Zoom camera advise please

Location : Derbyshire Spotter Watch Member : No

Hi,

I guess this is a little late for Waddington tomorrow lol!

I have reverted to a Fuji S5700 as I have become a little annoyed with SLR's. I had a D50 and a D40, both very satisfied with and impressed with the quality of shot. The annoyance was I guess between changing lenses I must have picked up dirt on the sensor.
Aside from my love of aircraft/shows etc. I surf and after a recent trip to Portugal had annoying 'specs' on just over 1100 photos!

I read reviews all over the place sold my SLR and have this 'all in one' camera. I have been VERY impressed with my still shots but I am and I guess rightly so? apprehensive about moving aircraft shots with it.

It has a decent zoom 10x optical, I think = 380mm. I am wondering, not expecting miracles, what the best setting would be for moving aircraft? It has some manual control, A, P, S, etc. and a stabiliser mode. I think I may have shot with 'P' on my SLR?

Appreciate any advice!

Happy to be a memebr :-)

Location : Colchester

SLR for moving aircraft, Fuji for statics.

A 2 camera setup is the way forward :)

Location : T' North Spotter Watch Member : No

SLR with a super-zoom (28-200/300mm) should do much better than a compact.

Also, look out for DSLR's with anti-dust features. Designed to reduce the amount of dust that collects on the sensor with lens changes etc.

Location : N E Jockistan Spotter Watch Member : No

I have a "Super Zoom" compact (Canon S5is - 12x optical zoom, 430mm) and whilst brilliant for use on static/taxying a/c, forget such cameras for flying shots - the auto focus just can't cope properly. You may be lucky with the odd pic or two, but it ain't going to do the job for all.

As 48th says, the Super zooms are great for the ground stuff, but it has to be SLR for the flyers. Just be careful how/where you change lenses, and invest in decent cleaning kit.

Location : Derbyshire Spotter Watch Member : No

Cheers for the advice. I used it at Waddington yesterday, not uploaded the photos yet but certainly noticed the difference lol!
I think I could fire of 5 to 10 shots per pass with the SLR, I got 2 at most with the 'zoom' camera lol! Hope fully one or two will come out...time to start saving again!
I just got irritated that between the two kits I had (not at the same time), I spent on average over £600 on each, to get dust like that on the shots was a waste of time and money.
I think like you've said, chenge lenses in 'safe' places...although I thought I had been doing that lol!

Location : Gloucester Spotter Watch Member : no

To sell an SLR becuase of dust, seems a bit overkill to me. There are loads of kits available to get your sensor cleaned, or you can send it off to a specialist to be cleaned for as little as £30.

Also, if/when you do get dust on the sensor, its simple to clone the dust out using a program such as Photoshop, or use the cameras built in dust map reference photo. This basicly takes a blank image which shows up the dust, and then the camera automaticly clones the dust spots out. Not the best option, but better than nothing.

If you are looking to get another SLR, I'd highly reccomend the Nikon D90. I currently have one along with a D700 and D200, and the D90 easilly holds it own and also has the dust reduction function. I have had the D90 about 6 months and not one dust spot so far.
Team it with maybe a 18-200mm lens or a 70-300mm and you have a great sytem where you wont need to change lenses often. If you want static shots, then the 70-300 will probably be to long, so you might need a 24-70 or something smilar.
At the moment, no all in one camera can compete with even a budget SLR on autofocus speed.