rthummer

IM not a camera expert , but you may have seen some pics that I recently put on here from a camera I got from ebay for $81 and it seems to do and have most of the options of decent digital. Depends on if you feel you want a brand name or what. There are articles in which you need to ck out and read before you buy. My camera is an svp point and shoot 8megapixel 6effective mp. Like I said you need to educate yourself a little first.

Thankfully - digital cameras are something that have come down in price and gone up in quality in the last few years. I spent about $120 on my camera and get decent photos but can't zoom in quite as much as I'd like. $650 sounds like a lot. I would think you could spend half that, and still get a very good camera. Then you'll have some money left over for plants to attract the hummingbirds.
You might also want to ask in the insect forum since they're taking photos of very small subjects.
Here's a photo with mine from about 6 feet away and zoomed in. (sorry - not a hummingbird) I don't think I was zoomed in as much as I could've here.
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Mine has a feature I like since my vision isn't the best. When I'm using the digital zoom, it tells me when I zoom in TOO MUCH. There's a warning that comes up and says "picture quality at this resolution may be reduced". That sort of takes the guess work out for me.
If you could get a camera for Mother's Day/Father's Day, you'll still have hummingbirds around to take pictures of. If you have to wait for Christmas, they'll be gone.

I managed to get a ridiculous deal on an Digital SLR, Olympus Evolt E500 with 2 lenses, for $500, on Amazon, back in August. It had to have been a mistake, since that 'deal' was only available briefly, and was best price imaginable. The body alone was going for over $600 But still, I got it at that price. It's a bit much to learn all the bells and whistles, but I figure in 10 years I should know everything, LOL!
My previous camera was a Fuji Finepix 3800, purchased in 2003, which was (well, is) an awesome camera. Zoom is very important when taking pictures outdoors, to me anyway. It's hard to get a good picture from one of those tiny digital cams, I would imagine.

Fuji Finepix:

Olympus Evolt:

I don't have a digital camera, but some day I will do the research and buy one.

I found many websites that talk about how to choose a digital camera. There's a lot to wade through (which is perhaps what you were trying to avoid!) but maybe you can get something out of them.

The problem with just taking someone's advice is that what is important to you may not be to them and vice versa. I do think it's probably best to educate yourself some before buying, especially if you're thinking of spending $650. On the other hand, if you just decide to buy something for $150, maybe you can just save yourself the trouble, take a chance, and buy it on the recommendation of someone who has that camera, and who has photographed hummingbirds. If it were me, I would do lots of research, because I can be fussy about certain things that others aren't, and care about how to spend my money effectively. A lot of times, some of the more expensive cameras have lots of fancy features that you don't need, and yet at the same time, are superior in very basic things like lens quality, or ability to open up wide and let in more light, two features that can matter a lot.

With the really expensive cameras, what you're paying for is very high resolution. Most people don't need that much, especially if they're just sharing on line or printing small pictures. However, if it's very important to you to be printing out large photos, say 8 x 10 or beyond, an expensive $1000+ camera might be essential. Most people wouldn't need that. It just depends on what use you will be putting the camera to.

One thing I remember reading somewhere is that some digitals have a significant delay between the time you hit the shutter button and when the picture registers. That can be a serious problem for people taking pictures of quickly moving things like hummingbirds. You snap the picture, and by the time it actually takes, the hummingbird has flown out of the frame. I don't know if it's a problem that exists across the whole price spectrum, or if more expensive cameras tend to have quicker shutters or what. If hummer photos are going to be your thing it's something you might want to inquire about before committing to a particular model.

Here are a bunch of websites I found that might be useful:

http://www.shortcourses.com/choosing/contents.htm
http://photo.net/equipment/digital/choosing2/
http://photography.about.com/library/weekly/aa030303a.htm
http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-2E46-17B174E2-39A418E3-prod1
http://www.hitouchimaging.com/DigitalTech/THD_DT701.asp
http://wv.essortment.com/howtochoosea_rrun.htm

I have an Olympus Camedia C-770 UltraZoom, and love it. It doesn't have all the gadgetry of an SLR, but it has a regular and digital zoom, and I've taken some good pics with it. I am not sure if they make this model any more as it's a couple of years old but it's pretty easy to figure out using the auto setting and then as you go along you can try some of the other settings. I'm trying to figure out how to add a pic now so you can see the resolution..

Lynne

This is the best info yet. I have done some research but not alot.
Tracey, I like the quality of that fuji. Does it capture the hummer in flight like the Olympus? Seems the fuji color is more brilliant to me.
Kristin, thanks for the information about the shutter delay. The digital I have now is a piece of junk and that is just the problem. I bought it about 2 years ago from a great salesman and paid about $175.00 for it and by the time the shutter was closed the hummer was gone, also the quality of pic was poor. Then I bought another digital camera that was worse than this one that I gave to my SIL that she sold in her yard sale.(Lumix) LOL. That is why I felt like the more money I spent the better off I would be. I don't want all the bells a whistles just quality pics near and far. I want to be able to count the feathers on my hummer, to see the dew on my flowers. But, I am not a professional photographer. I am not qualified to know lighting etc. as the 35mm require... Am I asking too much???
Kristin, thanks for the websites. I will wade through the info and hopefully this time I will make the right decision!!!

