The Lincolnshire Bird Club

This is aimed at all of you that either have a DLSR or Bridge camera.

Which make is the best? Some people swear by Canon others say Nikon is better and others say Panasonic. I know it can be a personal thing but I'd appreciate what the members have to say.

I've read reviews online and in magazines as well but it's a minefield similar to choosing a PC.

Looking forward to amateur and professionals comments.

Regards

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

I think that you need to decide what format you require before choosing a make. Full frame DSLRs give superb results but the lenses are mighty in size, weight and price, APS C or H format cameras are less expensive and use lighter and more compact lenses - a 300mm lens for these is equivalent to 450 or 480mm in full frame, Four Thirds format lenses are even more portable with a 300mm lens being the equivalent of 600mm in full frame. Both Nikon and Canon make cameras in full frame and APS C or H, Panasonic and Olympus are the only manufacturers to make 4/3rds or Micro 4/3rds (mirrorless system). New sensor technology means that even the smaller formats give excellent results, especially for web work and the advantage these give in the reduced size and weight of lenses for walk-about hand held photography is great. I use Olympus.

David

I recently bought a Nikon Coolpix P500 (36x bridge camera) from Tesco Direct. Although the weather has been dull the results have been good. I did use it on a tripod for steadiness.
I've heard Canon bridge cameras are better but are more expensive.
Geoff

David,

It is my intention to get a bridge camera not a DSLR, the reason being the latter are far too heavy with or without the lenses and with my wrists being on the weak side due to osteoporosis the best option is the bridge camera. Plus the Canon and Nikon that I have been reading about both have x35 optical zoom etc. According to the article both these are equivalent to 28mm - 800mm.

I already own a Sony compact digital with x3 optical and a Sony camcorder with x60 optical and both have been excellent and still are.

I'm not going to pretend I understood all you said because I didn't. This is another reason why I don't want a DSLR they are too complicated to understand. I still have two SLR's [Fuji and Yashica] which I had given by family and a pal, the former I never could work out how it worked whereas the latter it took me three years to work it properly

Anyway thanks for replying.

Geoff,

The one you have is one that I've been very interested in, it has good reports. The Canon I've been reading about is the SX30 IS. Got What Digital Camera mag at weekend and there was a review for it's new cousin the SX40 HS but reading it it doesn't seem as good as the SX30.

Are you back in Staffs for the winter?



Regards

Max

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

David,

It is my intention to get a bridge camera not a DSLR, the reason being the latter are far too heavy with or without the lenses and with my wrists being on the weak side due to osteoporosis the best option is the bridge camera. Plus the Canon and Nikon that I have been reading about both have x35 optical zoom etc. According to the article both these are equivalent to 24mm - 840mm.

I already own a Sony compact digital with x3 optical and a Sony camcorder with x60 optical and both have been excellent and still are.

I'm not going to pretend I understood all you said because I didn't. This is another reason why I don't want a DSLR they are too complicated to understand. I still have two SLR's [Fuji and Yashica] which I had given by family and a pal, the former I never could work out how it worked whereas the latter it took me three years to work it properly

Anyway thanks for replying.

Geoff,

The one you have is one that I've been very interested in, it has good reports. The Canon I've been reading about is the SX30 IS. Got What Digital Camera mag at weekend and there was a review for it's new cousin the SX40 HS but reading it it doesn't seem as good as the SX30.

Are you back in Staffs for the winter?



Regards

Max

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

John

Modern Bridge cameras do a very good job and are certainly light and easy to use. The one key feature that is a must for telephoto photography (especially to 800mm!) is image stabilization so it is important to make sure the camera you choose has the highest level of IS. So a camera with IS to 4 EVs is better than one with 3 EVs, Olympus DSLRs have IS to 5 EVs. You should be able to get all this from studying the specification, if it doesn't give a value then steer clear. I once had a bridge Panasonic that was like this and the IS was not up to requirements. Good luck in your choice.

David

Hi John,
Yes I'm back in the West Midlands for the winter.
Regards the Nikon, I don't have clue about IS or EV's, I just used Auto and the pictures came out OK, even on full 36x zoom when attached to my tripod.
I did wonder if I could just use the camera as a scope but the views aren't as good, looking through the viewer or on the screen, so you still need both unfortunately.
Geoff

I do have a 'scope but I find my camera/telephoto combo is much more useful. With this the views are definitely as good as equivalent magnification with a scope and although the lens itself only gives a magnification of 16.4x (based on 50mm as equivalent to naked eye, 29x more than 28mm) if there is a bird I can't ID with binos then once I've taken a photo I can then further magnify another 14x making a total of 229x and I've also got a record shot. Regarding IS, you wouldn't use this with the camera on a tripod but it does give you the option of handheld shots, even at 800mm which would be an impossibility without, unless the light was very bright.

David

Thanks David, I've a lot to learn.
Geoff

thanks guys i have learn,t a lot about bridge cameras, especially grateful for the info on image stabilisation. going to borneo and after many years of taking no photographs i am buying a new camera have got it down to 3 i think. lumix fz150 canon sx40hs sony hx 100v, me thinks just a bit more swotting required and several more coats of ability and headscratching. ta much

terry whalin

Terry,

Great minds think alike it seems My first ones I looked at were the Nikon P500 and the Canon SX30IS but last night added the Lumix FZ150, Sony HX100V and the Olympus SP-810UZ. Been on each website comparing but still undecided. From what David says about EV's [no idea what they are] the Olympus only has 2 and also only has 14mb internal memory. Whereas the Nikon has 102mb. They all have the equivalent of between 22-864mm, so still not sure.

Bit disappointed none of the pros [those with big bertha lenses] have been on with comments unless they are all away. I wasn't expecting any of them to give advice on bridge cameras but more the makes I mentioned.

Out of those I mentioned the Olympus offers best value in regards to price at circa £200.The Nikon comes in second at £279.95 in Hull and the Lumix and Sony are within five quid of each other at £385/£390. Only checked a few websites for prices I daresay there are some offering cheaper prices. To finish, my leading contender for what I require it to do is the Nikon.

We shall see.

Regards

Max

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

not joking here john but try a site called big norman various packages availible 2/3 day delivery not very good for specs on that site but try what camera for all technical info and best 5 rated bridge cameras for 2011, good luck

terry whalin

Terry,

Cheers for that, I'll check em out.

When I get sorted will have a day at our fave Grainthorpe to try it out.

Max

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

To finish this thread off. In April I finally chose the newest Nikon bridge camera the P510, I got it from UK Digital Cameras and received it the next day.

Having not been out hardly in ten weeks, the only chance I've had to use it is in the garden and from within the house. What this camera does is mind-blowing to me! To be honest I've only used it about three times since it arrived, got loads to learn and really looking forward to using it in the "field".

Thanks to all who gave their advice.

Kind regards

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol