Somewhat Bowhunting related....Cameras
12-12-2007, 03:41 PM
#31
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Chatsworth IL USA
Posts: 5,012
RE: Somewhat Bowhunting related....Cameras
With a point and shoot type of camera that is set in the auto postion, all kinds of things come into play. If you are zooming way in with optical, it is a little more difficult to focus on the right thing. If you add to that equation low light, you are begging for disaster if you don't have anything to stabalize the camera on. When in the auto setting and in low light, the camera will automatically leave the shutter open for a longer period of time. Only a fractino of a second, but it is enough to pick up even the most subtle movements that you don't even know you are doing.
I have a kodak z710. It takes great pictures. 7 mega pixel and 10x Optical Zoom, it has some digital, but since I don't like or use digital I don't know what it has. I actually disable the digital zoom, so now I don't have to worry about the wife accidently using it. It has all of the auto features of most point and shoots, but it also has the customizable settings for taking other pictures. I really like learning new things about taking pictures, but it seems I forget more than I remember since I don't use it all the time.
With the right settings you can take some really awesome pictures. Below is one I took this summer out of my back yard. It is one of my personal favorites that I have taken, but if you look close...it really isn't that great of a picture. It has a little fuz on it yet, but I had the shutter open for almost 8 seconds to grab 3 different lighnting strikes. With the shutter being open for so long, even a breeze can throw it off it seems.
If I have enough money left after Christmas season, I will upgrade to an SLR or something closer to an SLR, but right now it isn't looking very promising.
I have a kodak z710. It takes great pictures. 7 mega pixel and 10x Optical Zoom, it has some digital, but since I don't like or use digital I don't know what it has. I actually disable the digital zoom, so now I don't have to worry about the wife accidently using it. It has all of the auto features of most point and shoots, but it also has the customizable settings for taking other pictures. I really like learning new things about taking pictures, but it seems I forget more than I remember since I don't use it all the time.
With the right settings you can take some really awesome pictures. Below is one I took this summer out of my back yard. It is one of my personal favorites that I have taken, but if you look close...it really isn't that great of a picture. It has a little fuz on it yet, but I had the shutter open for almost 8 seconds to grab 3 different lighnting strikes. With the shutter being open for so long, even a breeze can throw it off it seems.
If I have enough money left after Christmas season, I will upgrade to an SLR or something closer to an SLR, but right now it isn't looking very promising.
12-12-2007, 04:06 PM
#32
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: May 2006
Location: IA/WI/IL
Posts: 1,482
RE: Somewhat Bowhunting related....Cameras
Lots of very good advice above so i will just reiterate the main points: A SLR camera is the only way to go for high quality pics and point and shoot cameras especially in the auto setting will give you no end to problems in a wildlife photography setting. (do not get me wrong though, the point and shoot variety can produce amazing pics if you know their limitations and get to know their manual settings. Most only have autofocus and that is a big problem when you are shooting accross a 3D landscape, especially in poor light. Finally, LIGHT is the final factor in photography. Many people expect to somehow get nightvision capabilities with thier cameras and it just does not work that way. When it is too dark you will get blurry pics every time either because of shutter lenght or lack of exposure (I know I am simplifing it)
12-12-2007, 08:03 PM
#33
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 17
RE: Somewhat Bowhunting related....Cameras
http://www.steves-digicams.com/best_cameras.html
I typed about three pages and it just went away. I'm not sure why. I'll try again tomorrow.
For some reason the quick reply thing doesn't work.
I typed about three pages and it just went away. I'm not sure why. I'll try again tomorrow.
For some reason the quick reply thing doesn't work.
12-12-2007, 08:08 PM
#34
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 17
RE: Somewhat Bowhunting related....Cameras
Here's the quick points
Low light is difficult. If you have an ISO setting turn it up. You'll get grainy pictures but you will get pictures. Higher ISO gets you faster shutter speeds (good).
Digital zoom is useless. It's the same as taking the picture and zooming after you put it on the computer. You can do that on the computer.
Your best pictures will come from a SLR camera with an expensive lens.
Your compromise may be a superzoom as defined by Steve's Digicams.
I take my gun, bow or camera. I may just take the camera if there was enough action to warrent it. It's just big and heavy with the bigger lenses (zoom)
Low light is difficult. If you have an ISO setting turn it up. You'll get grainy pictures but you will get pictures. Higher ISO gets you faster shutter speeds (good).
Digital zoom is useless. It's the same as taking the picture and zooming after you put it on the computer. You can do that on the computer.
Your best pictures will come from a SLR camera with an expensive lens.
Your compromise may be a superzoom as defined by Steve's Digicams.
