<div dir="ltr">Thanks to Jim for a very helpful birding camera review. I'm still using an older Canon EOS 7D Mark II which is a very good camera, but maybe not "great"?<div>I'd say its weak point is autofocus, especially when the subject is in a,say, a twiggy environment where the twigs confuse the AF system.</div><div>I'm guessing from the review that this is less-of, or not, a problem? This is always a major problem with bird photography.</div><div><br></div><div>But a more general question I've always had is why to buy a zoom lens for a 'birding' camera. For a general purpose camera a zoom lens has the obvious advantages. But for a bird camera, would not a 400mm lens, lacking lots of useless moving parts, be better. Would you ever want to use the 100mm for a bird? This would be when you're too close to the bird? That has always been a puzzler for me, why so many 'serious' birder photographers buy zoom lenses.</div><div>Grateful for any and all answers to both questions.</div><div>Bob OBrien Portland</div><div><br></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sun, May 21, 2023 at 7:39 AM <<a href="mailto:jimbetz@jimbetz.com">jimbetz@jimbetz.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">Hello all,<br>
<br>
Several months ago I asked "what camera do you recommend?" and<br>
several of you responded. I found that I just wasn't able to<br>
make a decision - even though I also consulted my nephew who<br>
used to be a Nikon Tech Rep. So I went dormant on the topic.<br>
But the desire to get better pictures, especially of birds in<br>
flight, was always there in the back of my mind.<br>
I have made a decision and will make a purchase very soon.<br>
<br>
There was something I did that was key to making that decision.<br>
My nephew recommended I consider renting a camera and lens - or<br>
two. Since he was going to be here (lives in NYC) we used that<br>
opportunity ... and rented both a Nikon D500 and a Canon EOS R7.<br>
Both were with manufacturer zoom lenses in the 100-400 range.<br>
At this point it is important that I remind you that I own a<br>
Panasonic Lumix DZ-1000 ... which I still consider an excellent<br>
"entry level camera". It is a mirrorless "bridge camera" that<br>
does not have interchangeable lenses but has a 25-400 zoom.<br>
<br>
Sooooo, the R7 with the 100-400 lens is a clear winner. It has<br>
an -amazing- auto focus system that really works. Set up for<br>
"Sports and Animals" it finds the bird and focuses on it and<br>
follows it with razor sharp accuracy. Even when the bird is<br>
flying across in front of you. All I have to do is to keep the<br>
bird in the frame and hold the shutter down and the camera does<br>
the rest. In fact one of 'problems' I'm dealing with is that I<br>
have far more images of BIF than I can use and have to select<br>
the one I want to keep/use based upon the timing of the action<br>
(wings up/down/folded/etc. or head up/left/right/etc.).<br>
Is every picture "perfect"? Of course not. But by far the<br>
majority of them are "as good as this camera can do" ... which is<br>
very good. If you take the time to look up my eBird checklists<br>
for the last 3 days you will find some examples of Great Blue<br>
Herons, Bald Eagles, an Osprey, Oystercatchers, Harlequin Ducks,<br>
Red-tailed Hawk, etc. Many of them are BIF (birds in flight)<br>
which was one of the primary things I was disappointed in<br>
with the Lumix. But the better sensor and better optics of<br>
the R7 are a big plus.<br>
<br>
Yes, there are probably even better cameras out there that<br>
will do an even better job. But perhaps not so much if you<br>
include my priorities? I want (need?) handheld and ease of<br>
carry (low weight). It's my birding camera. Yes, even<br>
better pictures are available with a longer lens on a tripod<br>
with a gimbal mount while shooting from a blind that you hide<br>
out in for several hours ... but I'm not that kind of bird<br>
photographer.<br>
<br>
Yes, this comes with a significant price tag compared to the<br>
Lumix ... but having seen the results possible that was an<br>
easy decision. I will still keep and use my Lumix - for<br>
stuff like landscapes and grab style portraits. But the R7<br>
will quickly become my 'only' birding camera.<br>
- Jim<br>
<br>
P.S. BTW, with the Canon 100-400 zoom this camera is about as<br>
good as 4x or 6x binoculars would be. It's not the reach<br>
of our 8x nor even close to our 12x ... but it still<br>
does a useful job of being a "spotting scope". Plus if<br>
you like what you see you just have to push to capture. *G*<br>
<br>
_______________________________________________<br>
Tweeters mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:Tweeters@u.washington.edu" target="_blank">Tweeters@u.washington.edu</a><br>
<a href="http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters</a><br>
</blockquote></div>