Always shot Nikon, but ...

[4rum]

Most any modern DSLR will have far more functions and capability than will ever be used. There is a huge number of folks, however, that love the intricacies and will study and use them. Like you, I'm not one of them. I have moved up just a tad to shooting Aperture Priority. I read and read that that setting and Auto ISO was the 'go to' for wildlife photography. I tried the Auto ISO on several of my cameras. A D5200, D7100, D7200, D7500 and my D500. I did not get satisfactory results with any of them. Not one. I was constantly juggling the exposure setting ... and missing shots. I've gone back to doping the ambient light and making a choice on the ISO. Same with back button. Used that on the D500 for a solid month. No other camera. It still left me fiddling with the back button because it causes my thumb to be at an unnatural position. Which is, by the way, the biggest fault to Canon cameras for me personally. The shutter release on a Canon is awkward. It is very natural on a Nikon. Many times, I will have less than a second to frame, compose and take the shot. The nikon DSLR on/off, shutter release works well. The Canon does not. A work around is extra Canon batteries and leave the darn thing on for the whole hike or outing.

I took a chance on the used Canon EOS T6i and used 55-250 STM lens. I was surprised by the quality of my images with this entry level set up. Very happy with it and it weighs a lot less than any of the Nikons I have.

I guess that is the one weakness I have. Looking for something that suits me. So far the little Canon does.

 

[Don Fischer]

Don Fischer and PhotoHobbyist,
Great comments from you both. I'm still very happy with the t6i and that 55-250 STM lens. For an entry level outfit, I don't think one could do much better. I did buy a used Tamron 16-300mm lens. Image quality is not as good as with the 55-250.

Something I believe about entry level equipment is people getting going never learn how to use the entry level stuff before upgrading! How maany guys with top of the line equipment here can work everything in their camera? Not me that for sure. Shoot most times people get to talking about their equipment and I haven't a clue what they are talking about!

 

[Don Fischer]

Most any modern DSLR will have far more functions and capability than will ever be used. There is a huge number of folks, however, that love the intricacies and will study and use them. Like you, I'm not one of them. I have moved up just a tad to shooting Aperture Priority. I read and read that that setting and Auto ISO was the 'go to' for wildlife photography. I tried the Auto ISO on several of my cameras. A D5200, D7100, D7200, D7500 and my D500. I did not get satisfactory results with any of them. Not one. I was constantly juggling the exposure setting ... and missing shots. I've gone back to doping the ambient light and making a choice on the ISO. Same with back button. Used that on the D500 for a solid month. No other camera. It still left me fiddling with the back button because it causes my thumb to be at an unnatural position. Which is, by the way, the biggest fault to Canon cameras for me personally. The shutter release on a Canon is awkward. It is very natural on a Nikon. Many times, I will have less than a second to frame, compose and take the shot. The nikon DSLR on/off, shutter release works well. The Canon does not. A work around is extra Canon batteries and leave the darn thing on for the whole hike or outing.

I took a chance on the used Canon EOS T6i and used 55-250 STM lens. I was surprised by the quality of my images with this entry level set up. Very happy with it and it weighs a lot less than any of the Nikons I have.

I guess that is the one weakness I have. Looking for something that suits me. So far the little Canon does.

Now thars something shooting at field trials taught me. Just had a horrible time getting decent shot's casting the dog of. Seems there was never enough light when the dog was a warp speed to get a decent shot. Decided I sinply needed faster film, was shooting a bunch od ISO 400 then but stikk to slow. Well got to thinking about it and turned up the ISO a bunch, Ended up getting faster shutter speed at wider aperture opening. Never got to figuring out how to determine a shutter speed and aperture opening for when they hit warp speed to close to you. Dog's are generally really really pumped casting off, that's right when they are turned loose at the start. Huge =roblem was normally focusing the eyes,. I'd learned the eyes are in focus and it all in focus but that somewhat hard to do on a pumped up pointing dog!

Here's a G. Shorthair casting off. Lucky it was far enough away you had to look close to see it eye is out of focus!

 

[Peeb82 10]

Most any modern DSLR will have far more functions and capability than will ever be used. There is a huge number of folks, however, that love the intricacies and will study and use them. Like you, I'm not one of them. I have moved up just a tad to shooting Aperture Priority. I read and read that that setting and Auto ISO was the 'go to' for wildlife photography. I tried the Auto ISO on several of my cameras. A D5200, D7100, D7200, D7500 and my D500. I did not get satisfactory results with any of them. Not one. I was constantly juggling the exposure setting ... and missing shots. I've gone back to doping the ambient light and making a choice on the ISO. Same with back button. Used that on the D500 for a solid month. No other camera. It still left me fiddling with the back button because it causes my thumb to be at an unnatural position. Which is, by the way, the biggest fault to Canon cameras for me personally. The shutter release on a Canon is awkward. It is very natural on a Nikon. Many times, I will have less than a second to frame, compose and take the shot. The nikon DSLR on/off, shutter release works well. The Canon does not. A work around is extra Canon batteries and leave the darn thing on for the whole hike or outing.

