Canon SX50 Specs (6 Viewers)

[Hamhed]

No more than you would normally do, especially if you shoot in RAW.

I think I must be in that tiny minority that does not shoot in RAW and does not do any post-processing, other than cropping. Are there others out there like me on this planet? ||

Found a Vesper Sparrow today and used my "newly acquired" ISO 80 setting to pick him out of a willow. For my standards, this is all I need from the SX50.

Steve

 

[crazyfingers]

I think I must be in that tiny minority that does not shoot in RAW and does not do any post-processing, other than cropping. Are there others out there like me on this planet? ||

Found a Vesper Sparrow today and used my "newly acquired" ISO 80 setting to pick him out of a willow. For my standards, this is all I need from the SX50.

Steve

While I can't prove it, I'd guess that most people who use this Camera just use the JPG. I do. I take too many pictures and may of the family and such that RAW is too much trouble.

My guess is that most people using this camera for birding almost always or always just use JPG because it gives very good pictures particularly of a bird far away and is much less expensive and much smaller to carry around than a properly fitted out DSLR. It's a grab and go anywhere camera with immense versatility.

Crop is common but you can also make significant improvements with just a little brightness and contract adjustments that come with most cheap or free image viewers. Personally I probably do 99% of all editing in MS Office Picture Manager that comes with Office.

 

[Roy C]

I think I must be in that tiny minority that does not shoot in RAW and does not do any post-processing, other than cropping. Are there others out there like me on this planet? ||
Steve

If you use a digital converter then you cannot use RAW on the SX50 anyway so I would guess that the majority of SX50 users do not use RAW. The three shoots a recently posted were all at 1800mm so had to be in Jpeg.
As long as you are happy with the quality you are getting then that is all that matters. Shooting at the lowest ISO (ISO 80 in this case) is always preferable but if you have not got decent light to give you an adequate shutter speed then you will end up with soft images due to Camera shake - just using ISO 80 all the time irrespective of light is a recipe for disaster IMHO _ as previously stated you should use the lowest ISO you can in order to give a decent shutter speed. If handholding then the shutter speed needs to be faster than using a pod of course.
As for me I was not happy with the IQ which is why I got rid of it (even when shooting in RAW and processing). We all have different needs and I guess. I think the SX50 is a superb camera for the likes of the birder who wants record shots without going to all the trouble of digiscoping.

BTW I am not god enough to rely on out of the Camera shots so I prefer to do a little editing at times to get me something passable lol

 

[Jamvol12]

I think I must be in that tiny minority that does not shoot in RAW and does not do any post-processing, other than cropping. Are there others out there like me on this planet? ||

Found a Vesper Sparrow today and used my "newly acquired" ISO 80 setting to pick him out of a willow. For my standards, this is all I need from the SX50.

Steve

Sometimes I might adjust the brightness/contrast levels of my images on photoshop - but that's it as far as 'processing' goes for me.

SX50 is my first proper camera - but to be honest photography is not really my cup of tea. I'm very much a 'bird-watcher with a camera' and I just use the SX50's great zoom as a kind of pseudo scope and to help me remember what I saw most of the time.

The only time I get results even remotely comparable to some of the good stuff included on this thread is when shooting a nearby bird in perfect light (very rare in Scotland!).

 

[Hamhed]

It's a fine line between being a birder and being a photographer of birds, isn't it? Easy to get drawn into either direction but hard to be good at both at the same time. I like the SX50 for hitting that sweet spot in the middle.
Keep those hints and tips coming!
Steve

 

[crazyfingers]

It's a fine line between being a birder and being a photographer of birds, isn't it? Easy to get drawn into either direction but hard to be good at both at the same time. I like the SX50 for hitting that sweet spot in the middle.
Keep those hints and tips coming!
Steve

Ditto!

I would only add that I enjoy observing and photographing all wildlife. It just happens that aside from gray squirrels, birds are 99% of the wildlife that I see. And it is possible to have enough photographs of gray squirrels.

 

[pshute]

I think I must be in that tiny minority that does not shoot in RAW and does not do any post-processing, other than cropping. Are there others out there like me on this planet? ||

I shoot jpgs because the results seem good enough. I'd appreciate it if someone could demonstrate the improvement possible with RAW by processing a jpg/RAW pair.

My suspicion is that it matters more for some cameras than others, and that it usually only helps in extreme lighting conditions.

 

[Roy C]

To anyone who does not understand the advantages of RAW then it is not for you, its as easy as that :t:

If anyone gets serious about bird photography (with a DSLR not a point and shoot) then you will eventually find out that RAW is an essential part of the process.

