best point and shoot for birding

I would like to buy my wife the best point and shoot for birding. I will greatly appreciate your suggestions.

Best, Mo

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Canon 6D and Fuji X-T1

FZ70

Lumix FZ70

Wow--there are so many choices. Perhaps you could tell a little more re her needs. Does a good EVF matter? Does it have to be truly pocketable? Does the weight matter? Is she doing all types of birds in all types of places? Does she like to photograph birds in flight? How great a zoom? And how important is the video quality? I'm sure the list can go on but for me these were the basic factors. I think too it might be helpful to look at some of the photos in the galleries and challenges to see what kinds of cameras are being used for the bird shots.

But not to worry. Lucky lady she, to have such a considerate hubby.

If you're asking about stationary birds at a distance, the new kid on the block is the Nikon Coolpix P900 (24-2000mm EFL) and it seems to have significant advantages over its shorter Panasonic/Canon/Nikon brethren. Take a look at the recent posts in the Coolpix forum for more information.

For birds in flight, I suspect she'll be happier with a shorter, larger-sensored camera such as the generally excellent FZ1000.

Of course if you really care, you'll buy both of them for her

--
Sherm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32989985@N07/sets/

Marli2 said:

Wow--there are so many choices. Perhaps you could tell a little more re her needs. Does a good EVF matter? Does it have to be truly pocketable? Does the weight matter? Is she doing all types of birds in all types of places? Does she like to photograph birds in flight? How great a zoom? And how important is the video quality? I'm sure the list can go on but for me these were the basic factors. I think too it might be helpful to look at some of the photos in the galleries and challenges to see what kinds of cameras are being used for the bird shots.

Click to expand...

I am looking for moon eclipse posts, but I stumbled on this one.

I don't have a Panasonic camera, but I cannot find fault with this -
The FZ-70 is big, and it will not fit into a handbag. So I had a look at the ZS50 pocket travel zoom. The one review here at DPReview is slanted towards indoors, but it does state that the EVF is small, which in my experience (on a string of Olympus bridge cameras) reduces its usefulness outdoors.

I am now going to put my foot in it. I use an Olympus SH-1, with a ClearViewer accessory for gannets in particular -

http://www.pbase.com/hfalkner/henry112&page=8


Against my expectations, the SH-1 also did an unfavourably lit charity auction indoors - http://www.pbase.com/hfalkner/henry117&page=7

No doubt, the next Panasonic pocket travel zoom will address the criticisms against the ZS50.

Henry

Hi, and welcome, Henry.

I've seen some of your posts somewhere in the forums.

I sort of hate to do this - there is no "delicate way to do it - have you considered Casio?

I found that the ZS40's EVF was a "No Contest" against my Clearviewer, and that the Casio ZR700 I bought on a whim at about the same time as the ZS40 was significantly sharper at full zoom - see my post in this thread:

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3740959

These are straight"SOOC" images, note that the "18x optical zoom" ZR700, in "extended zoom" gives an image essentially the same size as the ZS40.'s 4ox optical zoom.

I attribute this to two things:

First, the aperture is fixed, and ROUND - these small-sensor super-short focal length lenses always perform better wide open, and the polygonal opening on a camera with aperture blades suffer some degradation from multiple - and (possibly) shiny blade edges.

And there is some "stacking" of multiple images going on, with very fas burst groups.

Second, in a number of "modes", the Casio takes multiple shots and combines them. I find that the "Best Shot, HDR1" mode does just amazing things: experimenting, I have tracked a small fast-moving flock of birds and there is no motion blur - nor any "doubling" of birds. I have tried fast sweeps of tall grass - "whipping" sideways - and still getting no motion blur.

"It passes all understanding" as the good book says.

I don't know exactly how the several models, EX-ZR 700, 800, 850 differ from one another, they all seem to do the same things - look around the Casio forum for other things - such as "All-in-focus" focus stacking (you can see the lens chatter to different positions as differnt focal distances are shot).

The Clearviewer base plate has to fit their tripod socket which is at the extreme left of the camera.

Well worth a look, and the cameras are comparatively inexpensive (best availablity is on Amazon - not sold in the USA per se.)



--
"Measure wealth not by things you have but by things for which you would not take money"
www.flickr.com/ohlsonmh/ [email protected]

Mo50 said:

I would like to buy my wife the best point and shoot for birding. I will greatly appreciate your suggestions.

Best, Mo

--

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127948553@N05/sets

Canon 6D and Fuji X-T1

Click to expand...