I took a chance on the used Canon EOS T6i and used 55-250 STM lens. I was surprised by the quality of my images with this entry level set up. Very happy with it and it weighs a lot less than any of the Nikons I have.

I guess that is the one weakness I have. Looking for something that suits me. So far the little Canon does.

You don't use Aperture Priority with auto-ISO for wildlife: you use full manual with a very fast shutter speed with auto-ISO. I've shot all the Nikons you list except for the D500 (which is the best), and got excellent results with all of them. Glad you found a rig that works for you, but I don't think your problems with the Nikons were necessarily the cameras.

Glad you're getting results you like now. Best of luck going forward.

 

[4rum]

You don't use Aperture Priority with auto-ISO for wildlife: you use full manual with a very fast shutter speed with auto-ISO. I've shot all the Nikons you list except for the D500 (which is the best), and got excellent results with all of them. Glad you found a rig that works for you, but I don't think your problems with the Nikons were necessarily the cameras.

Glad you're getting results you like now. Best of luck going forward.

Glad manual works for you. With years of shooting wildlife under my belt. It does not work for me. There are times that I have one (1) second or less to frame, compose, focus and shoot. I can't do that on full manual.

 

[Tartness909410 3]

My primary interest in digital photography is outdoor, nature, leaning heavily toward animals, birds, creepy crawlies, etc. A very brief stint with a Canon early on showed the on/off switch to be unhandy, for me. The window of opportunity for some of my wildlife shots can drop well under a second to locate in the viewer, frame the shot, and trigger. I missed shots with the Canon. Nikon works much better for me. Recently, I started looking for something lighter to hike with. Looked at a Canon T7i. Read the specs, it seemed heavy on video since the T6i. I don't do video. Found a T6i from a private owner. She'd only taken 450 photos with the camera. Purchased it and started looking for a lens. The EF 55-250 STM seemed very highly rated. I bought that used as well. I wanted to stay cheap because I wasn't sure I could get to like the Canon outfit. I did think of one work a round. I bought more batteries and leave the camera on while in the field. I absolutely love this smaller, lighter rig. Just the lens had a little more on the low end. Not a knock to any manufacturer or endorsement of any either. I'd love to try a Sony. I have a Panasonic, Lumix, FZ80 bridge camera. I just like cameras, but thought I'd share my experience with the little canon and lens. I've shot around 1500 photos with it. I don't toss many out.

I also love all makes and types of cameras and have found it hard to settle with one brand or type. I have never had a Canon DSLR or mirrorless camera however and I am tempted to buy a cheap older model to try out. I am in the process of selling a few cameras and I am building up my Samsung collection which consists of a NX10 body, NX300 body, 18-55mm, 50-200mm, 16mm f2.4 and a 30mm f2. Its a very compact system for APS-C and about the same size as M4/3 cameras, great image quality too.

 

[4rum]

I also love all makes and types of cameras and have found it hard to settle with one brand or type. I have never had a Canon DSLR or mirrorless camera however and I am tempted to buy a cheap older model to try out. I am in the process of selling a few cameras and I am building up my Samsung collection which consists of a NX10 body, NX300 body, 18-55mm, 50-200mm, 16mm f2.4 and a 30mm f2. Its a very compact system for APS-C and about the same size as M4/3 cameras, great image quality too.

The Canon T6i I have now is my first DSLR of that brand. I do like it, but, it has some drawbacks for me. Such a simple thing as the location of the on/off switch can be a detraction. I've missed several shots now because it is not as handy as the switch on my Nikons. Also, several times I have pushed through to video mode and needless to say, lost that shot. Another drawback, they, Canon, do not offer a lens in the 18 - 300mm class. I do love the little 55 - 250mm STM, and did buy the Tamron 16 - 300mm which takes care of that but I would have liked to see a Canon 18- 300mm in the price range of the Nikon lenses. Oh, and in reading reviews comparing the T6i and the T7, the general feeling was that the only gain was in video. I don't do video. I would like, at some point, to try a 90D.

 

[Peeb82 10]

Glad manual works for you. With years of shooting wildlife under my belt. It does not work for me. There are times that I have one (1) second or less to frame, compose, focus and shoot. I can't do that on full manual.

I think you misunderstand.
Manual refers to selecting your aperture and shutter speed in advance - I still use autofocus. Perhaps an example would help: typically I would go full manual 1/1500 shutter and f/8 aperture and let the camera auto set the ISO. When a subject appears, compose-autofocus-click. Done.
it's wonderful, but do what works for you.

