A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Hobbies, Crafts and Creativity The Bird Lovers Forum Testing New camera on birds

Okay I finally got a new camera,*,on sale 70$ off * Nikon P80, with loads of specs,, 18xzoom, 10 megapixel, SLR/digital built in lens combo I have a lot to learn Today I'm just using auto focus until I get used to it,, Still don't understand how to control the ISO, which one can adjust during Auto focus, Last night and this morning I read the manual over and over again Just on the auto focus section, lots of menus and sub menus to learn about for advanced setting.
Here are some pictures once again out of the kitchen window,





this bluejay turned around and flew off just as I took the picture
My goal is to get a full picture of him but I don't see him often and when I do he's quick!



all of these I used zoom about 1/2 way, so approx 8x zoom
I can't wait for spring to start taking pictures of flowers~!

Oh gosh Dianne. Great pictures!!! So clear


I have no idea all the things my camera can do. When I'm finished with school (2/21 because YOU are praying for me) I will find my book and we'll both study and get good. I'm so happy for you.

FANTASTIC!!! Now THOSE are GREAT pictures! When you are on full AUTO you don't have to worry about settings. The CAMERA chooses the best settings for each shot automatically. Even professional photographers use AUTO most of the time. I always do. I don't have the skills and experience yet to shoot manually.

I liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiike your first pictures from your new camera!

CONGRATS!

The last one looks like he's playing peek-a-boo!

And in the second one, his belly looks so soft, I just want to reach out and pet him!

The second shot of the Dark-Eyed Junco is the best! You got ALL the pertinent features of the bird. GOOD JOB!

Thanks you guys! I haven't played with it this afternoon,, It's been a busy day here for me,, ,,


But I'm taking it to work with me tomorrow!

Oh Thanks Thorney for naming the Bird , I thought it was another House sparrow

Dark-Eyed Junco. Black upper half, white lower half, STARTLING pink bill. Wintertime visitor to the lower U.S.. seed eater, preferring Black Oil Sunflower seed lying on the ground or a platform feeder. Related to Sparrows and Finches. Often called, "The Snowbird". A favorite of amateur and professional birders alike and considered by many to be the "Harbinger of Winter".

You've taken some great shots there already, angelblossom. Imagine how it'll be when you really learn how to use the camera! It's good that you have so much zoom, especially if you want to take a lot of bird photos.

Thanks Stevie

I'm still practicing,, these next pics were taken in my neighbors tree wayyyy high up,, I believe I have a robin here





not sure what this is,, maybe still a robin??

Great shots of robins! Not sure what that last one is though...

All of those are American Robins. The light is a little strange, distorting the TRUE colors. That happens a lot, especially in the afternoon. Afternoon light tends to give EVERYTHING a golden or yellow cast, which can be either beneficial or disappointing. I try to do my photography in the morning from about 7:00 AM to about 11:00 AM. That is the BEST time of day for pictures, as long as you remember to keep the sun BEHIND you!

Wow Diane, those are beautiful pictures! So close up and clear. I'm lovin' your camera!!! I guess I need to read my book! LOL

Thanks everyone!

Thorny I knew I wouldn't get great results because the birds were in the neighbors yard to the west,, and the sun was going down,, I had to set on white balance to even see the robin in the viewer with some clarity,, I was more testing the zoom ,, with in the same hour An airplane was over head,, yep in the west with the sun going down,, I barley had time to adjust the setting,, and still didn't do it correctly,, but here is another
American Bird,

Now the lighting is great on that! It's a little blurred but 3/4 of my photos are. That is a GREAT camera! I am already recommending that one along with the Canon S5.

Great pictures Diane! New cameras always take a bit to get used to!

We birders call that an, "Iron Hawk"!

Diane ..........

I just got back, been off for about 5 dayss. Funeral.

I love your camera ......It is on my next list ......You did fantastic for a first timer......

I will write Santa a letter tonite.. LOL :ding:

Beautiful.....congratulations .

Taken at work yesterday

:ding:........Youll be the envy of the work place soon , Diane.
Show them happiness isnt all in dollars.We are fun folks from gardenhelper who help each other.

Have a wonderful day ...

is that a sparrow?

Diane you got a Butter Butt, a Yellow-Rumped Warbler!!! They are quite COMMON in the South in Winter. I have them in my yard. Not the yellow on its rump and the yellow wing patches. That's how you ID them in Winter. In spring and Summer they change color DRAMATICALLY, like Goldfinches. They turn a GORGEOUS black, white, and yellow.

you just love saying "Butter Butt" don't you.

Of course you do..... Especially to Thorn........

How did I miss this thread, Diane.---You have a great camera there---
Congratulations !!!

Diane, I had a Butter Butt stop by my suet feeder this morning. Here are my two best pics of him.

Thats cute thorn,
Butter b

Question.
How come the bird is in focus and the rest of the photo isnt?
Photo shop?

b

No the focus effect is caused by the settings on my camera. It's set on Center Focus, Spot Metering. That means that the focus is in the center of the lens and that it will concentrate the attention on the focused area and let everything else be slightly out of focus. I had to use manual focus because on Autofocus the lens kept zooming in and out and would NOT focus on the bird at all. On manual focus I have to focus the lens by hand and then it will take the picture.

Cool.........

thanks.

Center focus ~!Spot metering .. I've tried that,, And I'll keep trying,,

Good picture of the butterbutt,, Btw!

Here are same birds,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Different Day

I liked the first one best.

Those are so cool.

YOu ought to make a book.

I agree, Dodge.

I like this Pic!

awwwww....in that first picture he looks so fluffy and soft and----
petable....is that a word? Well, we'll call that a "Shirley word" LOL

It's SMILING!!!

Shirley knows best..

Actually if you look at the first on again.. The bottom looks like a chicken egg, with feathers around the top with a head...

Thorns way..

Dodge, you're right!! It does look like a little bird sitting on, and fluffed out around, a big egg!!!

Okay I've been playing around with more setting on this camera,,, I have discovered when I zoom past optical zoom and it then goes into digital zoom things aren't as clear,,,,,, I just don't get why one would use it if it's not going to be a clear picture, Maybe someone can explain it to me in layman's terms?? Or under what circumstances would one want to go beyond Optical Zoom?? The book doesn't explain it,
These next two pictures were taken going beyond the optical into digital,, well maybe the other way around,, I'm confusing my self I think : ANY way,,,,,,, I really had to do a lot of editing to crisp these two pictures up with out making it look like there was a painting on a background,,






this next picture was taken just a little beyond the optical line,,

Its greek to me , but they are clear in the centers.. Subject.. It is the background that fuzzys out......
I believe that is purposely done by the camera.

But the Birds are far better than my canon...
I think each camera only makes positive photos to a certain length, then when you zoom to bring it in, it fuzzys out..

I think.

I want a Nikon now.. Yours is gorgous.

b

Nice pictures! I still love that little rosey guy!!! I sure hope he's around when I come to visit !!