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OT - question for the camera gurus-

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DuckDogDr
DuckDogDr Posts: 1,549
in EggHead Forum
Looking at purchasing myself a nice camera. Surprising my gf with a trip to the caymans for scuba for her birthday and an early anniversary present. 

I borrowed mom's Nikon for Argentina and was not impressed with its capabilities for action shots (birds flying)

Alot of my hunting buddies love their cannons.
Buddy at work is doing his best to sell me on the new sony mirrorless camera a7iii. 

Will the sony camera do the fast paced hi definition action shots?


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  • JMCXL
    JMCXL Posts: 1,524
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    All major brands have cameras that do what you are looking for. I like the Nikon D850 as an example...

    but, don’t forget the lens, spend $$$ on 1-2 good pieces of glass. 

    My 2 cents
    Northern New Jersey
     XL - Woo2, AR      L (2) - Woo, PS Woo     MM (2) - Woo       MINI

    Check out https://www.grillingwithpapaj.com for some fun and more Grilling with Papa (incase you haven't gotten enough of me)

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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 17,174
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    Rent or borrow before you buy. 
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  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 7,650
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    DuckDogDr said:
    Looking at purchasing myself a nice camera. Surprising my gf with a trip to the caymans for scuba for her birthday and an early anniversary present. 

    I borrowed mom's Nikon for Argentina and was not impressed with its capabilities for action shots (birds flying)

    Alot of my hunting buddies love their cannons.
    Buddy at work is doing his best to sell me on the new sony mirrorless camera a7iii. 

    Will the sony camera do the fast paced hi definition action shots?


      WTF are you hunting for? I thought my 45-70 was overkill!
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


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  • dmourati
    dmourati Posts: 1,268
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    Check out borrowlenses.com to rent before you buy. You may also consider purchasing a used DSLR. I'm curious what Nikon you tried and perhaps even what settings you had. Share some photos for some tips on how to improve.

    Post a rough budget if you want good suggestions. 
    Mountain View, CA
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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 14,617
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    @tarheelmatt
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  • DuckDogDr
    DuckDogDr Posts: 1,549
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    Realistically budget is going to be around 1-1.5k for the camera body. Realistically I would like to stay under budget as possible. But that seems to be the price point for the ones I've been researching....

    The nauticam housings are through the roof price wise  :|
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    I always buy one to two generations back of the pro model.   Price is less than half.  Look for a low frame count.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
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    In terms of action shots, it’s less the body than the lens unless you are looking for rapid-fire shots. If the latter, you still need a good lens but I’d suggest adding a battery grip that can boost FPS (usually 2-3 per second over camera baseline).
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    Eggcelsior said:
    In terms of action shots, it’s less the body than the lens unless you are looking for rapid-fire shots. If the latter, you still need a good lens but I’d suggest adding a battery grip that can boost FPS (usually 2-3 per second over camera baseline).
    I thought we were talking digital cameras here.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    If you really get in to it, regardless of what you spend on a body, the lenses is where most of your money will go.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • DuckDogDr
    DuckDogDr Posts: 1,549
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    Thanks for the response. So primarily in would be looking for rapid fire shots. Trying to get focused zoomed in pics of ducks in flight..

    The going to the caymans excuse I need a good camera is the reason to buy lol
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  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
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    nolaegghead said:
    Eggcelsior said:
    In terms of action shots, it’s less the body than the lens unless you are looking for rapid-fire shots. If the latter, you still need a good lens but I’d suggest adding a battery grip that can boost FPS (usually 2-3 per second over camera baseline).
    I thought we were talking digital cameras here.
    I guess I conflated the two. Still, a grip will help with counter balancing heavier lenses, which higher quality/longer lenses always are. This will help compact camera shake as well.
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,471
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    Doc, do you remember what model and lens of your Mom's you were using?  
    My best body for BIF is the D-500, you could find a used one but it'll be in the upper end of your price range, and you could spend a lot more on the glass.  
    _____________

    Remember when teachers used to say 'You won't have a calculator everywhere you go'?  Well, we showed them.


