New to DSLR

[beechdale basher]

Hi to everyone,

I am a new member so please bare with me if I appear a little stupid.

I have been using a Panasonic bridge camera, for a number of years now, which has served me very well for the general "snaps" type of photography that I have used it for. But as I have now started to use the camera for wildlife shots, particularly birds, and at distances of up to 100m it is being asked to do things that it was not designed for.

After some agonising I have reduced my options, for a new camera, down to two.

I believe that these two cameras offer me the chance to point and shoot when I first purchase the camera and then learn to use the many features that they possess.

Nikon D90 with a 70-300 Lens
Panasonic G1 with a 100-300 lens

My budget is approximately £900 for camera and lenses

Please could you tell me

1 Are these good cameras
2 Are they good choices for wildlife
3 Are the lenses suitable for my requirements
4 Can I grow into these cameras

Thanks BB

[Sonic4Spuds]

I know there are people here who love both, but I have no personal like for the Nikon line. That said they can still create good pictures and it the limitation of features and difficulty to understand that I don't like.

Yes both of the cameras are well built and can take the pictures you want.

For the type of shots you are taking the lenses are probably your best bet for a single lens solution.

-Sonic

[revi]

Both should be good cameras.

Nikon and Canon are the largest brands, and probably have the largest collection of lenses, and other extras available (either brand or 3rd party). Your choice in lenses and extras might be more limited with the Panasonic. You don't tell us why you eliminated Canon, they seem to be a bit cheaper with their lenses compared to Nikon. The specialists for each brand could tell you more, but they might need a bit more info about your criteria/wishes

For bird photography, I never managed to get a good picture at 100 m... (in fact, for small birds like sparrows, I think 10m is too far, with a 300mm on a 1.5x crop camera). That said, I use a 70-300 mm for bird shots, and it is quite useable, when I remember to check exposition time (1/500s is the longest that allows me to get a decent chance on a sharp picture) or use a tripod or monopod (not always easy in the field)

Remco

[rpcrowe]

Canon has some of the best choices in long focal length lenses. The 400mm f/5.6L is arguably the best birds in flight lens out there and the 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS lens is one of the best general purpose wildlife lenses. The 300mm f/4L (with or without the 1.4x TC) is not a bad wildlife lens either. Many of these lenses can be found on the used market too...

Canon is introducing what will probably become the ultimate in wildlife lenses. The new 200-400mm f/4L IS 1.4x TC lens. However, that lens will probably be cost prohibitive. I don't really want to sell a kidney for a lens (LOL),

[Dave Humphries]

Hi BB,

Welcome to the CiC forums.

If you distant birds, I'd probably recommend the G1 because of the 2 x crop factor over the Nikon's 1.5 x crop factor. Why?

300 x 1.5 = 450mm, but 300 x 2 = 600mm - well worth having in my opinion.

You'll possibly be able to get better, and more choice of lenses for the Nikon D90 than the G1, and more still for a Canon equivalent (1.6x crop factor), but if your main subject is lickle birds (as in distant or tiny) the focal length advantage would be very handy to have.

I have a Nikon D5000, similar to D90, and the Nikon 70-300 and I shoot birds - I would love something longer, but those lenses (by Nikon) are expensive ($2000 - $7000 just for the lens) and I cannot justify that expense for a hobby. The D90 does give more choice than the D5000 for lenses though.

NB I m not familiar with the G1 as a camera body, but I'm sure it is fine and fairly comparable in facilities to the D90, so I trust you've done that research.

btw, any chance of a real name? (we much, much prefer them to usernames)

Cheers,

[beechdale basher]

Thanks for the answers unfortunately I listed the wrong Panasonic camera.
I am looking at the Panasonic G2 and the Nikon D90. Not the Panasonic G1

Thanks again

[Klickit]

Hi Basher. Here is a quick direct comparison weblink for the two cams you are considering. Might be helpful.

Compare cameras