 

[TheScrutinizer]

Canon SX50 was never supposed to be anything but a decent point and shoot camera with an extreme zoom range. And as a birdwatcher I'm more happy using SX50 for documentation than with equipment for digiscoping. I've tried both and I found the latter more difficult to use. In addition the SX50 may give you an opportunity to take images that are quite amazing. There are several examples in this forum. But the SX50 depends on good light conditions.

If I want to become a famous bird photographer I need to buy a heavy DSLR with an even heavier 500 mm or zoom lens and a couple of teleconverters and...
I have a Pentax K20D with a Tamron zoom, but since I bought the SX50 I never want to carry it around...

The attached images are taken with ISO 80, 2400 mm (2x dig. teleconv.), handheld and no postprocessing.

Rook at 35 meters
Jackdaw at 95 meters
Magpie at 150 meters

I found the images decent as documentation for birds at a distance.

 

[Millhaven8]

"BTW I am not god......"

But almost the next best thing Roy
Keep up all the help you give us.

 

[Mick R]

I still love playing around with the SX50 (had it from launch) it's a superb piece of kit. Canon really bagged a winner with it.
For what it is, at ISO 80 in strong light . . . the results can be very good indeed.
I hope the SX60 is going to be a worthy upgrade & i may be tempted if it's improved the way i'd like it to be (not necessarily more 'zoom') but regardless, my good old '50 will definitely be staying in the trusty backpack.

Here's a shot from last year - Plain Prinia ~ SX50 ~ ISO 80 (cropped)

 

[JeffMoh]

I still love playing around with the SX50 (had it from launch) it's a superb piece of kit. Canon really bagged a winner with it.
For what it is, at ISO 80 in strong light . . . the results can be very good indeed.
I hope the SX60 is going to be a worthy upgrade & i may be tempted if it's improved the way i'd like it to be (not necessarily more 'zoom') but regardless, my good old '50 will definitely be staying in the trusty backpack.

Here's a shot from last year - Plain Prinia ~ SX50 ~ ISO 80 (cropped)

Beautiful shot, Mick!

Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com

 

[pshute]

To anyone who does not understand the advantages of RAW then it is not for you, its as easy as that :t:

If anyone gets serious about bird photography (with a DSLR not a point and shoot) then you will eventually find out that RAW is an essential part of the process.

I understand the theory of why it should be better. I tried it once and couldn't see the difference, but assume that's because I didn't know how to manipulate it to get more out of it, or didn't know where to look to see the difference. Or perhaps my particular camera had done a good job on the jpg.

That's why I'd like to see RAW+jpg sample pairs that show the difference.

 

[David142]

RoyC A belated thanks for that explanation. It is a little clearer now.
David

 

[crazyfingers]

C1

AF Frame - FlexiZone
Digital Zoom - Off
AF-Point Zoom - On
Servo AF - Off
Continuous AF - Off
AF-assist beam - Off
MF-Point Zoom - Off
Safety MF - Off
Iso Auto settings - Max 800
High ISO NR - Low
Spot AE Point - AF Point


I tried saving one the ISO Auto MAX to a much lower number but it would not allow saving below 400.

 

[miketaylor]

Hi crazyfingers,

I've been using your C1 & C2 settings but would just like to clarify one thing - do you start from Auto, then change settings and save to C1/C2, or do you start from Av?

Cheers,
Mike

 

[crazyfingers]

Hi crazyfingers,

I've been using your C1 & C2 settings but would just like to clarify one thing - do you start from Auto, then change settings and save to C1/C2, or do you start from Av?

Cheers,
Mike

I started from Auto. I tried from Av and the camera didn't seem to want to do it.

 

[crazyfingers]

Red wing blackbird at High zoom.

The one in the bush is nearly max optical zoom but no teleconverter. ISO 80

The one with just the water in the background also has the 2x converter on. ISO 120

Neither are cropped or adjusted except to reduce the size to 1600x1200

 

[Woodbadger]

Some recent shots

I am really enjoying my SX-50. All following taken with 2x teleconverter at mac zoom. Minor cropping on BGGN, all with no post-processing.
Vermillion Flycatcher, Superior AZ
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Austin TX
Lark Sparrow, Cedar Creek TX

 

[Clive29]

Some settings I've been using for taking images of dragonflies and butterflies, critters you don't want to get too close to in case you scare away..

In P mode..

Function:
DR -auto
AWB -auto
Colors -vivid
BKT -off
Single shot
Brightness -Spot.
jpeg at super fine.

Menu:
Flexizone
Digital zoom -1.5x
Servo -off
Continuous AF -on
Beam -on
MF -on
Max ISO -400
AF Point
IS -continuous
Display-medium

Save settings to C2.

Would appreciate any feedback or constructive critique.:t: