Michael_Shannon
Well-known member
I will be the D/FW area next weekend. Which zoo is more photogenic? The Dallas or Fort Worth zoo? All I will have is my G2 with no attachments, so a lot of zooming will be out of the question.
-
Welcome to the new forums! Please read this first. For known issues we are working to resolve, click here.
Which Zoo? Dallas or Fort Worth?
- Thread starter Michael_Shannon
- Start date
pcausin
New member
Fort Worth Zoo. No question about it. The Dallas Zoo is not in a very good neighborhood and the zoo itself is supposedly a dump. I've been to the one in Fort Worth and it's very nice. If you're taking lots of pictures and spending time at each exhibit, you can easily spend a whole afternoon there.
Phil
JimGreen01
Member
I live north of Dallas and have to admit that I like the Ft Worth zoo better, although the Dallas zoo has improved a lot in recent years. I haven't been to either since the G2 allowed me to swear off film (2 35mm SLRs, 28mm, 50mm, and 80-200mm lenses, etc.), but I would guess that Ft Worth is also more photogenic, even with the limited zoom range of the G2.
BTW, the weather today is great for a zoo trip -- clear and mild -- but it may be more cloudy and hot by the weekend. Of course, the forecast will change at least 4 times before then. In either case, it's a good time of the year. Everything is green and blooming after the spring rains.
Have fun,
Jim
BTW, the weather today is great for a zoo trip -- clear and mild -- but it may be more cloudy and hot by the weekend. Of course, the forecast will change at least 4 times before then. In either case, it's a good time of the year. Everything is green and blooming after the spring rains.
Have fun,
Jim
Michael_Shannon
Well-known member
Thanks. Fort Worth it is.
Jim, I thought your comment about swearing off film was funny. I know how you feel. I bought several rolls of Velvia and Elite Chrome Extra Color just before I got my G2, and then I completely lost interest in shooting film.
Mike
Jim, I thought your comment about swearing off film was funny. I know how you feel. I bought several rolls of Velvia and Elite Chrome Extra Color just before I got my G2, and then I completely lost interest in shooting film.
Mike
Cloudy -overcast is usually better for zoo shots. You tend to get better details with the fur without having to monkey with nasty shade problems. Pictures look more detailed with less distractions. You also have to pay attention to your white balance on sunnier days - haven't used the G2 yet but the d30 sometimes gets purple outlines when sharpened because of the white balance particularly in sunny situations.
Todd Smith62732
Well-known member
Hi Michael,
I'm going to be in the DFW area in about two weeks, and was considering heading out to the Fort Worth Zoo myself. I hope you come back and share some of your photos with us after your visit. I'm real interested to see how well the G2 can do there.
Thanks!
I'm going to be in the DFW area in about two weeks, and was considering heading out to the Fort Worth Zoo myself. I hope you come back and share some of your photos with us after your visit. I'm real interested to see how well the G2 can do there.
Thanks!
Michael_Shannon
Well-known member
You bet
Michael_Shannon
Well-known member
I won't be in D/FW until June 1 (and I may not make it to the zoo). These will have to tide you over until then. You may or may not have seen this link I posted a few days ago.
http://www.gbronline.com/mwallace/albums/zoo/Default.htm
http://www.gbronline.com/mwallace/albums/zoo/Default.htm
Todd Smith62732
Well-known member
Nice gallery!
I never seem to have much luck at zoos or aquariums, and I usually come away depressed that I don't have better optical zoom capabilities. You manage to frame your shots very well.
-------
http://www.pbase.com/toddsm66/g2
Todd
I never seem to have much luck at zoos or aquariums, and I usually come away depressed that I don't have better optical zoom capabilities. You manage to frame your shots very well.
--
-------
http://www.pbase.com/toddsm66/g2
Todd
Michael_Shannon
Well-known member
I went to your gallery. Whatever problems you have with zoos and aquariums are more than made up for by your other shots. 
Mike
Mike
Todd Smith62732
Well-known member
Thanks! I appreciate it.
