www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Best ever photo of a Robin Mr.Eccles. Recently I took this photo from an upstairs window, very shy birds these Redwings, took all the Haw berries didn't leave many for the Blackbirds.

TY, Ms Roulston, and that's not a half bad redwing shot for a compact, either.
@Em, if you want to use my robin snap as a template to draw from, feel free.

eccles wrote:Em, if you want to use my robin snap as a template to draw from, feel free.

Thank You Eccles

Eccles:

....that's not a half bad redwing shot for a compact....

Please don't be so condescending.

I have explained time and again that in my case, I simply cannot use a DSLR because of my physical limitations. I have arthritis of the spine and in particular of the neck. That means I cannot, for example, lie prone on the ground and take a photo of a butterfly in front of me.

Some of us would love to be able to use a DSLR but are simply unable to do so. Take the extreme case of a photographer confined to a wheelchair. I am sure you would agree that discrimination against that person on the grounds of his disability would not be very honourable. I'm not quite in that category myself, but I do ask that people understand that some of the comments are - quite unintentionally - prejudiced against those with disabilities.

So please all you anti-compact brigade - remember we are not all as fortunate as you.

Jack

Jack, for heaven's sake, although I sympathise with anyone with a disability, you seem to continually take any comments regarding camera types personally. And believe it or not, there are other members of this forum who are also disabled, including myself. You have to make the best of what life deals you. My comments were not targetted at you as you surely must realise.

Despite the long ranges of recent bridge cameras, they cannot compete optically with a high resolution lens on a DSLR. Period. However, given those limitations, Shirley came out with a nice shot of an attractive bird. Why not commend her for it?

you seem to continually take any comments regarding camera types personally

I certainly don't take any of these comments as being personal attacks. But you and your fellow DSLR owners do make continual derisory comments about compacts; that is tiresome. People who, by reason of disablity, finances or whatever, cannot use DSLRs, are made to feel inferior. How can you expect to encourage the youngsters if they think that they are wasting their time with a simple camera? You certainly do a fine job of producing a "them and us" scenario.

A bit more tact please. As things are, I can't imagine any of you would get employment in the Diplomatic Corps.

Incidentally, the new lightweight Panasonic Lumix G1 with interchangeable lens facility and a flexi-angle screen together with a large sensor of about 18 x 13 mms might be the answer that many of us are looking for - once the price comes down. Doubtless, other manufactures will follow suit with similar models.

Jack

Thanks Eccles for your compliment, I was very pleased with it. I would love an DSLR camera, I'll get one one day. I like watching the Buzzards in the Nefyn area, one pair last year had four juveniles and I took loads of photos with my Kodak with a tele conversion lens but the photos were ok but I new they weren't fantastic. With the Kodak and my Panasonic I do what I can with them and enjoy the photos. Everyone on this forum takes good photos and I really enjoy looking through the photo gallery. Get the bird table right up to the window, put food on it, shove the kitten in the bedroom with a few toys, get a nice chair and cup of tea and wait and see what comes. little monkey went through the window. The Siskin and the Goldfinch were taken in the lounge of Chris Wood's house, he registered recently but someone put him off.

The Goldfinch is a particularly good shot, especially with a compact, well done.

Gruditch

Hi Shirley,

Lovely birds photos. I think that your Redwing is smashing. The last batch, no 006, is that a juv Siskin? It looks to small and too streaky to be a Goldfinch. I know that Siskin breed on Angelsy, which is not a million miles from you, so it's a possibility. Cracking photo.
When you have a talent for taking good photos, as you do, it matters not what equipment you use, but the effort and commitment to getting the best out of your camera. I love your bird shots, and your scenery (as on your cards)
Everyone should remember that Padfield uses a compact too, and his photos are wonderfull.
Keep up the good work!

Cheers
Denise

Edit: I really should read the whole posting before I reply. Ah yes, Siskin!!!

Thanks for your kind words Gary and Denise, Chris Woods' wife Maragret planted an Alder tree by their house 13 years ago and now it huge and they are enjoying dozens of Goldfinches, Siskins, Reed Buntings, last year Chris saw a Red Poll, last week he saw Bramlings. Just been to the gardening club tonight, my Dad is hopping mad, the car had a flat battery so I had to leave it in the village and walk home, no he wasn't concerned that I might be attacked by a mad strangler, only his concerned about the car, 'men' . PS Sorry Densie, the bird I think is a female Siskin.

Shirley Roulston wrote:Thanks Eccles for your compliment, I was very pleased with it. I would love an DSLR camera, I'll get one one day.

I think your shots are superb, Shirley - and I really couldn't give a monkeys what equipment you use. The images speak for themselves

Cheers,

- Pete

Hi shirley, lovley pics. I like the goldfinches, one of my favourite birds to see in the UK I think. That cat you have a pic of there, looks identical to the cat I looked after for a while. Someone found it roaming around here and gave it to us to look after, but it was young kitten with fleas. We had to give it away to someone we knew as our cat "Tiny" went for it all the time as tiny was abandoned here when young and I think she hates other things coming between her as she feels she may get abandoned if any of us start loving another cat.


@eccles, thats probably the best robin shot I have seen in a long time, well shot!

But you and your fellow DSLR owners do make continual derisory comments about compacts; that is tiresome. People who, by reason of disablity, finances or whatever, cannot use DSLRs, are made to feel inferior.

Nonsense. I had exactly the same camera as you two years ago and I got some nice photos with it. Some of them got published in the AWT magazine. But it was a LOT harder to shoot birds with it than the DSLR I subsequently got. I posted some of them on the Canon POTN birds forum, and guess what? Many people said "Good shot, for a compact". Sometimes they even said "I can't believe you used a compact." This didn't make me feel inferior, quite the opposite, because I was taking pictures that were admired by people with far more expensive kit than I had.
Here's an example from my Canon S3 compact taken about 18 months ago. I used a tele-attachment. BTW, Shirley, nice collection. I especially like the goldfinch.

Thanks Dave.

The above bird, 'superb'. Would love to see some more!
Shirley

That Great tit, 'superb'. Would love to see some more!

I will not post the obvious response.

Jack

Jack Harrison, what do you mean you old thing

I may have a bad leg, but.....well, I suppose I couldn't get it over at the moment

(of course what I mean is climbing over a style when out butterflying)

Jack

TY Shirley.

Would love to see some more!

http://mike.photos.gb.net

Hope you like them.
Mike.

Lots of birds feeding in the garden today including Great Spotted Woodpecker! Perhaps we should rename this thread "birds"?

Here's one of a pair of Green Woodpeckers that were down earlier. Please excuse the spherical aberration!
Alexander

Nice photo of a Green Woodpecker, I don't think I've ever seen one. I think they like lawns for ants but I'm not sure on that. This photo I've named 'house hunting'.