If you all think of anything else I am listening and absorbing all the info you are giving. Your experience is highly regarded because I am NOT experienced in this area, but I so want to have my own pic's to post and to print. As soon as I have my own camera then I shall look for a good picture printer, but we will save that for another day, o.k??? I am camera hungry right now.

Christie, What kind of camera were you using??

Thanks!!!!

I mentioned a 35mm camera in my post, but I know you know that I am looking for a digital camera. I have a cheapo 35mm camera. I have already made up my mind on a digital camera.
rthummer

I've noticed that if you want above average quality, you're often stuck buying unwanted Bells and whistles. I think it's a marketing thing. Sometimes I wish that manufacturers would just give the basic important features like a good quality lens, etc, and leave off some of the more expensive and exotic extras. On the other hand, cameras with very few bells and whistles end up being cheap, but they also tend to have problems like lousy lenses, or a pathetically slow shutter, or some other major defect in quality. I'm sure there are exceptions, but that seems to be the way it works most of the time.

The trick is learning just enough to know what you need and want, and doing your best to find an affordable model that has those features, and as little as possible of the other expensive unnecessary crap. It can be difficult. Usually, I've found that to get the quality I want, I end up with quite a few frills that I never use. It's just the way it works.

I have a feeling that you'll find something in the point and shoot category for a few hundred that will work just fine. Only if it's important to you to print out large pictures, like a professional photographer, will you need to spend high hundreds or even $1500-$2000. I suspect that would be huge overkill for you.

If I werent' so busy with my garden, I might try to do more research on this--for my benefit and yours. It's something that interests me, but I'm not quite ready to buy a digital camera yet, and by the time I'm ready, the models would be different.

I wish I could help more.

Good Luck!

Kristin,
You are so right. I am not at all interested in printing out large pictures. I am more interested in a high quality lense and a super fast shutter. (capturing birds in flight with wings stopped in motion, dew on my flowers, detail of wings-feathers, detail on flowers, veins of leaves, and flowers-- brilliance of color and definition, depth, and resolution) This is my main criteria. I will keep looking this time til I get it. I have spent enough in the past, not knowing what to look for but this time I am getting better educated, before I lay out the buckaroos.

That is why I appreciate your advice and experience...

rthummer:
The Fuji does show great color, unfortunately reds/dark pinks are a occasional problem. I know, not at all in that picture! I have a large dark pink fuschia, and the color just radiated, and looked blurred. It was strange. I could only capture a picture of the hummer if it was feeding; a quick shot wouldn't happen if the hummer was on the move, with the delay. That's the one thing I hate about the digital cams; that delay. I've lost ALOT of shots due to that factor. Although they do say that digital SLR's are instant shots, sometimes there is a delay, which I believe has alot to do with the lighting. I had tried to get some dusk shots of the hummer, but the pic wouldn't snap. With good lighting, it's a snap.

Fuji:

Fuji:
I can only imagine how the D-SLR would've captured this shot:

Fuji:
I love the display of color in this one:
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I'm a garden geek and love taking pictures of bugs, birds & insects, so the D-SLR was a worthy investment for me, regardless of the fact that I'll probably never use all the bells and whistles. If Fuji made an affordable D-SLR, I would've invested in it, without hesitation. From what I can see, there's one on the market for close to 2 grand :(

Tracey,
Ditto here on being a garden geek. Well, really all wildlife. Especially hummers and all birds. Recently have got into the photography since retirement.

rthummer - You asked what kind of camera I have. It's an HP something but as I said, I wish it would zoom closer. There's no way I could take a photo like the one Jessikaandsamson posted. I will try to get a pic of a hummingbird so you can compare. Here's a close-up of a butterfly. It wasn't a moving target though. I was about four feet away and zoomed in a little.
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rthummer

Im sure you are most likely looking for a camera that will catch a hummer in motion without the blurr that your inexpensive camers will produce. To get that you would a better camera but I dont think you would need the high priced SLR. Im sure my camera wont produce that quality and my zoom isnt what I would like but for my everyday needs it will suffice.

I got a Kodak 4 MP EasyShare C433 Digital Camera, and I love it. Here is some of the photos I took.

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Here is a link that might be useful: Walmart

Capturing wings with no motion blur is nearly impossible without the use of a flash. In bright sunlight with shutter speeds in the neighborhood of 1/2000 I still get motion blur. But with a flash set to 1/8 power the burst lasts something like 1/10,000 of a second. Viola!

{{gwi:58398}}(Click for larger version)

I have to disagree that the only advantage of the higher priced cameras is more resolution. I have a 6mp Nikon D70 and I make prints up to 20x30 quite regularly. The main advantages to me were speed of use (instant on and ready to go, no shutter lag, etc.) and the degree of control available. However, most people don't want to put the time and effort into learning how to use all of that control.

