Camera Suggestions - Please check my Photos and suggest

[vinod24]

So, I am extremely confused about which camera to purchase. I started off by looking at Bridge cameras looking at budgets and my general need for zoom (for bird and wild-life photography). I am currently using a Canon A720; so even a low-end Bridge Camera represents a massive massive upgrade for me. After much deliberation between Lumix Fz-150 and Canon SX40 HS, I chose SX40 HS. Then I made a trip to a Fort in Jaipur, India and wanted to make a shot which required manual focus. With a cropped image, I really struggled. I expect the MF mode in a Bridge Camera with an Electronic viewfinder to be similar. So now I am contemplating a DSLR. I suppose I would need a DSLR and a telephoto lens in the kit.

At this stage, I have 2 questions
1. Do I need to go for a DSLR at all?
2. Will I get a DSLR with lens in my budget (650 - 700 USD)

Following are few of the photos I have taken using either a Canon 720A or another low-end camera (2MP, 3X Zoom). I hope this will give you an idea about the kind of photography I like and help in recommendation. Though I claim to like wildlife photography, you will not find much in these albums. That because I do not have a camera with more than 6X zoom

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/
http://moronicobservations.wordpress...of-the-ganges/
http://moronicobservations.wordpress...-a-photo-blog/
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...2935191&type=3
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...2935191&type=3

[SIMON40]

What was he shot you were taking that required manual focusing- and by cropped,do you mean the magnified image to assist manual focusing? What were you struggling with...?

[vinod24]

Originally Posted by SIMON40

What was he shot you were taking that required manual focusing

This one -
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...2935191&type=3

and by cropped,do you mean the magnified image to assist manual focusing?

Yes, the magnified image on the LCD.

What were you struggling with...?

It was fairly difficult for me to make the image sharp. Perhaps because this was my first attempt, but it was uncomfortable nonetheless. Also, because of the brightness of the sun, the LCD was not clear. Had the object not been still, there is no way I could have got that shot. Even this does not have the sharpness I was looking for.

Having said that, I do not want a DSLR for only these kind of shots. I would like one which covers the range of super-zooms and gives me these kind of shots as well.

[CrazyTechie]

What were the things made you to choose SX40 against Fz150 ?

[wave01]

Hi and welcome. IMHO if you want to get the best types of pictures then you will have to go to a DSLR. That in it self will pose other problems like lens choice so you would have to think about your budget. You may be better to save more and then get the DSLR, rather than buy another camera and still have issues. Good luck

[SIMON40]

I'm still a little perplexed by your choice of manual focusing for that shot.
Would the autofocus not have sufficed here? Maybe choosing centre area focusing,pointing at your subject,then re-composing...?

[vinod24]

Originally Posted by CrazyTechie

What were the things made you to choose SX40 against Fz150 ?

Close call as far as I, a rank amateur, am concerned. Finally to me it came down to speed of Fz150 and the zoom of Sx40. I went with zoom. Though the raw image ability of the Lumix is very tempting.

Originally Posted by Wave01

Hi and welcome. IMHO if you want to get the best types of pictures then you will have to go to a DSLR. That in it self will pose other problems like lens choice so you would have to think about your budget. You may be better to save more and then get the DSLR, rather than buy another camera and still have issues. Good luck

After having browsed through various topics in this forum, I completely understand where you are coming from. However, I suppose a good DSLR + TP Lens seems to cost 1000$ plus and that would be out of my budget in the near future. So unless anyone can suggest a combination which is below 700$, I am afraid I will have to go for the Bridge cameras.

[vinod24]

Originally Posted by SIMON40

I'm still a little perplexed by your choice of manual focusing for that shot.
Would the autofocus not have sufficed here?

I wanted the background to be blurred. Maybe my approach was completely wrong.

Maybe choosing centre area focusing,pointing at your subject,then re-composing...?

I did not know this trick. In fact, I am not sure if my camera (Canon 720A) even supports this.

[Bob Nichol]

By blurred background you mean shallow depth of field (DOF). DOF is a function of distance (closer is shallower), aperture (smaller f/number is shallower) and focal length (larger millimeters is shallower). Shallow DOF on your camera can be tricky since the actual focal length is short compared to a DSLR lens and the aperture doesn't get to very small numbers particularly at the telephoto end.

Best effort would be to get as close as possible to the subject, zoom out as much as possible and keep the f/stop number small.

[vinod24]

Originally Posted by Bob Nichol

By blurred background you mean shallow depth of field (DOF). DOF is a function of distance (closer is shallower), aperture (smaller f/number is shallower) and focal length (larger millimeters is shallower). Shallow DOF on your camera can be tricky since the actual focal length is short compared to a DSLR lens and the aperture doesn't get to very small numbers particularly at the telephoto end.

Best effort would be to get as close as possible to the subject, zoom out as much as possible and keep the f/stop number small.

Would I be able to get images like below using an FZ150 or an SX40 HS?