The small sensor/ultrazoom/bridge etc thread

So, sometimes you have to make the best of what youve got!
When i go out looking for butterfly images, i dont take my macro set up with me.
That means no Raynox lens, an no diffuser...i dont use flash for butterflies.

I nearly trod on this guy! i was just climbing over a metal gate, when i spotted him on one of the bars. I had the wrong camera set up, no diffuser...but still managed a half decent shot of him. I stacked two 500D close up filters together, an just used bare camera flash. I wish i had taken my raynox 250 an diffuser with me, because i could have captured better images. Its the 1st time ive seen a male for this species too.

FZ330 with 2 stacked 500D close up lens(i had to quickly take my other 500D lens off my panny G80 set up!). Shot at f/8, 1/500, ISO 100, full lens zoom of 108mm. 6.29pm.
The reflection in the Spiders eyes, are both the onboard camera flash, an the sun.

Fencepost Jumping Spider. Marp***a muscosa (male). Image is not cropped. Note - check out the size of his pedipalps!
Fencepost Jumping Spider. Marp***a muscosa (male). No cropping. by Tort Man, on Flickr
 
So, sometimes you have to make the best of what youve got!
When i go out looking for butterfly images, i dont take my macro set up with me.
That means no Raynox lens, an no diffuser...i dont use flash for butterflies.

I nearly trod on this guy! i was just climbing over a metal gate, when i spotted him on one of the bars. I had the wrong camera set up, no diffuser...but still managed a half decent shot of him. I stacked two 500D close up filters together, an just used bare camera flash. I wish i had taken my raynox 250 an diffuser with me, because i could have captured better images. Its the 1st time ive seen a male for this species too.

FZ330 with 2 stacked 500D close up lens(i had to quickly take my other 500D lens off my panny G80 set up!). Shot at f/8, 1/500, ISO 100, full lens zoom of 108mm. 6.29pm.
The reflection in the Spiders eyes, are both the onboard camera flash, an the sun.

Fencepost Jumping Spider. Marp***a muscosa (male). Image is not cropped. Note - check out the size of his pedipalps!
Fencepost Jumping Spider. Marp***a muscosa (male). No cropping. by Tort Man, on Flickr
That's a super shot Paul given the lack of macro gear used.
 
When you can see an orange dot, and you know what it is, but you can't get closer... it's a record shot... but I went back and shot the same location with my 'proper gear' - though no KF this time - and I'd have got nothing. Reach is everything for wild stuff around here (Norfolk Broads) - else you'll be getting wet feet!

7C8EAA43-633A-477D-BF16-48490FC71A16.jpeg

One advantage I’ve noticed of a 1200-2000mm lens over the standard focal lengths when I’m dog walking... Wildlife tends to get a little flighty round the dog, and ultrazooms let me ‘get’ them before they notice it. I do wish they’d understand, however, that our Labrador is probably the animal kingdom’s single most useless predator, being incapable of doing very much other than licking the kids and taking up space in front of any open fire.
 
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That's a super shot Paul given the lack of macro gear used.

Wow...where did August go?!
Cheers for that Alby, yes, considering my "rushed" set up, i was quite pleased with that image.

When you can see an orange dot, and you know what it is, but you can't get closer... it's a record shot... but I went back and shot the same location with my 'proper gear' - though no KF this time - and I'd have got nothing. Reach is everything for wild stuff around here (Norfolk Broads) - else you'll be getting wet feet!

View attachment 289811

One advantage I’ve noticed of a 1200-2000mm lens over the standard focal lengths when I’m dog walking... Wildlife tends to get a little flighty round the dog, and ultrazooms let me ‘get’ them before they notice it. I do wish they’d understand, however, that our Labrador is probably the animal kingdom’s single most useless predator, being incapable of doing very much other than licking the kids and taking up space in front of any open fire.

Nice one, as you say...a half decent record shot, is better than getting nothing at all.


Heres a couple of recent wild snake (Adder) shots i got (using the Panny FZ330) coupled to a 500D close up lens.
Conditions were cloudy/cool. No images have been cropped. No flash used.

Male Adder, a couple of close ups!

Adder (Vipera berus) close up of this male. No cropping. by Tort Man, on Flickr

Adder (Vipera berus) close up of this male. No cropping. by Tort Man, on Flickr
 
Another IR shot from this year with the Panasonic FZ38 of Petworth House.


Another Petworth House Shot
by Ajophotog, on ipernity
Another great IR shot here Alby.

Just keeping the thread alive then.
Heres a shot of a butterfly that ive been chasing around the Kent countryside for the last 3 weeks or more!!

Clouded Yellow Butterfly (male). No cropping to image, handheld, AF, Jpeg, minimal editing.
Panasonic FZ330/500D close up filter/lens. f/5, 1/400, ISO 100. Lens at 34.5mm. 1.42pm, shot on the 31/8/20.

Clouded Yellow Butterfly (male). No cropping. by Tort Man, on Flickr
 
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Silver Y Moth- Autographa gamma taken a little while ago with the Panasonic FZ50 and a Raynox DMC 250.

Silver Y - Autographa gamma
par Ajophotog, on ipernity
Thats a great image of a Moth Alby.
Did you shoot this image at f/11, on the FZ50?

Found a Green Leaf Web Spider in my garden recently. This spider is quite small in size!
Shot some images of her (its a female) using both FZ330 an FZ50, coupled to stacked Raynox 250 an 150 lenses an Pringles diffuser.
Single images, an no cropping.

