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  1. Member
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    At the moment I use Sony HDR-Cx 240. Good zoomproperty but birds miss their details in the end. Can anyone give me a clue which camcorder will do this o.k.?
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  2. Not exactly clear, but it sounds like you're saying the digital zoom softens the picture. Yes it does. You should only be using optical zoom.

    Nobody can really answer which is best, because best means the one that you as a camera operator are most comfortable with in your ability to get it pointed, stabilized and in focus where you want it to be -- quickly.

    CX240 is very bottom of the line. If it suits you otherwise you may want to simply step it up a couple of notches. You can go all the way up to a Red with long Canon lenses if you've got tens of thousands to spend.
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  3. aBigMeanie aedipuss's Avatar
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    since birds are small and tend to fly off if you get close, the same type of camera birders use for stills would also work for video these days. a dslr with good telephoto glass.
    --
    "a lot of people are better dead" - prisoner KSC2-303
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    Thanks for answering. I do not whish to spend thousands... But: how do I use only optical zoom: you just zoom in with the button on top: W and T. If I buy the CX450, would it give some .. better results?
    Here my Facebook-address:[URL="http://facebook.com/jitske.hibma"], see date 18 october .
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  5. Turning off the optical zoom should be a menu setting under camera/mic.

    It looks like 230 and 450 use the same sensor, so I wouldn't bet on much improvement.
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    Originally Posted by smrpix View Post
    Turning off the optical zoom should be a menu setting under camera/mic.

    It looks like 230 and 450 use the same sensor, so I wouldn't bet on much improvement.
    You mean: turning of digital zoom, I think. Quick look in the menu of the camera: digital zoom: UIT. (OFF), this does not help improve the vague birds...
    Same sensor in 450: ok, thanks for your expertise, grateful, don't buy it, had an offer, second hand with substitution possibility.
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  7. Oops, good catch.

    To get the better (larger) sensors you're probably looking at the 4K cameras these days (they shoot 1080 as well.) You're probably in the $700 US range for starters. Panasonic and Canon make good camcorders too, and as aedipuss suggested, a DSLR or Mirrorless with good glass is definitely worth considering. The handheld stabilization is usually not as good, autofocus is often excellent, and you can make nice images.
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    Originally Posted by smrpix View Post
    Oops, good catch.

    To get the better (larger) sensors you're probably looking at the 4K cameras these days (they shoot 1080 as well.) You're probably in the $700 US range for starters. Panasonic and Canon make good camcorders too, and as aedipuss suggested, a DSLR or Mirrorless with good glass is definitely worth considering. The handheld stabilization is usually not as good, autofocus is often excellent, and you can make nice images.
    .

    Limitation: 4k: computerhandling probably, I read something about this limitationwise choice. DSLR: with mirror camera. Mirrorless ... Compact.
    Under study.
    Last edited by fieldbicycle; 22nd Oct 2020 at 03:14.
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  9. Post something. Your camera should be able to produce really good photos and video.

    I suggest you watch a few videos from this guy I "met" in the Vegas forum 20 years ago. His bird pictures are off the charts. He has posted thousands of times over the years, in the Vegas forum and elsewhere, and provides lots of hints.

    https://www.youtube.com/user/amendegw/videos
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    Post something. Your camera should be able to produce really good photos and video.

    I suggest you watch a few videos from this guy I "met" in the Vegas forum 20 years ago. His bird pictures are off the charts. He has posted thousands of times over the years, in the Vegas forum and elsewhere, and provides lots of hints.

    https://www.youtube.com/user/amendegw/videos[/QUOTE] Difficult to find the You Tubes with de Sony CX240 though, when I have time I'll search there. Thanks anyhow. Think about CX450 and Sony Cybershot DSC HX 400V: https://www.visdief.nl/beste-camera-om-vogels-filmen/
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  11. Let's be blunt: if your goal is ultra-sharp video of birds, that is the wrong camera. My point in linking to that guy's videos was so you could read some of his notes about what he does and what equipment he uses. Your camera just doesn't have the glass you need, nor does it have the big sensor required for this sort of work.
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  12. Capturing Memories dellsam34's Avatar
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    A consumer camcorder is not good for such a job especially flying birds, Wings in motion need high refresh rate and better lenses which the consumer stuff lack, You will need a pro hardware or just be happy with what you got.
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    Originally Posted by johnmeyer View Post
    Let's be blunt: if your goal is ultra-sharp video of birds, that is the wrong camera. My point in linking to that guy's videos was so you could read some of his notes about what he does and what equipment he uses. Your camera just doesn't have the glass you need, nor does it have the big sensor required for this sort of work.
    A. Which camera ("that is the wrong camera" do you goal at? (1st sentence)
    (see: facebook.com/jitske.hibma (18 october), Sony CX240, is not doing the job indeed).
    B. I think very strongly about trying, second hand first, Sony Cybershot DSC-HX400V: can you confirm may be that this camera may suit the goal, at least better?
    C. Please: what do you think of this?
    Last edited by fieldbicycle; 22nd Oct 2020 at 13:47.
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  14. Member
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    Originally Posted by dellsam34 View Post
    A consumer camcorder is not good for such a job especially flying birds, Wings in motion need high refresh rate and better lenses which the consumer stuff lack, You will need a pro hardware or just be happy with what you got.
    Have you seen my Facebook post: 18 0ctober: just birds far away to be zoomed in. Some improvement I look for.
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