Canon The Canon Powershot SX50 goes a-birdin'

Yeats

All-Pro
Location
New Jersey, USA
Name
Chris
Stopped for some photo ops while running errands today, got some happy shots with the Canon superzoom. I'm fairly happy with the camera, although I did miss some shots due to the lousy EVF.

Building a nest
swans building a nest IMG_0178 by Yeatsy, on Flickr

Mockingbird
mockingbird IMG_0198 by Yeatsy, on Flickr

mockingbird IMG_0194 by Yeatsy, on Flickr

mockingbird IMG_0203 by Yeatsy, on Flickr

These swans I photographed holding the camera at waist-level, looking down at the articulated LCD.
swans lk musconetcong IMG_0207 by Yeatsy, on Flickr

and, ducks...

ducks IMG_0236 by Yeatsy, on Flickr

duck and goose IMG_0271 by Yeatsy, on Flickr
 
Brilliant stuff, Chris. So I'm eating my words and deciding I have to have an SX50 so I can go birding again. Its been ages and those cheeky blue wrens down by the pond wont be able to hop and flit too far away, with something like this. The other good thing is that it means I can sell my DA55-300 because I have just not had any luck with that, just a tad too short for what I want.

Just adore those swans. Actually the ones in your flickr stream I mentioned before, must go and fave them
 
Thanks for the kind words, everybody!

I'm amazed at modern lens-based IS. Recently, I've used the Panny LX7, Canon SX50, and Nikon P510 and their various forms of IS all work wonderfully, really to the point that I have to keep the shutter speed fast enough to account for subject movement, rather than lens movement.

The wildlife around here is not particularly human-comfortable, so I'll give myself a little bit of credit for learning, over the years, to approach the critters. Or, in some cases, to "hide in plain site".

The Sony 1/2.33" sensor is wonderful. I look at results from Canon and the Pentax Q, and really it's not much behind the current crop of 1/1.7" sensors.
 
Brilliant stuff, Chris. So I'm eating my words and deciding I have to have an SX50 so I can go birding again. Its been ages and those cheeky blue wrens down by the pond wont be able to hop and flit too far away, with something like this. The other good thing is that it means I can sell my DA55-300 because I have just not had any luck with that, just a tad too short for what I want.

Just adore those swans. Actually the ones in your flickr stream I mentioned before, must go and fave them

Thanks, Sue. I was never able to make friends with the DA 55-300, for various reasons the Tamron 70-300 just worked better for me.

Warning about the SX50: the EVF is tough to use. I've definitely missed shots due to handling. The whole camera just seems "wrong" from an ergonomics standpoint, when one is accustomed to a DSLR. The Fuji HS50 looks like it would handle so much better, but I've looked at dozens of pics over at DPR and from what I've seen so far they simply don't have the IQ of the Canon.... otoh, most of the individuals posting over there seem....... deficient (for lack of a kinder term). Hopefully someone who knows what he/she's doing will get an HS50 and impress us!
 
Very nice, Chris. I usually think of superzoom compacts as AWFUL. But, if you had not told me what you were using I'd have thought that these were from a higher end system.
 
It's amazing how far sensor, lens and stabilization technology has come over the past decade. Of course, none of it replaces skill and good technique. But now, someone who knows what they're doing can get really good images out of superzooms with small sensors. I could actually see myself picking up one of these when carrying a DSLR becomes too much of a burden for me - or perhaps when I become to lazy to do so. ;)
 
I'd love to see a thorough, in-depth comparison between the Canon SX50, the Fuji HS50 (and an X-S2 if they ever make one) and the Pansonic FZ-200.

DPR has it on their "list" for 2014. :tongue: Maybe I can get my hands on a HS50.

Sounds like something DPR might do. sometime.

Or perhaps the SX60 will be out by then... :happy-084:

Very nice, Chris. I usually think of superzoom compacts as AWFUL. But, if you had not told me what you were using I'd have thought that these were from a higher end system.

Thanks. I think Sony has done a good job with the 1/2.33" BSI sensor, and Canon has done a good job with IS and not going for too many pixels.
 
Can only say that you make that camera sing - I'd never would have believed a 1/2.3 sensor could produce such colour and clarity. Hope we see more of your efforts!
 
I like all of them, but I particularly appreciate the third one down -- showing the mockingbird behind the twigs -- because it shows you've got control of the focus. It's a pain when autofocus locks up on stuff in the foreground instead of the bird in back.

Cheers, Jock
 
Thanks, guys. During the short time I used it, the SX50 produced images that really pleased me. However, I just couldn't get around the tiny, low-res EVF, truncated grip, and fiddly ergonomics. After some further trial-and-error, I've migrated... https://www.photographerslounge.org...ou-dont-suceed-buy-buy-again-img-heavy-18251/

IMO, the IQ of the Canon is a little better than the Fuji HS50exr, but I find the Fuji eminently more usable.
 
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