I take my gun, bow or camera. I may just take the camera if there was enough action to warrent it. It's just big and heavy with the bigger lenses (zoom)
12-12-2007, 09:10 PM
#35
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Street MD
Posts: 307
RE: Somewhat Bowhunting related....Cameras
I have a Sony cyber-shot DSC-P72. It has 3.2 mega pixels and 3x zoom it's kinda old and bigger then the newer cameras but I like it and it takes good pictures anyone else have this camera how do you like it. The only complainti have is in cold weather the batteries dont work right and most of the picturestaken at low light arent to goodbut I think thats just about the same with other cameras.
12-12-2007, 09:25 PM
#36
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin/Michigan
Posts: 9,679
RE: Somewhat Bowhunting related....Cameras
Turn off the digital zoom! If you zoom in all the way with optical zoom and don't have some sort of built in image stabilizer you will get blurry/distorted pictures! Tripod will help as well as not zooming in all the way! When I bought my Camera before my hunt in Africa they told me to get a camera with image stabilizer if you planning on taking long distance Pictures! My Panasonic camera kicks ass, takes amazing pictures!
12-12-2007, 09:27 PM
#37
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin/Michigan
Posts: 9,679
RE: Somewhat Bowhunting related....Cameras
ORIGINAL: Buck Magnet
There are alot of things that come in to play when trying to get good wildlife photos, amount of light, zoom level, appeture speed, ISO settings, how stable the camera is, ect... A digital SLR type camera is the only way to go for very good photos
Optical zoom is definetly the way to go, it provides the most clearity, a digital zoom will act in the same way as zoom in on a picture that you are editing after it is already zoomed to full size, it distorts the image in order to enlarge it.
I have had alot of experience with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ series of digital cameras and these are some of the best units on the market for their price. 10X optical zoom, image stabilization, a good array of manual settings, ect..
This photo of a nice Ohio buck was taken with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 which is a older unit, it was taken at a distance of around 100 yards in very low light conditions....
There are alot of things that come in to play when trying to get good wildlife photos, amount of light, zoom level, appeture speed, ISO settings, how stable the camera is, ect... A digital SLR type camera is the only way to go for very good photos
Optical zoom is definetly the way to go, it provides the most clearity, a digital zoom will act in the same way as zoom in on a picture that you are editing after it is already zoomed to full size, it distorts the image in order to enlarge it.
I have had alot of experience with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ series of digital cameras and these are some of the best units on the market for their price. 10X optical zoom, image stabilization, a good array of manual settings, ect..
This photo of a nice Ohio buck was taken with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 which is a older unit, it was taken at a distance of around 100 yards in very low light conditions....
12-12-2007, 09:31 PM
#38
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin/Michigan
Posts: 9,679
RE: Somewhat Bowhunting related....Cameras
This was taken with Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 at about 90 yards zoomed in on a tri-pod, hazy conditions with light fading! My buddy shot this guy 6 weeks after this pic was taken!
12-13-2007, 08:07 AM
#39
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: York,Pa
Posts: 2,645
RE: Somewhat Bowhunting related....Cameras
ORIGINAL: GMMAT
Lisa recently lost our small camera (the one I take hunting), so I had to make a trip to Office Depot, today.
Maybe I've been out of the loop.....but I just bought a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W90 for $219 @ Office Depot. It's the smallest little thing....and it's an 8.1MP camera with a 3X digital zoom. (I think it was on sale something like $40 off).
Just a heads up.....if you're in the market. Small enough to stick in a breast pocket. 8.1MP is nothing to sneeze at......and I think I paid twice that for the one she lost....lol.
Maybe I've just been out of the loop....but I thought the prices out there, now, were fantastic.
Lisa recently lost our small camera (the one I take hunting), so I had to make a trip to Office Depot, today.
Maybe I've been out of the loop.....but I just bought a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W90 for $219 @ Office Depot. It's the smallest little thing....and it's an 8.1MP camera with a 3X digital zoom. (I think it was on sale something like $40 off).
Just a heads up.....if you're in the market. Small enough to stick in a breast pocket. 8.1MP is nothing to sneeze at......and I think I paid twice that for the one she lost....lol.
Maybe I've just been out of the loop....but I thought the prices out there, now, were fantastic.
12-13-2007, 08:24 AM
#40
Dominant Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
RE: Somewhat Bowhunting related....Cameras
I just tried a test in the back of our complex here.....at our equipment shop. I took this first photo on 8.1MP setting of a sign at 100yds. (I figured the sign was smaller than a deer.....and would be a good reference).
Here's the 100yd photo.
Here's the 100yd photo.