Which camera for bird photography?

[cosmicma]

i don't think there is an argument where DSLR's and bridge cameras are concerned bit the price tag difference as not small
the reality is you would be hard pushed to buy a DSLR and half decent lens even second hand for anywhere near the price of a bridge camera / super zoom

you can get decent images from a bridge camera just the same as you can get awfull images from the very best DSLR has to offer

personally i would save the money and go the DSLR route it's not the right path for everybody but if your serious about photography it is the path you will eventually take

[Amarillo]

Originally Posted by cosmicma

personally i would save the money and go the DSLR route it's not the right path for everybody but if your serious about photography it is the path you will eventually take

I would basically agree with that, but it does depend on how you define "seriously"

[momji1971]

Originally Posted by momji1971

Not really true. Whilst great images can be made, a bridge camera will not create a comparable photo as a 500mm F4 lens etc. Depth of field (or lack of it for isolating subjects), detail and noise will be different.

No snobbery here. Re-read my quote. "whilst great images can be made"

Been on the forum too long and seen to many great images to dismiss bridge cameras out of hand.

The question was about bird photography and equipment to best go about that goal. An honest answer was given and the reasons behind it.

I wake thinking about the next shot, I go to sleep thinking about the next shot. I work overtime to travel to the next shot. Thats serious

I would also add, in the long run. If bird photography is the chosen specialised field, then saving for a Dslr in the first place would save money. Rather than buying a superzoom. Growing with it, realising AF isn't fast enough, Can't get shallow depth of field etc and then having to fork out again to buy a Dslr.

Been there and done it and I actually do specialise in bird photography ;-)

regards.
Stu.

[PMG]

Originally Posted by momji1971

I wake thinking about the next shot, I go to sleep thinking about the next shot. I work overtime to travel to the next shot. Thats serious

regards.
Stu.

......... yup that's serious Glad I'm not the only one who is as obs ...... I mean engaged as this

Seriously, seriously folks: I started out digitally with a Fuji Finepix back in 1990 - the 30 years leading up to that I had a Pentax K1000 and even a Zenith E (I think it was) when I was 21 ......... now I'm 58 .......... The Finepix took some wonderful pics - even an excellent robin which was three foot off the hide window (cos we were enticing it onto the ledge with sunflower seeds!) but for any other kind of bird photography it was a no-go. For flowers, insects, fungi - anything in fact that you could get near - it did the business. But until I could afford a 20D and 100-400 lens I completely missed out bird photography from my repertoire. I've moved on a couple of shuffles since then until I now have one of the better set ups - a 7D and 500 prime - at this age and stage in life I make no apologies for blowing my savings - simply I want to enjoy myself and my bird photography before I die ......... and thats where we're back to seriously thinking about images: waking, sleeping and a few spells inbetween cos time is short and I want to see what I can produce ........ simples tchk

Pauline

[Amarillo]

Originally Posted by momji1971

I would also add, in the long run. If bird photography is the chosen specialised field, then saving for a Dslr in the first place would save money. Rather than buying a superzoom. Growing with it, realising AF isn't fast enough, Can't get shallow depth of field etc and then having to fork out again to buy a Dslr.
.

but before you've actually gone out and done it, how do you know you're going to get into bird photography seriously enough to spend £1000+ on equipment?

Buying a superzoom allows you to try it out, get some great images, practise your fieldcraft etc. Then you will know exactly what you want to spend serious money on - and you can sell your superzoom if need be.

2 years in, I'm still undecided whether to take the next step and upgrade from FZ38 to a DSLR ...but one thing is for certain - if I do upgrade, there is no way it was a waste going for a superzoom first because I've learnt a lot and with a set-up that cost maybe £400 (inc. teleconverter) its probably still worth at least £200 to sell should I choose to.

[nigel_b]

Its a really good point you make.

I was once told about boats, if you're not sure and think buying a small boat might be a good way to find out, don't.

If you buy a small boat and don't like it, you'll have a boat for sale. If you do like it, you'll have a boat for sale.

I made the mistake of dropping into a "test" system. To be honest there's enough secondhand stuff on the market that you can get in and get out if needs be without loosing a shed-load.

I also hired secondhand cameras for a day to try them out. Most second hand camera shops should do that. £15 very well spent in my case.

[KentYeti]

Originally Posted by PMG

......... yup that's serious Glad I'm not the only one who is as obs ...... I mean engaged as this

Seriously, seriously folks: I started out digitally with a Fuji Finepix back in 1990 - the 30 years leading up to that I had a Pentax K1000 and even a Zenith E (I think it was) when I was 21 ......... now I'm 58 .......... The Finepix took some wonderful pics - even an excellent robin which was three foot off the hide window (cos we were enticing it onto the ledge with sunflower seeds!) but for any other kind of bird photography it was a no-go. For flowers, insects, fungi - anything in fact that you could get near - it did the business. But until I could afford a 20D and 100-400 lens I completely missed out bird photography from my repertoire. I've moved on a couple of shuffles since then until I now have one of the better set ups - a 7D and 500 prime - at this age and stage in life I make no apologies for blowing my savings - simply I want to enjoy myself and my bird photography before I die ......... and thats where we're back to seriously thinking about images: waking, sleeping and a few spells inbetween cos time is short and I want to see what I can produce ........ simples tchk

Pauline

Was just browsing this thread until I saw Pentax K1000! Lovely camera, mine's tucked away in a cupboard in my study somewhere.

But now I'm posting, I'll go on a bit.... LOL!

Many, many years of steam railway photography, left it for serious video of the subject for a while, then saw me re enter stills with a bridge camera. Very quickly upgraded to a DSLR. Not snobishness, not elitism. I just wanted the chance of top quality results every time I clicked the shutter. Not just sometimes I clicked it, as with the bridge camera.

Turned to bird photography one month and one day ago. From what I've seen so far there is no reason to change my views as in the last paragraph above. Just need to up my skill level by a lot. And my fieldcraft. And my patience. Etc etc.............. But holding a DSLR all the time.

[Bobby D]

Having first got interested in photography some half century ago when film and dishes of chemicals were the norm.
The arrival of the digital age and the DSLR was a godsend, the only drawback being that when carrying several lenses including a large zoom lens one could do with the strength of Atlas.