I think whatever gets the reach you need

Panasonic FZ-1000

Nikon P900

Sony RX-10

Sine you plan to invest almost a $1,000 I would also look at the system as a whole if you want to use filters, external flash etc. Unless this is a camera solely for birding and not general photography.

For equal money you can buy a Nikon D5200 and a 70-300 zoom lens for about $900. I am sure Canon has a like thing.

Same for Micro Four Thirds if you still want a small system. Look as Panasonic and Olympus.

A DSLR even if you never buy another lens has a larger sensor and better autofocus for BIF needs and opens a larger world of photography.

My thought is versatility and growth potential and a P&S locks you in and you waste money only having to re-buy something better later when you could have bought it once.

Hi Marli,

She would like to document the birds and study them later. She is not a photographer and knowing her, will not get into it as a photographer.

I was just looking at the Nikon P900 on someone else's suggestion. It looks very interesting, but very large. In addition, the lens is so long that it will be "super" sensitive to movement. I want to keep her life simple and think that maximum 1000mm equivalent would be plenty. Beautiful bird photos are regularly captured with 600mm and less. My longest lens is 300mm on a full frame.

The camera does not have to be pocketable, but of course small is better. However, here I would not give up quality and usability for a smaller size.

It is 01:30 in the morning here. I'll check back in tomorrow.

Thanks very much, Mo

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127948553@N05/sets

Hi Ryan,

I never mentioned $1000. I would like to find something for $350-400, hopefully below $500.

Thanks, Mo

Hi Mo, I can relate completely. My husband was the Nikon SLR guy; I took my pocket Nikon out daily just to identify using Peterson's. But that was years ago. I got addicted.

I'd suggest looking at the Panasonic FZ200. You'll see lots of great photos here that were taken with that. I got it because while I was really happy with my Nikon results, one day when it was very sunny I couldn't see the LCD! that was about 4 years ago. I looked around for a camera with at least 10xzoom and a viewfinder that was pocketable like my small Nikon. Couldn't find a small one then but purchased the FZ200 that had 24x zoom and a decent EVF and have been really happy with it ever since. It's a bit bulky but really light weight and comfortable in the hand. I can comfortably walk 4 or 5 miles carrying it in hand or on shoulder.

In 2014 I purchased the Olympus Stylus 1. It can fit into most of my winter coat pockets; it's not as zoomy but has an excellent EVF that has perfectly working eye sensor. I use them both for bird photos though rely more on the Pany.

I also have the Panasonic ZS50; it too has a good EVF with eye sensor; it has a 30x zoom.

If this is meant to be a surprise, and if it's not too complicated, you might think about getting two cameras and see which she likes better but in any case I'd strongly recommend one that has at least the 10x zoom and a good EVF.

All good luck and don't be too surprised if 5 years from now, you won't be the only one with serious interest. Who knows, she might be posting here to ask about another camera for you!

Erik Ohlson said:

Hi, and welcome, Henry.

I've seen some of your posts somewhere in the forums.

I sort of hate to do this - there is no "delicate way to do it - have you considered Casio?

I found that the ZS40's EVF was a "No Contest" against my Clearviewer, and that the Casio ZR700 I bought on a whim at about the same time as the ZS40 was significantly sharper at full zoom - see my post in this thread:

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3740959

Click to expand...

That Orang Utan picture is indeed excellent, no doubt about it. I can see no obvious artifacts at 1:1 viewing. The ZR700 is clearly a vast improvement over Casio camera samples I have seen last century.

Unfortunately, nobody seems to stock Casio cameras in New Zealand. The DPReview Casio listing has only two models for 2014 in it, and none for 2015.

I agree that in the context of the OP, that Casio ZR700 is worth mentioning.

Henry

Referencing Henry Falkner's post, above, I have to mention that a Clearviewer beats a "good EVF" hands down:

Eye-level which makes following moving birds so much easier, the "CV" has a much larger image since it magnifies the LCD.

Folds flat against the camera back.

Allows hands to automatically shade the LCD screen from glare.



Another add-on device which helps a LOT in following birds, is a "Red-Dot Sight", a sighting device made for shooting, but which can be attached to a camera: the device seems to project a red dot onto the target (no lasers involved, it's an optical projection of a tint dot of light, seen only by the operator) Often mounted in a hotshoe, but a friend of mine did this with a camera missing a hotshoe:



The Red Dot sight allows you to keep both eyes open making it easier to keep the red dot on the bird.



