@GregofDelaware Do you find you use a polarizing filter for on water shots?
@castoff I have a Lumix waterproof point and shoot that I’ve used for kayaking for over a decade. It fits nicely in my pfd, and has traveled the world’s oceans with me, too. I’m always surprised when it continues to not leak since I’ve done a lot of snorkeling with it and never replaced gaskets. Now I mostly just use my iPhone 10, which is waterproof. I got a little tether hook for it so I can’t lose it if I drop it. Neither of these options permit me to capture birds.
The Lumix FZ300 is great for birds but… I find that the photos are a bit blocky. Since I’m primarily interested in bird identification this isn’t an issue.
This is from my Lumix, great shot except there just isn’t any detail in the shot.
Thank you, this is helpful. And it might be problematic. I spotted an American Bittern, which I understand is very fortuitous and unusual. It really blended into the surroundings and was quite difficult to notice - I got lucky. But no hope of a photo with my current options. I wonder how the Lumix FZ300 would do.
I have a waterproof Coolpix AW110. The “140mm equivalent” zoom doesn’t have the range to reach out and touch far away stuff. Over the years it has slowly erred to the overexposure side - easily fixable with Faststone editing but still a pita. It also doesn’t have a lens cap, which is more critical than you might think.
My stabilized FZ300 600mm superzoom shoots barely acceptable pics at max zoom (the anti-shake has to work reeeeally hard at that magnification) but really lets you compose good shots of things far away and is great in low light. The 4K movies are OK. Splash proof but not dunk proof.
Neither shoots close to the quality of my old Canon with Canon lens. I’m too paranoid to take it paddling.
My waterproof-to-3 feet Galaxy S7 phone has zero zoom but takes great pictures otherwise.
Coolpix AW110 shots are 4608 x 3456 pixels.
Lumix FZ300 are 4000 x 3000 pixels.
Rebel T2i are 5184 x 3456.
Galaxy S7 are 4032 x 3024.
I do on my regular camera, but have not tried on my kayaking cameras, including the FZ300. I have not had that much trouble with reflected light off the water, sometimes it becomes a feature. And I am loath to have another set of surfaces to get wet. I do have a UV filter on it, and that has been a bit of a pain to dry out between trips. After cleaning, I take the filter off and put the camera and filter on a heating pad for a bit. But if I was taking more time for photography, if it was more central to the reason for kayaking, I would play with one.
If memory serves, some photos in the wildlife photo thread may have been taken with an FZ300:
Took these biking today. According to Google Earth the osprey nest is 100 yards from the bike path. I cheated and steadied the camera on a post for the close-up.
Zoomed out:
Ospreys of somewhat lower expectations.
Perhaps this pair has stooped to much lower predatations?
Though it’s an aerie that is very subject to a wicked tide,
I don’t suppose these swivel toes quibble over shorter workday glide.