Seems like most of the zoos I've been to, I'm forced to shoot through extremely dirty, scratched up plexi-glass for a shot of a tiger that's sitting 200 yards away, facing the wrong way. By the time I get home, I have 300 shots of an out-of-focus, orange dot way off in the background. But I do manage to get great detail in the scratches on the plexi-glass. Gets pretty frustrating, but I might be going to the wrong zoos. I have heard excellent things about the Fort Worth Zoo. I think I actually went there when I was a little kid, but I have no memory of it.
-------
http://www.pbase.com/toddsm66/g2
Todd
Seems like most of the zoos I've been to, I'm forced to shoot through extremely dirty, scratched up plexi-glass for a shot of a tiger that's sitting 200 yards away, facing the wrong way. By the time I get home, I have 300 shots of an out-of-focus, orange dot way off in the background. But I do manage to get great detail in the scratches on the plexi-glass.
Gets pretty frustrating, but I might be going to the wrong zoos. I have heard excellent things about the Fort Worth Zoo. I think I actually went there when I was a little kid, but I have no memory of it.--
-------
http://www.pbase.com/toddsm66/g2
Todd
Michael_Shannon
Well-known member
Richard35285
Leading Member
Nice shots-- I'm taking my kids there in a couple of weeks. The Dallas zoo is an animal torture chamber by comparison, even though they've tried to upgrade it. Cement cages, bars everywhere, run-down, dirty, smelly, and insafe for animals or humans.
I don't mean to be too harsh on the people who are trying to make it work-- they've got so little money to work with...
--rhb
I don't mean to be too harsh on the people who are trying to make it work-- they've got so little money to work with...
--rhb
Jason Hutchinson
Forum Pro
The north end of the Dallas zoo is a bit like that, but the new Wild Safari part is quite a bit better, and they are adding some new exhibits that should be world class. I was at the Dallas Zoo Saturday, and the only cages I thought were as you described were the lion, tiger, and puma? and a few of the smaller monkey? cages. The rest I thought were generous, at least from what I am used to growing up in San Diego.
That being said, I used a trip to the Dallas zoo to learn my camera, and maybe I will go to the Fort Worth zoo this Saturday:
http://www.projectrun.com/photos/Dallas_Zoo_ (D60)/
Jason
That being said, I used a trip to the Dallas zoo to learn my camera, and maybe I will go to the Fort Worth zoo this Saturday:
http://www.projectrun.com/photos/Dallas_Zoo_ (D60)/
Jason
I don't mean to be too harsh on the people who are trying to make
it work-- they've got so little money to work with...
--rhb
Richard35285
Leading Member
Wow-- I haven't been to the Dallas Zoo in a few years, and promised myself I would never go back unless they really upgraded it. It appears from your great shots that they have! I'll rethink my views about the place, and maybe get a chance to get out there in a couple of weeks.
Thanks for the good shots!
--rhb
Thanks for the good shots!
--rhb
Michael_Shannon
Well-known member
Nice shots. I love the ring-tailed Lemur. I wish they had had those at the FW Zoo.
Mike
Mike
That being said, I used a trip to the Dallas zoo to learn my
camera, and maybe I will go to the Fort Worth zoo this Saturday:
http://www.projectrun.com/photos/Dallas_Zoo_ (D60)/
Jason
I don't mean to be too harsh on the people who are trying to make
it work-- they've got so little money to work with...
--rhb
Jason Hutchinson
Forum Pro
It's nice having zoo options I think, it keeps them competitive.
I am going to the Fort Worth zoo Saturday, but it won't really be a fair comparison because I will be armed with 640mm instead of 320mm. The G2 will be there for the wide angle flamingo shots of course.
Jason
I am going to the Fort Worth zoo Saturday, but it won't really be a fair comparison because I will be armed with 640mm instead of 320mm. The G2 will be there for the wide angle flamingo shots of course.
Jason
Keyboard shortcuts
- f
- Forum