Hi all,
Seeing the 'rash' of digital camera postings recently I just had to add my 2
cents
worth.........again.
I currently have 3 digital still cameras, all purchased with the ultimate aim
of using them for bird
photography.
Two of these cameras are 'point and shoot' types and one is a Digital SLR:
- Olympus Camedia C-700 Ultra-zoom, the first of the C-7xx series with the 10x
zoom lens;
- Nikon Coolpix 4500 which is the most suitable camera for Digiscoping;
- Canon EOS 300D Digital SLR, the first of the sub-$2000 dollar 'budget'
Digital SLR cameras.
The C-700 was my first digital camera and, although superseded by numerous
later models in the
range, was an ideal 'starter digicam' for the average birder with an interest
in recording their
sightings.
The zoom lens gives an equivalent in 35mm camera terms of 37mm to 370mm which
is starting to
approach what is required for photographing birds.
The addition of a supplementary lens called a teleconverter can increase this
telephoto power to
740mm or more without too much trouble or expense.
(Note: Expense is a relative term and it should be acknowledged that digital
photography is not
cheap in the initial stages of acquiring equipment.)
Batteries for this model camera, and some of the later versions, are AA type so
power is not the
problem that it can be for some cameras with more advanced battery types.
The C-700 is a 2 Megapixel camera but still produces high quality images under
good conditions.
The later versions with higher pixel-count CCD sensors will produce very good
quality images with
the advantage of larger on-screen display sizes.
The main concerns I have with this camera are:
- Electronic view-finder only; although this gives an effective
'through-the-lens' view it is not as
clear as an optical viewfinder and has slow 'refresh' times; there are also
times when the
viewfinder scene 'locks-up' making it difficult to track a moving subject.
- Very significant 'shutter-lag'; this is the time between when the shutter
button is pressed and
when the shutter actually operates; this period of time can be so great that
shooting moving
subjects in low light can be almost impossible.
- Not particularly 'weather-proof'.
The Nikon Coolpix 4500 came next for the purpose of Digiscoping, digital
photography with a digicam
coupled to a spotting scope.
In spite of many claims about the capabilities of other digicams the Cp 4500
(along with earlier
versions in the Cp 9xx range) is really the only digicam worth considering for
Digiscoping. The
small, internal-focusing lens makes it the easiest model to adapt to the
eyepiece of the average
spotting scope.
The Cp 4500 is a very capable digital camera in its own right and is recognised
for its
macro-photography (close-up) capabilities but when coupled to a good spotting
scope in the hands of
an experienced operator it can produce excellent shots of birds such as waders.
The main concerns I have with this camera are:
- Nikon appears to have ceased developing this range of cameras which could
mean the end of
Digiscoping.
- Can't use AA batteries in an emergency.
- Zoom range is limited to a 35 mm equivalent of approx 150 mm which makes it
unsuitable as a camera
for bird photography by its self or even with the Nikon 3x Teleconverter.
- Digiscoping can take a great deal of practice to 'get right'.
The Canon EOS 300D Digital SLR is the latest addition to the 'Inglis Kit'.
At less than $1900 (complete with a special zoom lens) this camera is far more
affordable than the
$10,000 to $12,000 models of just a year or so ago and is about the price of
some 'top-of-the-range'
point and shoot models of the same period.
This is also the first of an avalanche of 'budget' D-SLRs expected to hit the
market in the next 12
months, each new model trying to out-do the previous ones.
The main attractions of D-SLRs over the point and shoot digicams are:
- Overall more sophisticated camera systems and operations.
- Extremely high quality images with very little (or no) in-camera processing;
most consumer
digicams do a fair bit of processing of the image in the camera which can be a
detriment if the
photographer wants to process the image outside the camera. (Some of the newer
digicam models do
have
recording formats which record the raw data only.)
- A large range of interchangeable lenses providing the photographer with a
great deal of
flexibility of shooting.
- Virtually no shutter-lag enabling rapid shooting of moving subjects.
- Lenses from equivalent 35 mm cameras can often be used on the digital SLR
version.
- True 'through-the-lens' optical viewfinder.
My main concerns with this camera are:
- The photography 'bug' has really bitten hard and I may go bankrupt buying
lenses and accessories!
- Compared with more-up-market D-SLR models this camera is more for the
enthusiastic amateur than
the professional (but suits me!).
- Built-in flash is useless for bird photography (red-eye problem and not very
powerful); external
flash for digital cameras is a very complex subject and all of my old flash
units (including the
mighty Metz Mecablitz 45 CT1 along with its Televorsatz flash extender) are
unusable (so far) on
this camera. I will have to develop a new flash system for bird and macro
photography.
- High powered telephoto lenses are large, expensive and do not approach the
power of a good
Digiscoping set-up.
- Lack of weather and dust seals.
The ease of use of the Canon EOS 300D means that it is now my 'camera of
choice'.
Even though it cannot 'pull-in' the birds like the Cp 4500/Digiscoping set-up
the final results are
so good and so much more easily obtained the 300D has relegated my digiscoping
gear to the 'Second
Division'.
The Olympus C-700 is now my snap-shot camera.
>From my experience, I would suggest that anyone contemplating a digital camera
>for bird photography
should consider one of the 'budget' Digital SLRs such as the Canon EOS 300D or
the soon to be
released Nikon D70 (I should have waited!); other brands will be available in
the not to distant
future.
For use in severe conditions of dust and water spray one of the more expensive
'professional' model
D-SLRs would be advisable.
For the photographer on a restricted budget there are several fixed lens models
with fairly powerful
zoom lenses on the market (Canon has just announced a new model with a 10x
zoom) but it would be
worth checking if any of these can be fitted with a teleconverter to increase
the telephoto range.
A final word of warning to anyone thinking of venturing into the world of
digital photography:
Up-grade your computer and your computer skills; and be prepared to spend lots
of time looking at
your computer screen!!
And remember: I did not say any of this is cheap!
And remember that the model you buy this week will be superseded next week!!!
:-)
Have fun.
Bob Inglis
Woody point
Queensland
Australia
For an insight into the world of digital imaging look at:
http://users.tpg.com.au/inglisrc/
Please note: I have no commercial interests in any product mentioned in this
e-mail.
I don't sell anything; I just take photos for the enjoyment and to fill in time
between the boring
bits.
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