hello! I just saw your reblog recommending a compact superzoom camera for helping with bird ID, and I think I must have had some previously unrecognized compunction thinking that I HAD to get a nice DSLR zoom lens to be a Real Birder and all that – obviously untrue but I was wondering if you have any specific recs for compact cameras? I think it’d really help take my birding up a notch!
I used to think the same thing (that I couldn’t afford a dedicated DSLR with a big lens, so why bother?), but over the last few years I’ve changed my thinking (obviously). These days I carry a bridge camera (a Sony RX10 Mark IV) whenever I’m actively birding , and if I’m being honest I probably go to it sooner than I should, sometimes even before the binoculars.
It’s a tricky question, and every situation is different. If I see a “good” bird (i.e., one that’s unusual, where I know or suspect I’m going to want to document it) I have to decide: use my bins, which will give me the best view now, or go for the photo, which will give me a relatively poor view now but with a chance for a photo I can study and share later. If it’s a (potentially) rare bird flitting around in foliage I might just get one brief identifiable glimpse. Looking through the binoculars improves the chances I’ll get that glimpse; going for the photo is harder, but with a higher payoff in terms of having documentation if I’m successful.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
But back to your actual question. Yes, there are a lot of options short of a good camera + big lens that are worth considering. Bridge cameras like the one I use are kind of in the middle; my Sony weighs 2.4 pounds, is bulky enough that it’s not going in my pocket, and it cost what for me was a fair amount, though still a lot less than a high-end setup.
For someone who isn’t sure they want to incur that amount of expense and hassle, the “compact superzoom” option I was talking about with @anonsally makes a lot of sense, I think. I don’t have one myself, though I see other birders pulling them out, and they’re certainly a big step up from a cellphone camera. I might think about getting one just so I can literally always have it in my pocket.
Here’s a writeup of a number of those. They’re pocket-sized, weigh about 5-10 ounces, and range in price from about $200 – $300.
http://www.2cameraguys.com/best-compact-superzoom-cameras-2022.htm
Like I was saying before, everyone watches birds for their own reasons. For some people the complications of trying to get photos is going to detract from the fun. But I get a lot out of it. It has taught me a lot about the finer points of identification. It makes me happy to have those records of the birds I’ve seen, and to know I’m contributing valuable community science data.
Reposted from https://lies.tumblr.com/post/672675025229316097.
Tags: birds, bird photography.
