[tn-bird] Re: What camera to photograph birds?
- From: James Brooks <comeback@xxxxxxxx>
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2002 07:41:35 -0400
The problem with photographing small things such as birds, is that you
need great magnification paired with an f-stop that will make it
possible to get correct exposure in less than the brightest sunlight.
Since this is also a function of film speed, I'm obviously talking about
film cameras.
Without going into a huge tutorial about exposure I can tell you that
the classic combination among professional bird photographers for many
years has been the Nikon 400 mm EDO lens (I think it's an f 2.8) with
doubler, giving 800 mm., or its Cannon equivalent, costing about
5-figures with appropriate back, tripod, cases etc. This still requires
blinds, tripod, patience and extremely good advanced scouting. Excellent
nest photos have also been taken with the normal 50 mm macro fired
remotely, either by motion switch, remote cable or electronic release.
Special film backs for 250 or so exposures, if you're putting the camera
up a tree, are recommended.
The most cost-efficient method for the true professional (one who has to
balance his equipment investment against the measely prices paid by the
market for bird photos, which is over run with amatuers with too much
money and no fiscal sense), is the bird in a box technique - capture the
bird and put it into a blind with only one perch directly in front of a
camera hole with multiple strobes for lighting. Lighting is the main
cost here, as once again the 50mm. macro lens suffices handsomely. Most
small bird photos in magazines are shot in this manner. Look at the eye
and see how many "suns" are reflected in it - hummingbirds are normally
shot with three strobes. Another tip is the soft focus background in
green or blue. Tents are frequently used. Even this technique has its
dangers. A prominent ornithologist lost an eye in South America when he
peeped through the lens hole and his eye looked like a fish to the
kingfisher inside.
Obvioulsy digital has changed all this. You can enhance and you can
easily double size on the computer. Are the lenses yet good enough and
do you care? The fact that a good used 400 mm. EDO lens has dipped from
about $5,000 to about $2,800 in the past couple years indicates it has
headed in this direction.
Be sure to factor your investment in computer, software and batteries
into the equation. As digital prices come down and quality moves up it
is clearly the wave of the future. Our photo staff at the Johnson City
Press has gone entirely digital, and within a month will quit stocking
film and chemistry for the rest of us who are loath to change because
good film cameras last a long time, and I for one am loath to make a new
investment out of pocket with only two years before retirement.
James Brooks
Jonesborough, TN
Robert wrote:
>TN Birders,
>
>We want to purchase a camera to photograph birds
>in the wild. What camera do you use to do this?
>Is it a digital camera or a conventional camera
>with film ?
>
>Robert Fowler
>Memphis TN
>
>
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=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================
The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with
first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation.
-----------------------------------------------------
To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
-----------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, send email to:
tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958
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