 

[4rum]

I think you misunderstand.
Manual refers to selecting your aperture and shutter speed in advance - I still use autofocus. Perhaps an example would help: typically I would go full manual 1/1500 shutter and f/8 aperture and let the camera auto set the ISO. When a subject appears, compose-autofocus-click. Done.
it's wonderful, but do what works for you.

There are most likely as many combinations of settings as there are cameras and folks who use them. Your approach sounds as good as any but in deep forest with mottled and changing light, I do use aperture priority and check and reset my ISO frequently as conditions change.

 

[Peeb82 10]

There are most likely as many combinations of settings as there are cameras and folks who use them. Your approach sounds as good as any but in deep forest with mottled and changing light, I do use aperture priority and check and reset my ISO frequently as conditions change.

OK- you have a camera and a process that works for you. Great. Not sure why the D500 wasn't working but the Canon is- but there you go. A mirrorless Canon would blow your mind (and your bank acct, lol). Be well.

 

[PhotoHobbyist126 152]

The Canon T6i I have now is my first DSLR of that brand. I do like it, but, it has some drawbacks for me. Such a simple thing as the location of the on/off switch can be a detraction. I've missed several shots now because it is not as handy as the switch on my Nikons. Also, several times I have pushed through to video mode and needless to say, lost that shot. Another drawback, they, Canon, do not offer a lens in the 18 - 300mm class. I do love the little 55 - 250mm STM, and did buy the Tamron 16 - 300mm which takes care of that but I would have liked to see a Canon 18- 300mm in the price range of the Nikon lenses. Oh, and in reading reviews comparing the T6i and the T7, the general feeling was that the only gain was in video. I don't do video. I would like, at some point, to try a 90D.

The Canon T6i recently became my main camera too. The Scene (SCN) mode with HDR is impressive. It takes three rapid fire shots at different exposures, aligns them, merges them into one photo, then crops 5% from the edges. I haven't used it much but an amazing feature.

 

[4rum]

The Canon T6i recently became my main camera too. The Scene (SCN) mode with HDR is impressive. It takes three rapid fire shots at different exposures, aligns them, merges them into one photo, then crops 5% from the edges. I haven't used it much but an amazing feature.

Jeepers! What a revelation! I will try that today. Thank you!

Oh, and, my 'favorite' camera is my Nikon D7500. Same processor as the D500 but in a smaller, lighter package with onboard flash, which I use often.

 

[Don Fischer]

Been sitting here thinking. I think maybe Kodak could do new shooter's a great service by making the instamatic again and then an upgrade on it with just a few settings. I think most especially new shooters could learn to take better photo's in the first place is how to shoot the photo. I believe its in how the photo is framed, not necessarily shot! I've mentioned taking 12x24 photo's of dogs and I believe they greatly improved the shot. The photo in in landscape and dog is placed coming into the photo and room to go somewhere out front.

Notice in this photo the dog is coming from somewhere and has somewhere to go. Makes a big difference to me and the camera doesn't control that, the shooter does.


In this one the dog is coming slightly down and body indicates it and somewhere to go in front of the dog.

In this picture I got the dog to far into the photo and there's nothing to look for behind the dog but it does take your eyes out back, to nothing.

My old Squirt. Coming at me you can see nothing much to his right side and his nose is pointing to the lower right corner. Tells me where to look for a bird.

I believe how the picture id framed make the difference between useable and not! Camera can't do that for you!

In the past I've done a few with my Yashica 635 but lot of camera to carry around and shoot. Little Canon P&S I had did ffine job getting the photo's but life was short for it. Yes I think most of us could do better job of taking photo's is we simply learned to frame the photo better.

 

[4rum]

Yip, I mostly agree. Can't 'buy' quality images. In my case, I could definitely learn to use my equipment better and work a lot harder at getting the shots framed or the composition better.

 

[Don Fischer]

The Canon T6i I have now is my first DSLR of that brand. I do like it, but, it has some drawbacks for me. Such a simple thing as the location of the on/off switch can be a detraction. I've missed several shots now because it is not as handy as the switch on my Nikons. Also, several times I have pushed through to video mode and needless to say, lost that shot. Another drawback, they, Canon, do not offer a lens in the 18 - 300mm class. I do love the little 55 - 250mm STM, and did buy the Tamron 16 - 300mm which takes care of that but I would have liked to see a Canon 18- 300mm in the price range of the Nikon lenses. Oh, and in reading reviews comparing the T6i and the T7, the general feeling was that the only gain was in video. I don't do video. I would like, at some point, to try a 90D.

I had a Canon SLR years ago after a lot of nikon use. Found that the worst thing about it was using it the way Canon has it set up. Probably a Canon user has no problem with it.