--
"Measure wealth not by things you have but by things for which you would not take money"
www.flickr.com/ohlsonmh/ [email protected]

Mo50 - you may want to consider the SX50. You can get a new one for about $330 or a refurbished one for $200. http://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/c...digital-cameras/powershot-sx50-hs-refurbished

It's been around awhile, recently replaced by the longer reach SX60. But some feel the image quality of the SX50 is better. It's been very popular with birders. I've always been impressed by its high ISO performance.

Nice bird shots on your flickr photostream!

Mo50 said:

Hi Marli,

She would like to document the birds and study them later. She is not a photographer and knowing her, will not get into it as a photographer.

I was just looking at the Nikon P900 on someone else's suggestion. It looks very interesting, but very large. In addition, the lens is so long that it will be "super" sensitive to movement. I want to keep her life simple and think that maximum 1000mm equivalent would be plenty. Beautiful bird photos are regularly captured with 600mm and less. My longest lens is 300mm on a full frame.

The camera does not have to be pocketable, but of course small is better. However, here I would not give up quality and usability for a smaller size.

It is 01:30 in the morning here. I'll check back in tomorrow.

Thanks very much, Mo

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127948553@N05/sets

Click to expand...

--
Vickie
Please Mr. Ichiro Kitao, give me a Wildlife Zoom camera (WZ) with a 200 - 2000mm reach and able to take a TC, and with a fast lens and all the goodies to make it fast operationally. And with a big, beautiful EVF. Come on, let's exploit the strengths of a small sensor.
myFlickr
myP900pics
myFZ200pics
myFZ70pics

My wife has had an SX50 for a couple years and is very pleased with the images she gets. I "borrow" it now and then, that big zoom is mighty handy. We have a bald eagle that lands in a large pine behind our house to eat fish and ducks quite often. It's usually up quite a ways so to get a decent shot, I have to back up quite a ways.




Bald eagle at 44.1 meters, handheld

I go up to the local wildlife reserve wetlands and got this shot of a black-neck stilt from 17.2 meters.






Black necked stilt, aptly named!





--
Steve T.

Mo50 said:

Hi Ryan,

I never mentioned $1000. I would like to find something for $350-400, hopefully below $500.

Thanks, Mo

Click to expand...

Canon SX50HS or Nikon P610. Without a doubt. The FZ1000 is great as an all around camera, but a bit short if your only use is going to be birding.

Travel zooms are not long enough, and have pretty bad IQ overall except in very bright light.

Canon SX700 or similar.

Mo50 said:

Hi Marli,

She would like to document the birds and study them later. She is not a photographer and knowing her, will not get into it as a photographer.

I was just looking at the Nikon P900 on someone else's suggestion. It looks very interesting, but very large. In addition, the lens is so long that it will be "super" sensitive to movement. I want to keep her life simple and think that maximum 1000mm equivalent would be plenty. Beautiful bird photos are regularly captured with 600mm and less. My longest lens is 300mm on a full frame.

The camera does not have to be pocketable, but of course small is better. However, here I would not give up quality and usability for a smaller size.

It is 01:30 in the morning here. I'll check back in tomorrow.

Thanks very much, Mo

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127948553@N05/sets

Click to expand...

As a fyi: the Nikon P600 is the size of a dslr. I suggest (in part due to it's diminutive size) the Panasonic FZ200 with it's constant and fast 2.8 lens all the way to 626mm. Awesome camera.

CoHiker said:

Mo50 said:

Hi Ryan,

I never mentioned $1000. I would like to find something for $350-400, hopefully below $500.

Thanks, Mo

Click to expand...

Canon SX50HS or Nikon P610. Without a doubt. The FZ1000 is great as an all around camera, but a bit short if your only use is going to be birding.

Travel zooms are not long enough, and have pretty bad IQ overall except in very bright light.

Click to expand...

Canon SX50 refurb at $199. is a outstanding camera at double this price..solid IQ!

Mo Kwart said:

Hi Ryan,

I never mentioned $1000. I would like to find something for $350-400, hopefully below $500.

Thanks, Mo

Click to expand...

Not sure what you can get if their is no sale. Typically after Thanksgiving the sales start.

Past that I look at features first looking what camera can get the job done best the look at cost. Reason is after spending $300 on something to get buy when a $800 camera could do it better i would rather save the difference and get what I truly want

Cameras lose 50% of their value or close to it when you decide the camera needs a upgrade and you buy that $800 camera anyway. It now costs $1,100 because $300 was initially a waste of time. In this arbitrary example.

My deal breakers are I have to have a hot shoe and I have to be able to control the file size being able to have both RAW and the best JPEG options.

However if you are perfectly happy with what your budget can do great.

I will never buy a used camera never had a good experience trying to save money that way.
Whatever works for you