Canon SX50 Bird & Wildlife Photos

[TonyBritton]

Hello,

I wanted to share my latest bird & wildlife images with you. I favor taking portrait style images with my SX50 and can usually get close enough to my subjects to fill the frame and capture some interesting detail. I hope you enjoy these these photos!
Here's the gallery: tonybritton

Best regards,

Tony

 

[soufiej]

Just purchased a SX50 for $199 from Canon refurbished. Haven't had much opportunity to work with it yet but it appears to be a "super zoom" favorite. Quite the bargain and a great deal to boot if you're looking for a compact camera to have with you daily. This forum doesn't really deal with small sensor cameras much but there are several sites, Tony's included, where you can see sample images taken with the SX50. Numerous reviews and discussions of the SX50 can be found on line through a simple search engine topic. So far my only complaint, and it appears to be consistent with most impressions of the camera, would be the EVF isn't as good as a few other cameras in the super zoom category. It's generally usable but could be better, which is likely why Canon improved it on the SX60.

Here's a link to a thread I began discussing the search for and purchase of a new daily carry around camera which resulted in the purchase of the Canon; Will resolution always win Photography Forum


And this; "Comparing the SX50 to DSLRs
The small 1/2.3″ sensor of the SX50 with its 5.6x crop factor allows its inexpensive and lightweight 215mm lens to provide an equivalent 1200mm field of view, thereby putting considerably more pixels on the bird (or whatever distant target) than an APS-C sensor with a 400mm lens shot from the same distance. [Note: The APS class sensors found in many entry-level and mid-range DSLR cameras provide @1.6x crop factor which multiplies a 400mm focal length lens to an equivalent 640mm fov in full-frame terms].
Detail is resolved both by getting close (which the wildlife photographer does via technique and/or stealth), and by involving sufficient pixels in its capture (which long focal length lenses and high quality sensors both help to achieve). The size and quality of the sensor and the sharpness of the lens are two important factors, amongst many, in achieving the detail wildlife photography enthusiasts strive for in their images.
Certainly neither the sensor nor the lens of the SX50 can match the quality of the APS-C/Prime400mm class DSLR combo. Nor are these the only ways in which the DSLR is superior. But the DSLR rig may still not achieve the level of image quality that the SX50 can at typical birding distances, even with deep cropping. Despite pixel size and IQ, there will still be significantly more pixels resolving the details at 1200mm with the SX50 sensor than at 640mm with most DSLR sensors. With good exposures at base ISOs the IQ of the SX50 sensor can be quite good indeed, and the IQ advantage of the larger DSLR sensor will not usually be sufficient to match the level of detail captured even with cropping. Also, unlike most DSLR zoom lenses, the SX50 lens is sharp at full reach and at full wide aperture.

Whereas telephoto zoom lenses for DSLRs (which are neither lightweight nor inexpensive), are generally not at their sharpest either at their longest focal lengths or with their apertures wide open. More expensive “prime” DSLR lenses are typically much sharper at their fixed focal lengths than comparable telephoto zoom lenses at full-reach, but they are also heavy and can be significantly more difficult to use without a tripod.
The SX50 lens also provides its sharp 1200mm telephoto reach from considerably shorter distances where the typical 400mm/DSLR kit is unable to achieve focus. And at these closer distances the SX50 not only captures sharp detail, but also provides the needed depth of field to allow the entire subject to be in focus, which long DSLR lenses often cannot accomplish even at their much greater minimum focus distances.

The SX50 also offers a few other advantages when photographing perching or wading birds and other stationary wildlife: Such as more effective image stabilization for easier hand-held operation; silent shutter actuation which avoids spooking the target when you do get close; and “live view” exposure and DOF (depth of field) simulation in the viewfinder when shooting in Manual mode (a little heralded feature which I personally find to be priceless*) ...

...
Understanding and working with both the strengths and weaknesses of your equipment greatly improves your chances for success.
“SX50 beats all my DSLRs” | Backyard Birding with Kenn & Temple

If you are considering a SX50, you might also be interested in the CHDK web site; Unlock the Secret Pro Features of Your Canon Point-and-Shoot with CHDK


On the other end of "wildlife" photography, the SX 50 also excels at macro work. The web has a good many posts dealing with the camera's abilities to get a good shot of that dragon fly buzzing around your garden. For example;


At the current refurbished price, IMO, this is a camera to have "just because".