Thread: Superzoom Bridge cameras

I'm using a cannon sx70hs for most of my hunting pics and vids, but it is pretty bad in low light and in the bush.
Anyone else have the same issues with other bridge cameras? and do I just need to send the big bucks on a DSLR?

Careful with those 4 letters... A DSLR is only as good as the lens you use, and super telephoto lenses are big, heavy and expensive - 400mm is your starting point, and that will set you back at least $2300 for the old f5.6 or around $20k for the f2. 8 (2.8kg without the body...)

If you really want to go the lens/body route, you should look at mirrorless cameras rather than DSLRs. Smaller and lighter and a rapidly growing selection of smaller and lighter lenses. They are also silent if you want them to be.

I can sell you my DSLR if you are interested, cannon 550D. Older model, in great condition with the twin lense factory kit. As above though if you want better lenses they are expensive. Quite often though 2nd hand ones will pop up for a good price.
I got mine with the idea of taking more game animal pics but never took it bush in the end.

Sounds like an expensive piece of kit to drag around the scrub.
I've got access to my wife's Olympus 4/3 camera but the price of lenses is prohibitive for that too. I guess the cheapest option is to get closer.
100% tire kicking, but how much are you after for the 550D?

Think on the second hand market they are worth $600 and that is with both lenses. I paid $2k for the kit originally.

Another way is to buy a good second hand manual lens and match it up to a digital body, e.g., Tokina 70-200 on a Pentax or Nikon body. That size of lens is as big (and expensive) as I have carried around and thought it worthwhile. Bridge cameras are certainly handy, but they do have inherent problems.

That is a solution, but also has its share of problems... Even with a 1.6 crop body and a 2x converter, you only get 640mm effective focal length - which is about 13x magnification. The bridge cameras have equivalent focal length of 3 times that, which is why they appeal.

When you start using a 2x converter, image quality starts to go down, and you get a maximum f5.6 aperture, assuming a 2.8 lens,
and need to either up the ISO or use a support, so the advantages are negated. There is no real alternative that ticks all the boxes.
The Canon 800mm RF f/11 is relatively light and relatively affordable, but relies on fast ISO to be useable. That brings it's own set of problems - mainly noisy or grainy looking photos. There are several 150-600mm lenses out there, but none are very wide at the long end, and none are renowned for their sharpness. Most are also quite heavy for lugging around for extended periods.

I'm afraid you have to decide what you need more - reach, portability, image quality... You can only have 2 of those.

This chap here in the link below, Duade Paton in Australia, has a good knowledge on Canon RF mount cameras, hope this helps.

https://www.youtube.com/c/DuadePatonPhoto

Highly recommend the Sony RX10 iv. Awesome bit of kit, more expensive than some but sits in a real sweet spot. One trick - whatever camera you choose is to learn how to use the focus hold and other functions. I've got heaps of photos of very sharply focussed stocks nd trees, where sometime you can make out a nice stag in the background, as I didn't have the knack of getting the focus on the stag instead of the sticks etc between me and said stag.

Bit of an older thread, but going through this dilemma currently myself. Was looking at a Nikon DSLR and settled on the D810. Mainly for landscape shots and if close enough for any animals, as well as being able to take it out on the motorbike so being as compact as possible is reasonably important. But considering the price of the body and lens plus the size of everything together I’m thinking a bridge camera would be more suitable/useable. Looking at the LUMIX FZ1000ii or more likely the Sony RX10 iii. Anyone had either of those with any words of advice? I like they shoot in RAW so still have a bit of control of the processing which will be a learning curve as well. Looking at DxO Photolab as it’s a one off payment rather than a subscription.

Originally Posted by Snowgrass

Bit of an older thread, but going through this dilemma currently myself. Was looking at a Nikon DSLR and settled on the D810. Mainly for landscape shots and if close enough for any animals, as well as being able to take it out on the motorbike so being as compact as possible is reasonably important. But considering the price of the body and lens plus the size of everything together I’m thinking a bridge camera would be more suitable/useable. Looking at the LUMIX FZ1000ii or more likely the Sony RX10 iii. Anyone had either of those with any words of advice? I like they shoot in RAW so still have a bit of control of the processing which will be a learning curve as well. Looking at DxO Photolab as it’s a one off payment rather than a subscription.

Cant actually comment on either specifically, but in the context of this thread i think youre on the right track looking at 1" sensor models and the DxO software. I use m4/3, which i am a fan of, but its always a game of compromise and a 1" sensor bridge cameras do a pretty good job of minimising the compromises.

I use a Panasonic FZ1000 for magazine work. Most of my articles are on farms and the ability to go from 25mm-400 in one package is amazing. The Panny (1" sensor) is like a Swiss Army knife of cameras. Is it the best for everything? No. Can it do pretty much everything in a handy package? Yes. Coupled with the DXO software it raises the Panny to another level; especially with the recent updates. The deepPrime noise reduction is phenomenal.

It falls down compared to larger sensored cameras on overcast days; due to a more limited dynamic range. But really; using DXO I don't get many blown out skies. Photographing people on bright sunny days just means you have to use fill flash, as you do with other larger sensored cameras. It does fall down a bit when it comes to blurring backgrounds for portraits. But if you shoot at longer focal lengths you can get some blur too.

But when it comes to being on the back of an ATV with a farmer having that 25-400mm in one package is a godsend...

If you want better picture, you will need DSLR camera, if full frame is not suit you, then APS-C. It `s just like hunting with rifle, only difference is you shoot from lens. For camera you can spend less on older version, second hand, an old 40D still can do good work. Lens 70-300mm only cost about $1k. I am Canon user, maybe Nikon has more options, Olympus is also good camera.

Originally Posted by Bushman

Sounds like an expensive piece of kit to drag around the scrub.
I've got access to my wife's Olympus 4/3 camera but the price of lenses is prohibitive for that too. I guess the cheapest option is to get closer.
100% tire kicking, but how much are you after for the 550D?

Right there. The most fun too. If you are close no need to use a big zoom so you will get a better quality picture anyway. I don't profess to being any kind of photographer but I get photos of game I am happy with by stalking in. I took this one a couple of weeks ago in light rain at about 40m using a basic Panasonic TZ80 compact zoom. It won't win any photographic prizes but I guess it depends on what you expect. For me it's more about content than absolute quality.

PS. Where is you get the photo of the White Tail?