Birds are one of the most majestic and dignified creatures on the planet. They follow their own rules when it comes to the natural ordeals. From migratory birds to habitat ones, all of them are interesting in their own way. People have adopted watching these majestic creatures as a hobby and as a profession. If you’re an enthusiastic bird person who loves taking bird photos then check out the best birding cameras that we’ve brought to you!
They spend over thousands of dollars on equipment just to capture the glorious moments of these creatures in photo frames. Whether you are new to the bird watching society or already a veteran, a camera is a must have item. There are cameras which are made especially for birding.
Buying Guide
Bird watching is a sacred hobby that must be followed thoroughly with a top of the line camera designed exactly for that cause. But before you actually buy one, there are a few sectors that you need to research closely to get the camera that fits you perfectly.
A Good Viewfinder
The first thing that bird photographers must be good at is tracking objects. Birds move around at an astonishing speed. They are always fluttering around here and there. They are not going to be stopping even for an instant. So improving your tracking skills is a must if you want to be a good bird photographer.
To help with that, you must get a camera that has a very good view finder. This will help adjust and lock onto the bird through the lens more easily and in a refined manner. By getting one with a good viewfinder you can be sure that your tracking skills will improve at a very good pace.
Easy to Understand Settings
Now understanding your device’s settings is a must if you want to be a professional bird watcher. You need to know how to tune into the settings to get the perfect representation of the bird itself.
Then, you also need to remember where all the settings are so that you can change the settings quickly according to the motion that the bird is in. For this, you need a good quality setting wheel and easy to understand settings implanted within the camera software.
This way, you can learn to adapt to the settings quickly and easily tune in to the camera settings. This will help you capture any shot with the picture perfect portrait you have in mind.
A Fast Shutter Speed
The initial quality that a camera needs is good shutter speed. If it is for bird watching, then getting a camera with fast shutter speed is a must. Birds are very fast creatures. They flutter around here and there at an astonishing pace.
So, even if you have decent tracking skills, it will be useless if your camera cannot capture the exact moments. You also need to capture multiple shots to examine and figure out the perfect one.
For this, a camera with a fast shutter speed is an absolute must. A shutter speed of 1/1000 of a second or higher is perfect for cameras designated for bird watching.
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Bridge or DSLR
There are two types of cameras to choose from. The shots you take will widely vary on the camera type. Both of these types are used by professionals in various cases. You need to decide what type of camera you want that can portray the picture just the way you like it.
If you want an easy to use camera, then you definitely want to get a bridge. They offer an insane amount of internal specs that are used for digital processing and can focus on the zoom for various scenarios. These cameras are extremely beginner friendly and can help you track the birds with ease. The auto tuning feature of the camera is the perfect thing if you do not want to dive in to the manual settings yet.
DSLRs are usually used by people who are a little more experienced when it comes to cameras. These are a type of must have cameras if you are into bird watching. People love to use DSLRs. They use mirrors to project images straight into the viewfinder through the lens in real time.
So, the photographers can actually see the images that appear the lens. It’s like capturing the scene straight from the eyes. The zero lag is a must have when it comes to bird watching.
Lenses
When it comes to cameras, the lenses must be studied cautiously. There are a lot of different types of lenses that you can look into. Usually zoom lenses are the ones you want if you are going to go bird watching. The more zoom you can get, the further you can take the birds photo from.
This will help you not to spook the bird and take photos in its calm state. But the more zoom that you want your lens to have, the more money it is going to cost. So take your time to go through the hundreds of lenses available for your camera.
Build Quality
The quality that you want to look at most for your camera is the build quality. It is a must to get a camera with the absolute best quality. You must make sure that you get a camera with the best build quality you can.
It will help you with the longevity of the camera and the performance as well. You can use the knobs quickly and roughly so that you can get the most perfect picture. A good build quality will also ensure that the shutter and the viewfinder won’t lose performance anytime soon.
Best Birding Cameras of 2021
Now that you know about all the qualities you need to have in a camera that is suited for bird watching. This may be a lot to take in, but do not worry. We got you covered. These are some of our recommendations of some of the best birding cameras out there.
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Canon EOS-1D |
The camera is insanely fast Can track moving objects without any issues The 100-400MM lens is the perfect choice |
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Canon EOS-5D |
The ISO range is up to 32000 It is extremely versatile Has a dual pixel CMOS sensor |
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Canon EOS-90D |
It can be customized easily Has a top of the line viewfinder Has a 45 point autofocus system |
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Fujifilm X-T30 |
Has a CMOS 4 image sensor Supports 4K videos Has various lens options |
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Nikon D500 |
Can capture 10 frames per second This is completely weatherproof Can magnify images up to 10 times |
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Panasonic Lumix |
Has an extremely fast shutter speed Goes perfectly with 100-300MM lenses Offers up to 4K |
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Sony a7 III |
Has a compact mirrorless build Goes perfectly with telephoto lenses Extremely good color clarity |
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Sony Cyber‑Shot |
Has one of the fastest autofocus system Has 315 phase-detection points Comes with a Vario Sonnar T Lens |
1. Canon EOS-1D - Best Birding Cameras
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2. Canon EOS-5D - Best Birding Cameras
The settings of the EOS 5D from Canon is extremely easy to tune. Even an amateur can use this camera with ease. The settings are easy enough to help you get better shots of the moving birds.
The low weight makes it easier to carry this around without any issues. There’s a 30 MP sensor in this that helps with better focus. The LCD monitor is also a nice add-on.
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3. Canon EOS-90D - Best Birding Cameras
The EOS90D is one of the very best in Canon’s lineup of DSLRs. The many modes that are implanted are more than enough to get anyone hooked. People who have a relatively low budget can utilize this camera to its fullest potential.
The intelligent viewfinder is one of the best for professional bird watching. The focus system also lets you capture those shots as fast as possible.
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4. Fujifilm X-T30 - Best Birding Cameras
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5. Nikon D500 - Best Birding Cameras
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6. Panasonic 4K - Best Birding Cameras
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7. Sony a7 III
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8. Sony Cyber‑Shot
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Conclusion
There you have it. These are our recommendations of the best birding cameras. So, pick one that suits you best and dive to watch these majestic creatures. Hope this article was helpful to you!