ultra-zoom for primate field research trip

[shadowmousey]

This summer I'm taking a primate field research class in Nicaragua, and I need a camera to take with me. I already own a Canon EOS A2 35mm and the original Digital Rebel. I'm not taking either one with me, because I'm not willing to risk them getting lost or stolen, but the other digital camera I have, a Nikon Coolpix 5600, takes piss-poor pictures in low light situations (like, say, in the middle of a rainforest).

I'm looking to spend around $400, though price is not my first priority.

Image quality is of the utmost importance to me in this situation. This is a once in a lifetime trip, and I want to get images that I could potentially get printed up at a decent size for display, probably not larger than 11x17, but I wouldn't shun the possibility if I got a picture I really love.

I would like a smaller camera to make it easier to carry and less of an eyecatcher for someone looking to make off with it, but again, image quality is first priority, so I'll gladly tote around something larger if it means better photos.

As far as megapixels, the more the better, frankly, although I've been quite pleased with my 5MP digital rebel, so not too picky as long as it's 5+.

The environment in which I will be shooting will range from bright light to low light filtered by trees, with subjects will will likely range from lazing about in trees to moving pretty quickly.

Manual controls are not terribly important, but I would consider them a definite bonus.

I'm not too much of a stickler for brands, though I've been happy with my Canons in the past. Currently my frontrunner, based on the research I've done, is the Sony H5. Please let me know what you think.

[John_Reed]

This summer I'm taking a primate field research class in Nicaragua, and I need a camera to take with me. I already own a Canon EOS A2 35mm and the original Digital Rebel. I'm not taking either one with me, because I'm not willing to risk them getting lost or stolen, but the other digital camera I have, a Nikon Coolpix 5600, takes piss-poor pictures in low light situations (like, say, in the middle of a rainforest).

I'm looking to spend around $400, though price is not my first priority.

Image quality is of the utmost importance to me in this situation. This is a once in a lifetime trip, and I want to get images that I could potentially get printed up at a decent size for display, probably not larger than 11x17, but I wouldn't shun the possibility if I got a picture I really love.

I would like a smaller camera to make it easier to carry and less of an eyecatcher for someone looking to make off with it, but again, image quality is first priority, so I'll gladly tote around something larger if it means better photos.

As far as megapixels, the more the better, frankly, although I've been quite pleased with my 5MP digital rebel, so not too picky as long as it's 5+.

The environment in which I will be shooting will range from bright light to low light filtered by trees, with subjects will will likely range from lazing about in trees to moving pretty quickly.

Manual controls are not terribly important, but I would consider them a definite bonus.

I'm not too much of a stickler for brands, though I've been happy with my Canons in the past. Currently my frontrunner, based on the research I've done, is the Sony H5. Please let me know what you think.A dozen years ago (1993, to be exact), I went on a Mountain Gorilla trek in Rwanda (about a year before the 1994 "bloodbath" which engulfed that country). The Gorillas we visited on two successive days were both visited under the forest canopy, so conditions were never really bright. I remember shooting at ASA 800 with my Olympus zoom camera (35 to 180mm film), and being happy to have that much film speed there. If I were to take a digital camera into the same milieu, I'd be looking for one with good high-ISO performance, particularly in the 400-800 (at least) range of capability. Much as I like the Panasonic UZ cameras, I think a couple of their models might work for you, IF you're willing to shoot in RAW: The FZ50, and the new FZ8. I don't think they'd hack it for you in JPG shooting. The Sony H5 you mentioned seems to do a reasonable job at least at ISO 400, I'm not sure about 800. Have you looked at the Fuji 6000fd? That one has good high-ISO capability to a higher level than the Sony, I think.

If you're not leaving until next summer, I'd also wait until reviews are out on the new Olympus SP-550, which makes high-ISO claims, is quite compact, considering its 28-504 mm zoom lens. You've got some time to make this decision, use the time productively with patience! :o

[timmciglobal]

People would steal a small 400$ camera as quick as the'll steal a bigger 1,000$ camera.

Use a film SLR if your worried or use your rebel.

Nothing P&S does well at higher iso's (compared to dslr, and especially higher ISO + large print size)

Tim

[John_Reed]

People would steal a small 400$ camera as quick as the'll steal a bigger 1,000$ camera.

Use a film SLR if your worried or use your rebel.

Nothing P&S does well at higher iso's (compared to dslr, and especially higher ISO + large print size)

TimIt creates kind of a dilemma, since he's probably going to need some long-zoom capability to pull in primates at a distance. When I was with those Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda, it was an "up close and personal" kind of experience, but monkeys in jungles don't often come up and lean against your knee, as one little juvenile gorilla did to me while I was there! If you do need longer zoom, the best lenses for DSLRs in that application, given that it's low-light, would probably need to be stabilized. So you're talking beaucoup bucks to get properly equipped. Plus, a smaller camera would tend to be with you more often, not left sitting in a bag somewhere because it's too bulky to take along all the time.

[Riley]

Fuji F30
good iso performance
and easier to hide

out of sight, out of mind
no it wont pass as an ultra zoom
but you might still have it when you leave

[tim11]

Fuji F30
----out of sight, out of mind....
How about out of range? :)
As much as I believe in the ability of F30 in lowlight, I am not sure it will get any good pictures of animals over 5 meters away. Do you know how far you can reach with 3x optical zoom? So unless the animals are tame or semi-tame I agree with John, an ultrazoom is more suitable for the task. It's a dilemna indeed.

[Riley]

mores the pity there isnt a tele-converter or a 10x lens like Panasonics TZ
sometimes i think the guts of the F30 is a camera looking for a better lens
you are right of course Tim, I'm at a loss for a solution really

[shadowmousey]

any thoughts on the new Panasonic coming out?

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0701/07013106panasonicfz8.asp

[Riley]

Id go back not forward, FZ7 had venusII which is better in my view
they really have pretty awful low light performance
and by experience, jungle of any sort can be a struggle for light

maybe one of the Fuji zooms would be best
sorta bulky though, my thoughts were to keep the camera hidden
the other issue is the weather out in the bush
non of these cameras are weather sealed