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  • Slippy
    Slippy Posts: 214
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    Bang for buck, Fuji XT-20 is a great place to start. Fuji lenses are really nice, and they all work with an XT-20, and the kit lens (18-55mm) will be a workhorse... I know several photographers and they all rave about the Fuji lenses... It's also a mirrorless body, so it's smaller and a bit more easier to carry around. 
    Rockwall, TX  •  LBGE, Big Hat Ranger offset smoker, Really old 22" Weber Kettle, Pile of Pecan and Post Oak... 
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    I'm pretty agnostic about brands.   I've used all the majors and seem to be happiest with Canon.

    One trick I use when buying gear is to observe what the people that use it for a living buy.  Sports and nature photographers are in the elements and have some of the most challenging subjects.  Tricky lighting, fast moving subjects, bad weather....

    Most of those people use Canon and Nikon.  You're just going to be splitting hairs arguing one is better than the other.

    I would recommend a Canon 5D Mark III, used.  Or Mark II.  It's a pro-level camera that should more than meet all your demands.  You can drop it, get caught in a storm, shoot half a million pictures, and it will keep on keepin on.  It's repairable by any reputable camera shop, if it ever needs it.  Great selection of glass.  Well within your price range. 

    To me the Canons are more ergonomic.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • odie91
    odie91 Posts: 541
    edited January 2019
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    For the type of shoot you describe, invest in an upgraded view finder. I think it's called Kat eyez , but I'm too lazy to Google
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  • Shiff
    Shiff Posts: 1,835
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    Your type of question comes up often on https://www.dpreview.com/

    They have many different forums for discussions.

    I take thousands of pictures each year - many of them of birds in flight.  I used to use an SLR (last one I had was a Sony A6000 mirrorless) but got tired of always having the wrong lens on the camera. Plus, hauling around several lenses was a real burden (as well as a big expense).

    There are many super zoom cameras out there that just have 1 lens which go from 24 mm to 600 mm (35 mm equivalent). Some have mediocre lenses and others have great ones.

    My current camera is a Sony RX10 Mark 3.  Very fast focusing and a great lens.  They have released the RX10 mark 4 now and it is even better.  There have been many articles written by camera buffs who have switched to this camera (or similar).

    Give this some consideration before making your decision.

    Large BGE
    Barry, Lancaster, PA
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  • DuckDogDr
    DuckDogDr Posts: 1,549
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    @Botch it was a Nikon D3100.
    Lenses not sure. 
     Thanks for all the replies guys
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  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
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    Brand of camera or camera doesn't matter too much really.  Just like these grills we cook on.  The grill doesn't make the cook.   

    Many factors of why you got terrible shots with your borrowed camera.  Too many to list.  

    For birds in flight, you have to crank the shutter speed up high to freeze the action.  If the conditions were not prime for the capabilities (low light, subject far, slow lens/focus), then yes, the image will not be sharp at all.  

    Do you know about the exposure triangle?  If not, I would recommend picking up a copy of Bryan Peterson's book "Understanding Exposure".  

    https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Exposure-3rd-Photographs-Camera/dp/0817439390

    Picking up that Sony as you explained and shooting in auto or P mode doesn't use it to the best of its ability.  

    Sounds like you should pick up a beginner camera, learn to use it well, and once you outgrow its limitations, then upgrade to a better body.  

    You'll spend $2k with a body only camera and another $2k for a 70-200 2.8 lens.  For birding, one really needs longer reach than 200mm, IMHO.  

    I'll side with Nola, get a used, couple models out, but nice body.  If you're carrying these in a bird blind, you'll want sealed bodies.  Note, Sony isn't built like the Nikon and Canon pro bodies.  




