share your photography tips :-)

Lily, I'm glad you started this thread.

I'm using a Kodak DX7590 5.0 MP with 10 x optical zoom (38-380mm equiv). It has a digital zoom of 3 or 4 x but it doesn't do anything for the pic quality. Anyway, I know very little about camera add ons and accessories in general. I just ordered a Kodak Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar 1.4x 55mm Telephoto Lens hopefully this will let me get a little "closer" to the birds. I also got a 3 pc filter kit, I don't understand exactly what they do but I figure they'll all give me something else to play with until the daylilies start to bloom and I go back to close-ups only :-) I really wish my camera had image stabilization, that's one big regret there.

Grassmussen, we haven't had a lot of experience with it to date but thus far the results have been excellent. I might mention that one additional item that led us to this camera was the "type" of battery (Lithium - Ion). This versus rechargeable Double AA batteries. The Canon Powershot S series has a comparable camera. In the end, everyone thinks that their camera is the best anyway. I personally have chosen to go the digital SLR route but for most people that route is probably not ideal. There are pros and cons either way.

Linth sorry for the dumb question but; is the Panasonic still in optical zoom at 420mm?

pelletory, the answer is yes. And, you do have your choice of black or silver as the camera color. Here is a link that provides a lot more information.


http://www.dpreview.com/news/0607/06071905panasonicfz50.asp

Thanks again Linth!

I just order the Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ-50. I have a 20+ year old Nikon SLR, with an assortment of lens. At first I didn't want to give up the investment in lens. But, this Lumix is smaller than a 500mm lens. It has all the power of an SLR with a large assortment of lens. DO NOT have to carry around all of those cannon sized lens. Most importantly, it only cost about a quarter of a good digital SLR.

Linth, What do you think of this one? Not as many pixels but more optic zoom.

http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1289&fl=4

Lily - What kind of camera did you use to get the chickadee and titmouse? How far away are they? Tell me more..... Great shots!!!

I have a Fuji FinePix s7000, and I am sooo frustrated. I know I need to read the manual more, but I just can't seem to get any shots like I see on this forum. I bought it for the macro capabilities and found that without a stabilizer I had a problem. I have since learned some new settings that takes faster photos and that has helped a lot. But I still can't get those bird shots.

I would love to have a new camera for long wildlife/bird shots. Also to make excellent closeups of daylilies. Can someone tell me what type they like and the lens I need to invest in? This will be possible if I can control my dl spending LOL.
Teresa

may I jump into this thread. I didn't even know there was a bird-watching site!
Anyhow, back home in MN, we lash dead branches to our bird-feeders, since I like to take pictures of them on the branches. We need to do that down here in FL, cause I am only getting feeder shots. They're nice, but not as natural looking. Another thing I've seen people do is put peanut butter or home-made suet in holes in a log, or a feeder that looks like a log. That makes for nice shots, too.
I shoot through our living room windows all the time, can't have a screen on them, though.
I am currently using a 70-300mm Canon lens, here's a pic of a red-bellied woodpecker I took through the window, down here in FL.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=3172179
We have to get a branch out there soon!

Nice pic Joan! I was thinking of doing the branch thing to the pole just above the baffle or over the feeders once it gets a little less bitter cold outside.

That should work great! And the birds seem to like it, gives them a higher vantage point to look around before or during eating.

Great picture and great ideas Joan! I love your tips and I am going to try that with branches too. I have been shooting through my window too not only because of the cold weather but also because if I am outside the birds stay away. Maybe I will have better luck outside in the spring when they get used to me being out gardening all the time lol.

Hi ceejaytown - sorry it took me a while to answer you. I am using a nikon D70 with an 18-70mm short range telephoto on it. The bird pictures I posted above were very close - about 2-3 feet away. I set up seed on a platform right outside my dining room window and close the blind down to the camera. Sort of like making a blind to sit behind. I don't have a good lens for distance shots. My longer telephoto 55 - 200mm is good for feeders a little further away. I also have the camera set to the "rapid fire" setting so I can get more shots. I have learned this from the people on this forum - Thanks all!

Thanks lily! You sure have some great shots!

Love your set up, Lily. Your pics are exceptional, so it's clearly working for u. Great topic, thx. I've learned a lot from this thread!

pelletory, you asked about the Olympus SP-550 UZ. Since it was just introduced in January, 2007, there is little information available from users. Nonetheless, on the surface, it looks quite impressive. But then all marketing campaigns looks impressive. My first digital camera was an Olympus and I would not hesitate buying another Olympus product. I just wonder what the QUALITY of the photo will be like at 18X.

Thanks Linth, I was wondering the same, especially with the less pixels. Maybe I'll wait a little longer before making a decision.

I really, really, really want a 500mm!!!!! However, for now I have to settle for my 300 - and I've been getting some good photos. But they would be even better if . . . if . . . if . . . I got this one, and about a million others, on Thursday at a beach near me called Double Bluff. There were six eagles who were dining on duck (I also got some rather gruesome photos of one of the eagles taking off with dinner as some dogs approached). It was one of the most awesome experiences I've ever had.

Murmur, great Bald Eagle photo .... sometimes you don't need 500mm !!!

Thanks, Linth - I'm sure you understand when I say it was so overwhelming that I was about in tears. I'll share more on a new eagle thread after I get some resized and cropped, etc.

BTW, I see I missed your birthday - hope it was excellent!

GREAT catch Murmur!! I'll bet you were about in tears. Can't wait to see the other pics!

Beautiful Murmur! What a wonderful experiance! Thanks for sharing it with us. :-)

Great shot Murmur! Maybe, when my new camera arrives (with image stabilizer), I'll be able to catch a good shot of one in flight. For now I can't compete with shots like that. Congratulations.

Gras, you'd laugh if you saw the ones that did blur - despite the image stabilizer!! Or the pics with nothing in them because I couldn't keep up with the eagles!! And, of course, I often had it on burst mode and just took pic after pic after pic - of basically the same thing. And many were still just too far away to really see anything specific, but I kept lots anyway - if nothing else, just for the memory. I hope to get that thread started today to share some of the good ones (I've learned a wee bit about Photoshop Elements so am working on improving some of them).

Thanks to all for the kind words! I can't wait to get back to that beach - I had thought of doing that today, but may have broken a toe (not a big deal and nothing to do for it, but would make walking in sand a bit tough). I'll see how things go as the day progresses.