the jpeg options which is superfine - with bird snapping you need all the IQ you can get if you want good detail so I do not see the point in shooting at a lower res myself unless you are looking to take 9,999 images on a 8gb card :-O. For info on a 8gb card you can get around 1300-1400 superfine jpegs (or around 450 RAWS).

 

[Roy C]

I got side-tracked looking at astrophotography set-ups, you know how it is!

Yep, using a astro scope as a prime lens with a DSLR can give superb results for a very modest cost compared with the big whites. I use my 600mm SW80ED with a 1.4x on the 7D and have had some superb results.

 

[johnno]

Brilliant Shots of the Moon Roy,
Often a Quarter,Half or three Quarter,Moon allows more Detail
of the Terminator.

Very Impressed
John

 

[DavidNB]

This pic from yesterday is not wonderful, but is aimed at making people from other parts of the country jealous. Taken an the Old Deer Park above Martin's Haven.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/IMG_4208chough_zps1d104c78.jpg

And the next one is not a bird, but an example of my exploration of using the Raynox lens. The flower is unknown to me, and a cursory look through the book didn't help, so any suggestions gratefully received. Taken on sandy soil at the Gann, near Dale, Pembrokeshire, again yesterday.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Mysteryblueflower_zps43d4a055.jpg

David

 

[pooleparrot]

Reed Warbler

Took this shot this morning, probably from about 20ft, using 1.5X converter, superfine JPEG. Uncropped in processing just sharpened and adjusted light etc.

 

[punta]

Took this shot this morning, probably from about 20ft, using 1.5X converter, superfine JPEG. Uncropped in processing just sharpened and adjusted light etc.

Nice capture :t:

 

[Paul - Herts]

Took this shot this morning, probably from about 20ft, using 1.5X converter, superfine JPEG. Uncropped in processing just sharpened and adjusted light etc.

Lovely shot indeed. Nice and close has given you loads of detail :t:

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Hi all. How do you use the 1.5 x converter?

Cheers,

Rich

 

[pooleparrot]

Rich, press menu button, on camera menu the 2nd line down is "Digital Zoom" , scroll across the options and you have "standard", "off", "1.5x" and "2x". Choose whichever you want obviously the 2x converter gets you even closer but I feel the loss of IQ is too much so 1.5x is my preference(still some IQ loss but not too bad)

Ian

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

That's great. Cheers Ian.

Rich

 

[Bob Philpott]

Rich, press menu button, on camera menu the 2nd line down is "Digital Zoom" , scroll across the options and you have "standard", "off", "1.5x" and "2x". Choose whichever you want obviously the 2x converter gets you even closer but I feel the loss of IQ is too much so 1.5x is my preference(still some IQ loss but not too bad)

Ian

Rich, Also having found it you can set it to the custom button (just left of the viewfinder and it is there at the press of a button.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Cheers Bob:t:

I've just set it on my C1 setting and will give it a go on the weekend.

Rich

 

[Paul - Herts]

Here's an example taken with the Raynox DCR-250. I take loads and bin loads, usually due to camera-shake of course. Even with the IS on this camera I still find it a big problem as I really don't have steady hands.

My other bug-bear has got to be the focus-lock - once it's locked on the wrong point it can be really hard to shift again!

Edit: I should have said that this is cropped approximately 50%

 

[Roy C]

My other bug-bear has got to be the focus-lock - once it's locked on the wrong point it can be really hard to shift again!

Are you using AI servo mode Paul?, in this mode the focus is never locked as such - although I have never used the SX50 for macro stuff I always use AI servo when shooting macro on a DSLR. I am not sure if the AI servo sampling rate on the SX50 is up to the job but it is worth a try.

 

[pooleparrot]

Reed Bunting

Another example of the 1.5x converter. This juvenile Reed Bunting was sat quite close begging for food, probably only 10ft away. You can still see the Yellow Gape at the base of the bill. Again this photo is uncropped in PP.

Ian

 

[Paul - Herts]

Are you using AI servo mode Paul?, in this mode the focus is never locked as such - although I have never used the SX50 for macro stuff I always use AI servo when shooting macro on a DSLR. I am not sure if the AI servo sampling rate on the SX50 is up to the job but it is worth a try.

I have the Continuous AF switched on and Servo AF turned off - is it the latter you mean?


Lovely shot of the Reed Bunting Ian

 

[Roy C]

I have the Continuous AF switched on and Servo AF turned off - is it the latter you mean?

The Continuous AF and Servo mode are two completely different things:-
Continuous AF is a kind of auto AF where the Camera is always looking to find focus even when you are not depressing the shutter button halfway (this would drive me mad having this on all the time as it sometimes focuses on anything other than where you want it to :C (as well as draining the battery quicker lol)).
Servo AF is useful for moving targets like small insects on leaves that could be blowing around in the wind or if your are moving slightly. In servo mode the camera is constantly focusing on the subject and adjusting exposure as long as you have the shutter button half depressed.
Like I say I would not use any other mode for macro on a DSLR but have never tried it on the SX40/50 but it is worth a try I would have thought.

 

[Paul - Herts]

Cheers Roy, will try and remember to compare the 2 next time I'm out

 

[Robert S J Smith]

Hi guys,

Would anyone be willing to post a few more macro shots up? I spend a lot of my time photographing plants & insects so good macro would be very much wanted.

The results Rob Lee got with a Raynox DCR-250 Macro Attached (a page back) are brilliant. Would that fit straight onto the camera or is a adapter ring or something needed?

Cheers,

Robert