FZ330 1st image, the FZ50 for the 2nd image.

P1290956-copy-to-800.jpg

P1370233-copy-to-800.jpg
 
Thats a great image of a Moth Alby.
Did you shoot this image at f/11, on the FZ50?

Found a Green Leaf Web Spider in my garden recently. This spider is quite small in size!
Shot some images of her (its a female) using both FZ330 an FZ50, coupled to stacked Raynox 250 an 150 lenses an Pringles diffuser.
Single images, an no cropping.

FZ330 1st image, the FZ50 for the 2nd image.

View attachment 293628

View attachment 293629
The Moth was shot at f9 on the FZ50 Paul. Some great action with that spider, I do find the bridge cameras a lot more enjoyable to use for macro don't you?
 
The Moth was shot at f9 on the FZ50 Paul. Some great action with that spider, I do find the bridge cameras a lot more enjoyable to use for macro don't you?
Ah ok, f/9...you still got a large part/depth of the Moth in focus.
I use f/11 all the time on my FZ50(unless i move the dial unknowingly) which ive done a few times, an shot below my prefered f/11.
Cheers about my Spider shots...i had to google/search for that species, because at 1st, i thought it was a green orb weaver, but it didnt look right for that!

Yes, using Bridge cameras for macro/close up, is easier all round for me too. I tried to shoot Jumping Spiders this season/year with my MFT's Panasonic G80/45-150mm lens/extension tubes/Raynox lenses/close up filters etc. But it was a hell of a lot harder to capture good macro images of those pesky little spiders, than when i used my "bridge" cameras.
 
Time to join in , just been having a gear re-shuffle , still keeping my Olympus 1-mkii and 100-400 for normal use ,but the wife’s/backup Olympus em-1 body needed a better lens and I also needed a macro lens for the summer .. so rather than buy two lenses that would get little use I decided on a bridge to fill the gap ,after a bit of research it came down to a Panasonic FZ 1000 I found a few watched lots of u.tube reviews etc. Then I realised that it had been superseded first by the 2000/2500 but more recently by the fz1000ii . Spotted a nice used one on mpb got a decent PX offer so pushed the button on it .. just now got to wait till they receive mine ,confirm price etc and send it out ...
. Hopefully will be able to add to this thread soon

One thing I have noticed while searching for it was the sheer amount of cameras offered on the bay of dreams at prices in excess of what you can buy them from a dealer with warranty
 
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Time to join in , just been having a gear re-shuffle , still keeping my Olympus 1-mkii and 100-400 for normal use ,but the wife’s/backup Olympus em-1 body needed a better lens and I also needed a macro lens for the summer .. so rather than buy two lenses that would get little use I decided on a bridge to fill the gap ,after a bit of research it came down to a Panasonic FZ 1000 I found a few watched lots of u.tube reviews etc. Then I realised that it had been superseded first by the 2000/2500 but more recently by the fz1000ii . Spotted a nice used one on mpb got a decent PX offer so pushed the button on it .. just now got to wait till they receive mine ,confirm price etc and send it out ...
. Hopefully will be able to add to this thread soon

One thing I have noticed while searching for it was the sheer amount of cameras offered on the bay of dreams at prices in excess of what you can buy them from a dealer with warranty
Nice one Jeff, l had the original fz1000, they have the larger 1" sensor. There is a lot more details in the High-end bridge cameras: Sony RX10, Panasonic FZ1000 etc forum. Hope you enjoy using it.
 
Nice one Jeff, l had the original fz1000, they have the larger 1" sensor. There is a lot more details in the High-end bridge cameras: Sony RX10, Panasonic FZ1000 etc forum. Hope you enjoy using it.
Cheers didn’t realise it fell under high end bridge ,will post in there on arrival
 
This thread has gone a bit quiet, so perhaps it's time to add some more stuff.

A small rose (FZ82)...

Flower on Susies rose bush FZ82 P1000803.JPG
 
Beetle (Ixus 70)...

Beetle on shed patio Ixus 70 IMG_4320.JPG
 
Of course, sensor size is not always reflected in camera size. A quick comparison, left to right...

Camera size comparison GX7 P1140750.JPG
  1. Nikon D600: 24mm x 36mm
  2. Panasonic G9: 18mm x 13.5mm in a body not much smaller or lighter than the Nikon's.
  3. Panasonic FZ82: 8.6mm x 6.6mm in a body that carries a lens equivalent to 20~1200mm.
  4. Panasonic GM5: 18mm x 13.5mm in a body little bigger than a compact camera.
  5. Sony HX90: 8.6mm x 6.6mm with a 24~720mm equivalent lens.
  6. Canon Ixus 70: 5.75mm x 4.32 mm in a body not much bigger than the classic Minox spy camera.
 
Strange fruit: a broken plastic pipe in a Devon rough pasture. Panasonic FZ82...

Broken plastic pipe in field Clyst St Mary FZ82 P1000875.JPG
 
Just because a bridge camera has a very long reach, doesn't mean you can't use it closer to home. Panasonic FZ82...

Miniature spring loaded pliers FZ82 P1000997.JPG
 
This has been a little quiet for a while, so here's a grab shot of the winter moon on a sunny late afternoon, today in fact. Captured on a FZ82 at maximum focal length...

Winter evening moon FZ82 P1010435.jpg
 
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