I'd say that focus the camera manually at infinity and use the zoom for cropping. Focusing is done by moving the camera. In some cameras you might get an "in focus" indication, but those are rare. The best you can do is move the camera slightly and shoot a lot. That makes sense- it would'...

Hi all. I have a Canon S51S, with which I'm generally pretty satisfied. Butterfly photography is one of it's main uses in summer, but I was getting a bit frustrated by the need to get physically VERY close to the subject to get the best shots. So, having read about, and seen some people's results wi...

Blimey!! I was going to say how amazed I was to see a Comma yesterday, but it looks like I'm late to the party!! I was going to be amazed 'coz it's so early in the year, and also 'coz it's a Comma- 1st sightings are usually Peacocks or Torts. Anyway, this was in my parent's garden in Leeds:- Ist sho...

You're very welcome Suzy, glad you enjoyed. Not Cardinals, you say Dave? I only know them as Cardinals after posting pics of them last year, when I thought they may be Dark Green Frits, as they do have a very pronounced green sheen when the light strikes them in certain ways. However, the patterning...

Hi Denise, and thanks for your comments. I love the Cardinals, they are very impressive, and really powerful and fast flyers- I saw as many as 4 of them flying in VERY tight formation and at great speed. They even came down to the beach to drink salts, I presume. But, they really are a pain, chasing...

Now for the "bugs"!! Despite keeping the outside lights on, we saw amazingly few moths. Lots of bats were flying- wonder what they were hunting? http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g29/55bloke/21-2.jpg http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g29/55bloke/22-1.jpg Of course, the constant soundtrack ...

We returned to Crete last month, having visited at the same time last year. Not surprisingly, we found the same, relatively few, species were to be seen. Presumably, it's a little late in the year to see many more? It did promt a question in my mind though, and wonder if anyone has any ideas on it: ...

These are truly amazing photos. Lost in awestruck admiration, and sorely tempted to just chuck my camera away!!

I can't speak for those posted by Denise (the one her friend took with his DSLR makes me green with envy!!) but mine were all taken with my Canon Powershot set at ISO 200, some on auto, and some using shutter speed priority set at 1000th second.

Thanks for the comments, glad you like! Took dozens more, but with such a fast moving subject, you can imagine that many of them are of the empty space where a moth was about a thousandth of a second earlier!

I've always loved these amazing little creatures, and back in my collecting days, I've chased them all over various fields and gardens, but they were always too quick for me!! Photography has been just as frustrating but, during a holiday in Crete last month, I was finally able to spend a couple of ...

Last weekend, I returned to my old stamping ground in Kirbymoorside, North Yorkshire. The visit confirmed my impression that there are virtually no butterflies here in Sheffield- even the city parks with their impressive flower beds are virtually devoid of butterflies. Kirby, however, was alive with...

Wasn't sure where to post these pics, so decided to just add them to this thread!! Mystery moth that came to our lounge window last night: http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g29/55bloke/IMG_6734.jpg http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g29/55bloke/IMG_6741.jpg http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g29/55blo...

Hi guys. Still experimenting with my Powershot, but getting very frustrated due to lack of occasions when spare time and decent weather coincide!! That, plus what feels like a severe shortage of butterflies around here. Anyway, I decided to go mad and purchase one of those adaptor tubes that allows ...

I need help!! Moved away from N Yorks to Sheffield a few years ago, and I soooooo miss being in "the countryside"! Butterfles are almost non-existant where I now live- on the Southern outskirts of Sheffield close to the Derbyshire border. Occasionally see a few Speckled Woods and Hedge Bro...

Interesting stuff. I do keep the Canon ISO set at 80, to keep the definition at it's best, but of course you're right, there's not much point if the shutter speed is so slow that I get shake! The question remains, however- did I expect too significant an improvement when I traded up to the Canon?

About a year ago, I was debating about weather to upgrade my camera equipment. I had for about 4 years been using an Olympus 750 (4mp) ultrazoom, and had been more than delighted with the results. But, technology had moved-on and prices were falling, so I was feeling the urge for something newer and...

Thanks for that Padfield, I feel better now!! There were lots of those Monarchs flying round the park, so I guess they're quite common. I'd heard there was a colony in The Canaries- presumably descendants of specimans which had been blown across the Atlantic? How do they survive there- how come they...

Ok, we're back from our week in Tenerife, and sadly I have to report that we saw very few butterflies- or any other insects for that matter! I remember family holidays in Spain in the '70s when there were butterflies everywhere, plus grasshoppers with blue and red underwings, praying mantis' and all...

WOW!! Thanks for all that, I'm well impressed! Looks like there'll be plenty to see. Will endevour to report when we get back, but don't think I'll be able to match the above- my identification skills not great once I'm outside the UK!!