SX50 Birds - Near & Far/RAW & JPEG

Lovely details in all but that first Bluebird image is my favourite

Thank you all for your comments ...

I'll be trying out some other various conversion software and processing approaches to hopefully optimize the additional detail we're seeing in the SX50 RAW files. I'm sure it will take awhile to get comfortable with a new workflow, but we are encouraged to try shooting RAW with this camera.

There are significant trade-offs with all our superzooms regarding speed, sensor size, handling etc, as compared to any DSLR. And shooting RAW takes a further toll on continuous shooting performance. But the reach, image stabilization, and IQ potential under ideal conditions make the SX50 a great tool for the kind of shooting we love to do.


Your feedback is very much appreciated.

Kenn

Stunning set Kenn, love the bluebird specially. I love them all!

kenn3d wrote in post #15654325
Hi all,

Here's another recent assortment from the SX50. These were all shot hand-held in Manual mode at or near maximum optical focal length.

Female Cardinal - ISO80 1/200 1200mm @12ft (@90% crop) from RAW:

Male Cardinal - ISO80 1/250 1200mm @35ft from RAW:

American Goldfinch - ISO100 1/160 1200mm @12ft from JPEG:

American Goldfinch - ISO100 1/320 1200mm @25ft from JPEG:

American Robin - ISO100 1/640 1200mm @15ft from JPEG:


American Robin - ISO80 1/200 1200mm @30ft from RAW:


Eastern Bluebird - ISO80 1/125 830mm @16ft from JPEG:


Eastern Bluebird - ISO100 1/250 1200mm @40ft from JPEG:


The RAW shots were converted and minimally developed in DPP (which is included with the camera but I'd never used it before), and all were finished in Photoshop as usual. I hope to try some other converter software with the camera soon, so any comments or suggestions on the processing of these would be appreciated. I've just posted a brief blog article with some initial impressions of shooting the SX50 in RAW which may be of interest to some:
http://kenn3d.wordpres​s.com/2013/02/16/sx50-shooting-raw/

Kenn

These are amazing Ken!!!!

OMG.
I am going to burn my greas!

I really like to see your set up.

great set Kenn.

Truly impressed at your remarkable photos Kenn.

settings on sx40 for birds in flight? What should the following settings be for taking images of birds in flight for the Canon sx40?

Servo AF? on or off
Continuous Af? on or off
Spot AE? Center or Pt
Af frame? flexizone or tracking
Brightness? evaluative, center or spot.

Thanks ken. Nice images on the sx50! is it worth upgrading from the sx40 to the sx50?

WTG Ken!

jodelak wrote in post #15666330
Stunning set Kenn, love the bluebird specially. I love them all!

lkk324 wrote in post #15666769
These are amazing Ken!!!!

samsen wrote in post #15666856
OMG.
I am going to burn my greas!

samsen wrote in post #15669004
I really like to see your set up.

catsith wrote in post #15669454
great set Kenn.

Bluto wrote in post #15673683
Truly impressed at your remarkable photos Kenn.

redfordl wrote in post #15680257
settings on sx40 for birds in flight? What should the following settings be for taking images of birds in flight for the Canon sx40?

Servo AF? on or off
Continuous Af? on or off
Spot AE? Center or Pt
Af frame? flexizone or tracking
Brightness? evaluative, center or spot.

Thanks ken. Nice images on the sx50! is it worth upgrading from the sx40 to the sx50?

Flo wrote in post #15680276
WTG Ken!

Thanks to all for your comments.

samsen - We don't really have any photos of our "setup", but you can find a pretty complete description of our (typical suburban backyard) bird garden as well as lots of information on how we photograph our birds on our blog. The 3-part series of articles begins here:
http://kenn3d.wordpres​s.com …-backyard-birding-part-1/
Hope that's helpful.

redfordl - We don't take many BIF shots, and think you'll likely find that it's really not easy (and often frustrating) to do with compact superzoom cameras generally. AF and tracking features in these cameras are just too slow, and delays in the EVF display frame to frame make following your target very difficult. It can be done with some practice and more than a little luck... but it's sure not a strength in these models.
As for the SX40 vs SX50 question... we shoot with and enjoy both. They share a lot in common but the SX50 is a bit faster, offers considerably more focal length, and needs even more light at the long end. You can read some further impressions on our use of both models here:
http://kenn3d.wordpres​s.com …10-and-canon-sx50-part-2/

Thanks again and happy birding everybody,

Kenn

Thanks Kenn.
Link was surely usefu.
You make look so easy!
Keep up the wonderful job.

seriously, Canon should use you for their ads for this machine!

What do you guys see as other uses, besides birding, for the SX50? I mean can this little guy replace regular DSLRs?

ptcanon3ti wrote in post #15687328
What do you guys see as other uses, besides birding, for the SX50? I mean can this little guy replace regular DSLRs?

I see you! Lol