Bridge Camera for Bird Photography

[KentYeti]

The Fuji Bridge Camera I stuff in my my coat when I'm up in the mountains has never really recovered from me taking photos from inside breaking waves during a severe storm that swept up past Folkstone Warren a couple of years ago. DON'T do that yourselves under any circumstances by the way. I'm big, have storm walked for years, and know the tides/tide heights etc of that area well enough to know when to take the risk of walking it in very severe weather.

So I'm looking for another bridge camera and have started reading the various reviews.

Thinking it through it would be nice to have one that was up to taking reasonable bird shots as well. I walk a lot and don't lug my Nikon DSLRs and lenses along with me!

I doubt I'll ever get the quality as from my DSLR, but would like to get a presentable photo if a subject gets in my viewfinder when I am out walking. At present I just have to let the chance go by.

The things that stand out as important are:

It HAS to fit in a fairly large coat pocket

Fast and accurate focus

Quality image

Long Zoom

Image Stabilisation

OK ISO performance

Possible RAW as well, for when I mess up the exposure! :eek

I'm not asking for much!

Any one got any experience of a fairly recently released bridge camera for bird photography?

Plus any other comments ideas.

And no. I'm not going to hire a Sherpa so I can always have my DSLR gear with me! LOL!

Cheers,

Bryan

[Tringa]

The only bridge camera I know is the Panasonic FZ28 (which is a couple of years+ old now)

I had not taken any photos for years, but thought, about two years ago, I should move into the digital world.

I read a lot and the FZ28 (at the time I bought it) looked good.

It is a great camera. Light, fairly compact, excellent battery life, top end of the zoom is the 35mm equivalent of 480mm, records in RAW, has AEB and generally feels good to use.

The FZ28 is now pretty old and Panasonic have introduced a number of newer models. From what I read they are all very good.

That is my personal opinion, but I suggest buying a few photo mags because most have mini review of loads of cameras. Use these to narrow down your selection; and then look for a more detailed review.

As I have used a Panasonic I am a bit biased, but there are lots of really good bridge cameras out there.

Dave

[KentYeti]

Thanks Dave. That helps.

I have been reading the on line reviews and this one seems to come out top:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150EB-K.

Need to check size as that has to be the most important thing for me, as it must fit in a pocket when I'm taking it for it's prime use: photos on my mountain walks.

Cheers,

Bryan

[KentYeti]

I have been looking at some online galleries that include bird piccies taken by bridge cameras. NOT good!

If they are representative of what I can expect then I'll just get a very basic bridge camera purely for my walk record shots and continue to just watch any birds I come across.

Or hire a Sherpa to carry my DSLR gear! LOL!

Unless anyone here who knows about bird photography has a better experience with a bridge camera?

I'm certainly not expecting DSLR quality, but in the best lighting I'd hope for something passable, that, for something unusual and/or new for me, could just about make it into my Life List. (For me my Life List is only birds I have a reasonable or better quality photo of). i.e bumping into the Glaslyn Osprey during my regular walks in that specific area.

Cheers,

Bryan

[glsammy]

I remember my bridge camera's well. I had a Canon S1. Here's a shot I got with that one:



It doesn't really matter what camera you use, provided you can get near enough!

[John D]

My son has a Fuji Finepix HS10 which has a 30X zoom and he has taken some very nice shots with it.
He lives in Dubai so 'good light' isn't a problem.
Worth considering!
John D

Zenfolio | John's Wild World

[KentYeti]

Originally Posted by glsammy

I remember my bridge camera's well. I had a Canon S1. Here's a shot I got with that one:



It doesn't really matter what camera you use, provided you can get near enough!

Now that could be the main problem for me Graham!

When dragging my ageing and overweight body up a Welsh mountain, or even on an easier walk, my focus will be on the walking. The idea being that if I do spot an interesting bird I can get a reasonable shot of it from wherever I happen to be at the time. Which probably won't be that close!

So it's results from the latest generation of bridge cameras I'm interested in. From medium distances away from subject.

Fine photo of yours by the way.

Cheers,

Bryan

[Lancashire Lad]

Another vote for the Finepix HS10 here.

Apart from Fuji, (HS10 & HS20) there are no other manufacturers putting proper lens barrel zooming rings on their Bridge cameras, and those tele-wide switches just aren't as accurate.

Plus the HS10 takes ordinary AA size batteries so no costly camera specific ones to worry about.

A couple of sets of the new hybrid (don't lose their charge in storage) AA rechargeables, and you're away!!

I don't photograph birds, but I use my HS10 regularly and have no complaints at all.

Regards,
Mike.

[Fazza]

I've just purchased the FujiFilm HS20 ESR with the 30x zoom and I have to say I'm very impressed with it! I've only ever had pocket cameras and a full-blown DSLR looks far too complex for me at the moment so I decided to look for a bridge camera and that's when I came across the HS20 EXR and I'm so glad I went ahead and purchased it!

I just need to work out how to take decent photographs now!

[nightshade]

Panasonic FZ48 £270 or its bigger brother FZ150 £385 (very fast and does RAW) both are top of their tree for photo quality.