recommendations for a camera

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lydia

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linda
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hi there,

my garden is a 100ft long and im wanting to take photos of the birds that visit there however my camera which is a fuji finepix cannot take pics of things that far away. Can anyone recommend a camera(digital) thats got a zoom that i can use for taking close ups at that distance which will not cost me and arm or a leg!

all advice very welcome to this newbie ;)

thanks
Lydia:help:
 
The usual lens for bird photography is around 400mm, though you may be able to manage with a 300mm it's just a case of getting closer to the birds. Setting up some feeders within your shooting range is the secret and making some kind of hide. This is my setup in my conservatory with the feeders about 15 ft away. As regards kit, a secondhand Canon 350D with a 70-300 should enable you to get some decent shots. Obviously the more you can afford the better, but lenses 400mm and above do cost.


conservatoryhide.jpg


If on a limited budget you have to be resourceful. I did use a wireless trigger with the camera setup on a tripod, firing it from a distance away, once the birds get used to it they ignore it. Hope that helps
 
hello Ken,

thankyou very much for your very detailed reply. i will look into getting one of those cameras. as for setting up a hide, i love the look of yours but im confined to a wheelchair so im not as nimble as i could be hahaha! its given me something to think about ***!


thankyou again

lydia
 
lydia said:
hi there,

my garden is a 100ft long and im wanting to take photos of the birds that visit there however my camera which is a fuji finepix cannot take pics of things that far away. Can anyone recommend a camera(digital) thats got a zoom that i can use for taking close ups at that distance which will not cost me and arm or a leg!

all advice very welcome to this newbie ;)

thanks
Lydia:help:
Click to expand...

What kind of budget have you got?
 
What kind of camera do you already have? Some of the finepix series have a hell of a zoom already and you're talking big money to beat them with a dslr. Some of the finepix can also fit a teleconverter to give you a bit of extra reach.
 
Hi Lydia,
I have a Finepix sf8000d, it's a compact superzoom and it's got an amazing zoom, equivalent of 400mm, sat on a tripod im sure it would be more than adequate. It was a gift from my wife and i think it cost about £140.

Phil.
 
The biggest weapon in shooting birds is patience, having some suitable perches near the feeders, as birds usually like to land and check out things before going to the feeders, this enables you to get some nice shots. This shot of a Great Tit on a branch just 18 inches from my feeders, using my conservatory hide, amazing what an old sheet can do :)

Img_1666.jpg
 
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