Nikon CoolPix P1000 Bird-watching Mode (1 Viewer)

[ljclark]

The Nikon P1000 is an interesting case. I'm a bit of a lens snob, so I've not paid much attention to the super-zoom bridge cameras, but apparently Nikon has.

A very interesting feature is the Bird-watching Mode -- made more effective by way of the extreme range of the zoom lens. The bad news is that you can't save RAW files in that mode. || My personal experience with small sensor cameras is that sometimes you have to go to RAW so you can set the post processing priorities in order to get what you want -- not what the camera thinks you want.

(The attached are screen grabs I made from the P1000's PDF Reference Manual)

Still, the execution of Bird-watching mode is clever, and it does make you wonder if the camera side of Nikon has paid attention to what the binocular and scope people are up to.

My guess is that P1000 shots in the 2000mm - 3000mm (equivalent) range would be more useful to birders in documentation/identification. But I've seen some pretty good mid-range shots on Flickr lately. There are several P1000 Flickr groups.

As for price...Compare the results of the 1,000 USD P1000 with the results you would get for the same money in a scope and adapter (assuming you already have a smart phone).

 

[poledark]

You can duplicate the Bird watching settings in P mode and use Raw and Burst, preset zoom if you want as well.

Den

 

[poledark]

Early days yet, but I hope that the Snap back button will make BIF a lot easier. Set this to 1/4 zoom and it will help to pick up the bird quicker. Spot the bird. press in Snap back and hold until bird is in frame, release Snap button and bird should be in the middle of frame.......or thereabouts

Den

 

[Gzoladz74]

You can duplicate the Bird watching settings in P mode and use Raw and Burst, preset zoom if you want as well.

Den

You can, however what you can't dupplicate (which I use a lot) is the functionality of the OK button to bring the lens back to i.e. 800mm

Zoom memory ON can achieve something somewhat similar, but it is not the same.

 

[HermitIbis]

Early days yet, but I hope that the Snap back button will make BIF a lot easier. Set this to 1/4 zoom and it will help to pick up the bird quicker. Spot the bird. press in Snap back and hold until bird is in frame, release Snap button and bird should be in the middle of frame.......or thereabouts Den

1/4 zoom means 750mm? Seems reasonable ... with my V2 I have an efov of 800mm, and I tend to think it's a sweet spot for shooting BIF. After practicing with swallows now I mostly find a flying bird in the EVF. Not sure whether your last sentence "snap back" is such a good idea. As I said, 800mm is usually fine, more is often hard to handle (at least with swallows).

With my Canon SX50 I had modest success at BIF. It has two storage options on the dial, C1 and C2. I have C2 set to 215mm (longest extension of the lens, efov 1200mm), C1 set to 171mm (efov 957mm). C1 was my choice both for low-light (as it offers f5.6 instead of f6.5) and birds in flight. At an efov of 957mm it was easier to find a raptor or something in the EVF. But I would not "snap back" to 1200mm. So when I wanted to shoot BIF, I just turned the dial to C1 and half-pressed the shutter to get focus - and stay on the 957mm.

 

[poledark]

Goladze, Not sure what you mean. I have several different settings for zoom, 500/600/800/1000/1500/2000 and 3000. A touch of the zoom button will bring me forward or backwards to one of these presets, and the actual figure is displayed in the EVF or on the screen. If I needed to "speed up" the process then I can select fewer zoom levels i.e. 500/800/1200, or any other combination, or even only one level, i.e 800mm.

Herm, the snap back button simply widens the field of view when held so you can pick up the bird easier, lift finger off and it snaps back to whatever zoom you have selected. There are 3 levels of snapback, I have set mine at the shortest as it is a bit quicker to return to the chosen zoom level. On the 900 there was only one level.



Den

 

[HermitIbis]

Herm, the snap back button simply widens the field of view when held so you can pick up the bird easier, lift finger off and it snaps back to whatever zoom you have selected.

Thanks for the explanation. So the snap back here works differently, no option to stay wide.

 

[poledark]

Just checked and if zoom is set to say 800 then the snap back will either go to 400 (short) 200 (medium) or all the way back. Likewise the same ratio if set to any other zoom level.
I hope this all helps, as reviewers seem to gloss over a lot of the functions most useful in the practical world of bird photography.

Den

 

[HermitIbis]

A correction to what I wrote above on the Canon SX50. Pressing the "frame assist button" on a SX50 goes from 1200mm to 291mm (efov), resp. from 957mm (my BIF setting) to 235mm (efov). Useful for ID of smaller birds in flight, but not the real thing if we are talking BIF. So on second thought if the P1000 always snaps back to the longer focal length, I could live with that.

Come on, P1000 owners. Show me a swan in flight shot at 800mm efov.

 

[poledark]

Herms, will look out for a swan on my travels Been playing a bit with snap back. There is a definite delay after it snaps back before I can fire off the shutter. Not good if bird is moving fast like the rooks hurtling downwind today, but OK for the high flying airliner. Did manage to get a couple of the rooks in the frame but very blurred as everything was moving at top speed..........including me Great fun all this..

Den

 

[Gzoladz74]

Goladze, Not sure what you mean. I have several different settings for zoom, 500/600/800/1000/1500/2000 and 3000. A touch of the zoom button will bring me forward or backwards to one of these presets, and the actual figure is displayed in the EVF or on the screen. If I needed to "speed up" the process then I can select fewer zoom levels i.e. 500/800/1200, or any other combination, or even only one level, i.e 800mm.


Den

I am not explaining myself...what you have set up is the zoom memory function.
However birdwatching mode has a functionality where when you press the "OK" buttos, it brings you straight to i.e. 800mm

I use that a lot and it is only available in birdwatching mode.

 

[poledark]

I know where you are coming from Gzoldaz I also use the Bird function a lot. have you also find that a downward press of the OK selector button gives an option to focus set on infinity? Should help with high flyers. Another little bit of help from Nikon.

Den

 

[ljclark]

For Tripod Use...

If you want to shift the P1000's tripod mounting a bit forward (for better balance), you can use the ReallyRightStuff L84 Lens Plate. It has a anti-twist flange on the rear of the plate which, when fitted to the P1000, still allows movement of the camera's LCD.

I fits standard Arca Swiss heads/adapters. Cost at B&H was $55 US.

 

[poledark]

Made my own plate almost as soon as I got my 1000. Wasn't happy with the perceived strain on the mounting screw thread with all that overhang. Camera sits nicely balanced now

Den