Another feature of DSLR's that I love is greater control over DOF. (Depth of Field) That's what allows the gradual blurring of items outside the focal plane. It's a lot harder to get that look with most P&S cameras. DSLR's make it TOO easy sometimes.

{{gwi:57538}}(Click for larger version)

tngreenthumb,
that hummingbird pic, that's what I am talking about. But I bet it is a complicated camera. Or is it???? Boy, it is one neat photo. Maybe my brain might have to settle for a less complicated camera....I am wading through megapixels, and am totally confused right now. LOL I have decided I want a camera with the best lense I can afford. How to determine that I do not know yet. Also, a camera with fast shudder speed. This is far as I have gotten.

rthummer: Most people would consider it complicated, yes. Megapixels is largely marketing hype. Anything above 4mp should do you fine for prints unless you are submitting to magazines. If you have no desire to learn photography (in addition to how a particular camera works) then a DSLR is probably NOT the way to go, as they require a more fundamental understanding of the art than most P&S cameras do. BUT, they are the best way to do the widest variety of photos.

As has been mentioned, the shutter lag on most point & shoot cameras is pretty bad. I think some improvement to that has been made in the last few years. Shutter speed and shutter lag are different things. Shutter speed is how log the camera exposes the sensor. Faster is better for stopping motion, but is limited by the amount of light available. Shutter lag is the time it takes from the moment you press the shutter to when it actually takes the picture. That is affected by a number of things. Focus speed, available light to focus by, auto white balance vs pre-set, etc.

This has probably only added to your confusion, but every little bit of information helps. What else, besides hummers, do you plan to shoot with it? What are your photographic needs?

By the way, just to be clear, the hummingbird photo is a composite of three photos. I managed to get several off as she swooped back and forth at the feeder. Then put them together later. THAT's where digital really shines.

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tngreenthumb: What software did you use to create the composite photo? It looks incredible!

tracey: I use Adobe PhotoShop as it it part and parcel to my other hobby. But it is rather expensive. There are cheaper and even free programs that could do the same thing. PaintShop Pro is a cheaper alternative and The Gimp is a free one. (GNU Public license.)

Since these were shot right together the exposures and backgrounds are the same. Plus the homogenous background makes it easier to get a seamless blend when pasting in the extra birds. Well, actually, extra versions of the same bird.

i don't have a camera, and that sucks, but i use the camera on my cell phone. and upload it and do all the enhansing i can in picasa. does decently. that's an cheap idea.

I have a Sony Cybershot 5.1 mega pixels, I wish I didn't buy it. It has awful shutter speed and shutter lag! I can't even get a good picture of my 2 year old never mind a lightning fast hummingbird! I have to take about 10 pictures to get one good one! If there is any movement at all it blurrs the whole pic! I've tried all kinds of settings and read the same stuff in the manual over and over and still can't figure out the best settings for getting 'action' photos. I tried taking a picture of a hummer a few times and gave up because you can barely see the hummer even when I zoom way in. (It just looks like a little blurr with a red throat)I have somewhat better luck with butterflies, as long as the timing is right and they weren't in any motion when the picture snaps. I have to be close to them though so it takes a lot of patience and practice at not scaring them away while being 2 feet away. I wish I knew this before I blew $350 on the darned thing now I'm stuck with it! You are very smart to ask opinions first, I bought my camera 2 days before I had my daughter and just wanted a camera fast. I thought hey, Sony is a good brand and this camera is pretty expensive, it must be good! All the people in the store talked about was pixels they never said this one is faster or will take action photos better.

I have two cameras, one is out 'throw away' - small, compact, take to the beach and underwater. It takes good pictures, but nothing compared to the good one. We have a Canon S3 and it's phenomenal. The price on it has come down as well.

I haven't shot any pictures of hummers yet - it's been too dark and cloudy, but I'm going to attempt sometime this weekend as it's going to be nice and sunny out. Thanks for the tips, tngreenthumb. I was wondering just what shutterspeed I'd have to use.

This is a shot of a butterfly from last year, and some hungry sparrows - with the S3:

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I took this picture with a Canon Powershot Elph SD450. I can't remember how much I paid for it but I want to say around $300?

Jessicaandsampson, that is now the SD600/630. Or was, it's probably been replaced since we bought ours at Christmas this year.

Amazing picture. I can't wait to get close enough to use the macro feature.

The canon S3 and the Canon Powershot Elph SD450 take some good pics. Like the details. Thanks for all the info. I have waded through alot of info from the websites given. I probably am going to take the plunge before this season ends and not wait til Christmas. Thanks for ALL your pics and info.....))) I want to share photos sooooo bad....

jessikaandsamson : Nice. A little underexposed though. That's another reason I use flash. I get a much better exposure.

Click on this to check out the larger version for detail that surprised me when I first called it up on the computer screen.