    ------------------------------
    Thomasville, NC
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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 17,174
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    I can agree on the 70-200 2.8 not having enough reach. I use a 2.0 teleconverter and still need more reach shooting the birds in the backyard. 
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  • Hntrss
    Hntrss Posts: 16
    edited January 2019
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    This will make egging look cheap, quick.  I have a d7500, and would recommend the 18-300 vr as a great all around lens for reasonable money.  This is the 200-500 5.6.
    To get into fast lenses , 1.4 - 2.8 is very expensive.  Good luck, any modern Digital camera is capable of taking amazing photos!  Learning good technique is the key!
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
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    tarheelmatt said:
    Brand of camera or camera doesn't matter too much really.  Just like these grills we cook on.  The grill doesn't make the cook.   

    Many factors of why you got terrible shots with your borrowed camera.  Too many to list.  

    For birds in flight, you have to crank the shutter speed up high to freeze the action.  If the conditions were not prime for the capabilities (low light, subject far, slow lens/focus), then yes, the image will not be sharp at all.  

    Do you know about the exposure triangle?  If not, I would recommend picking up a copy of Bryan Peterson's book "Understanding Exposure".  

    https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Exposure-3rd-Photographs-Camera/dp/0817439390

    Picking up that Sony as you explained and shooting in auto or P mode doesn't use it to the best of its ability.  

    Sounds like you should pick up a beginner camera, learn to use it well, and once you outgrow its limitations, then upgrade to a better body.  

    You'll spend $2k with a body only camera and another $2k for a 70-200 2.8 lens.  For birding, one really needs longer reach than 200mm, IMHO.  

    I'll side with Nola, get a used, couple models out, but nice body.  If you're carrying these in a bird blind, you'll want sealed bodies.  Note, Sony isn't built like the Nikon and Canon pro bodies.  




    Agree, very well stated.
    For real world photos, really need to get into the 400-600mm range.
    I always recommend new birders get their photo start in a park or bird sanctuary where birds are used to people and an get closer. Real world birding can be very frustrating.

    iPhone photos in a controlled environment.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • Hntrss
    Hntrss Posts: 16
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    Some wild birds.  For every good one, I delete 100.  It can be extremely frustrating,  but it gets me outside.  My wife is a “birder”,  I just love being outdoors ,  so photography keeps me interested enough to enjoy it with her.  We get away from our iPads a few hours each week, and do something together.  Photo Egg is correct,  you need to learn some basics,  there are a million YouTube videos on every aspect of photography.  Check it out
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,471
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    tarheelmatt said:
    You'll spend $2k with a body only camera and another $2k for a 70-200 2.8 lens.  For birding, one really needs longer reach than 200mm, IMHO.  
    Agreed.  I found a used copy of Nikon's fairly new 200-500 zoom for $900.  Excellent birding lens, although only borderline hand-holdable (a monopod works great with it).
    Another, much-less-expensive, lighter and very good BIF lens is Nikon's 70-300 VR-G f4.5-5.6.  I got a used one for $300, and on a DX camera it gives you the equivalent of a 450mm, very useable.    
    _____________

    Remember when teachers used to say 'You won't have a calculator everywhere you go'?  Well, we showed them.


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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
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    nolaegghead said:


    I had, key word "HAD", an earlier version of this lens. I owned it for slightly less than 1 month. Freaking incredible lens. Purchased it used from a customer that frequented the camera store I worked at for a very good price. I used it for one month and had to sell it to pay off the credit card cash advance I used to buy it so I could continue to pay for other things like food.lol
    Sold it and made enough money to pay off the cash advance including fees as well as buy a Canon 2x for my 70-200 f2.8. That lens was so far out of my economic status it was laughable.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • coachbriseno
    coachbriseno Posts: 41
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    The lens is more important than the body. You will be better served with an entry to mid-level body and a top of the line lens. The 18-300 VR Nikon lens mentioned above paired with any modern Nikon will serve your purpose and then some. I picked up the d5500 on clearance with my old 18-200 VR and it works great at my daughter's soccer games. The d3500 plus the 18-300 will run around $1500. Regardless of what you pick (I hear Sony mirrorless camera are awesome) you will increase your odds of success if you shoot during the day in bright natural light and with a filter for your lens.
    Large BGE (2008) - Weber Summit (2018)
    210 TX
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