@photonewspn | photographynews.co.uk
BIRD SPECIAL / 31
Superzoom on a budget
While mirrorless cameras are great for bird photography, there’s also another type of camera that could well net you some great imagery of our feathered friends. A bridge camera, also known as a superzoom, is a fixed-lens camera that typically offers a lens with a huge focal range. Take Nikon’s Coolpix P1100, which offers a whopping 125x optical zoom lens, covering a 35mm equivalent focal range of 24-3000mm. This focal range will get you frame- filling images of small birds a great distance away, and it benefits from a 16-megapixel sensor and four stops of VR stabilisation. What’s more, these cameras are often excellent value, with the Nikon P1100 currently selling for around £999.
Best for portability OM System OM-1 Mark II £2049
Best for beginners Canon EOS R10 £999
Best for lens choice Nikon Z 8 £2749
In addition to its incredible reach, the OM System OM-1 Mark II doubles as the ultimate portable wildlife machine, tipping the scales at just 599g with battery and SD card. Because the Micro Four Thirds system uses smaller lens designs, an entire professional set-up can weigh less than half of a standard full-frame rig. Coupled with class-leading IP53 weather sealing, this allows you to walk all day without the need for a heavy bag. It also includes AI-assisted features, such as a Live GND (Graduated ND) mode, and the camera can be used in conditions down to -10°C.
Not all cameras suitable for bird photography have to cost big money. The Canon EOS R10 is a great entry point into wildlife photography, and not just because of the price tag. It inherits highly accurate animal subject detection and tracking technology from Canon’s higher-end lines, making it easy for those new to photography to bag sharp results from the get-go. Boasting a lightweight design that tips the scales at just 382g, it also benefits from a simple button layout and includes a guided menu system to help you pick up the essentials of exposure.
The Nikon Z 8 is often seen as a baby Z 9, but it retains all the important features for bird photography while offering better value for money. Along with the native Z mount range of optics, Z 8 users can take advantage of heritage optics from Nikon’s vast range of F glass, which were available for DSLR cameras via an adapter. This opens up possible lenses, and by opting for the older F glass, you can save a fair amount of money. The Z 8 has a 45.7-megapixel full-frame sensor and Nikon’s speedy Expeed 7 processor engine, along with a blackout-free Real-Live Viewfinder and a massive buffer.
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