African Wildlife & Environment Issue 74

An example of the use of low light to great effect

Another example of low light and interesting behaviour to bring life to a picture

The type of effect one can achieve by practising panning with moving animals

Zoom lenses, like the earlier Sigma 100-500 mm, can also be purchased at good prices second-hand, and although they are a bit slower in focussing, and do not have image stabilisers, they can give great results for the beginner. Then we have the ‘bridge cameras’ with impressive zooming capability and which are ideal for atlassing and general birding because they are so compact and very light. Resolution is not always the best, but the images do provide enough clarity to identify the birds and get your ‘specials’ accepted when ‘bird atlassing’. The latest cellphones have improved their cameras to such extent that one can capture great pics, especially close-ups and landscapes. The technology seems to improve all the time! However, if you aremore serious andwant pictures of a higher resolution and would like to tackle the challenge of capturing birds in flight, there are several somewhat pricier options. The critical aspect here

Your ‘prime’ lenses with fixed focal length (as opposed to ‘zoom’ lenses with variable focal length) manufactured by the likes of Canon and Nikon normally give excellent results and can often be bought second-hand for reasonable prices. Disclaimer : When I mention specific brands in this article, this does not mean I am endorsing them. Today’s modern cameras are all technological marvels, and there is very little to separate them on their capabilities. Every person has their personal preferences, and you should read widely and do your own research before investing in your particular brand of equipment. Also talk to people who you know are pretty good photographers – they will usually be happy to share their knowledge with you.

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