BinocularsBlog – Advice on Digital, Waterproof, & Compact Binoculars for Bird Watching, Sports, Astronomy, Night Vision, & more!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010Binocular in time
Wouldn’t it be great if you could buy a binocular that allowed you to see into the future? That would be one binocular sale few of us would want to miss. Okay, if technology can’t swing a binocular that sees into the future, how about a binocular that can see into the past?
Actually, any binocular can see into the past if you aim said binocular toward the sky at night. The light we see from stars, nebulae, star clusters and galaxies has been traveling for many years before we see the image it carries, simply because all these objects are so enormously distant by our standards. Even the light from our nearest star neighbor beyond the sun, Proxima Centauri, has taken almost four years to reach us and, as the stellar neighborhood goes, that is the house right next door. Given that astronomy binoculars are capable of seeing objects that require light to travel for many millions of years before the light and the images it carries reaches us, we can truly claim that a binocular can see into the past. Think of it this way: that image we detect in our binoculars may be millions of years old and not at all representative of its actual condition of the object at this point in space-time. Indeed, some of those stars may already be dead and we won’t know it for millions of years. That's how long the news, carried on a beam of light, will take to reach us
Next clear night, grab your binoculars/time machine and have a look.
Binoculars for fireworks
With the Fourth approaching, I had someone ask me if binoculars were of any use in watching fireworks displays. That’s a new one, but after some twenty years of answering questions about how to choose binoculars, I wasn’t surprised. People and the questions they ask about binoculars never cease to amaze and interest me.
Can you use binoculars to watch fireworks? Of course, you can, though using a binocular may prove to be more a hindrance than a benefit. The problem is the limited field of view that comes with any degree of magnification. Thus, if you have a good seat, fairly close to all the action, a binocular may actually detract from the show. A binocular will enlarge an image, yes, but you may not be able to squeeze that whole display into the field of view. You want to see the entire display, not just part of it, right? Then, too, we are assuming you know exactly where to look for any individual display. You won’t have much time to locate any given display in the binocular before it dissipates.
On the other hand, if you do not have the benefit of a good seat and are located at some distance from the show, a binocular may prove useful. I’ve watched some shows from as much as a mile in distance with binoculars. Wasn’t as good as being, right there, of course, but it was interesting. My binoculars seemed to enhance the colors of the displays and, at that distance, no problem with too narrow a field of view. So, if you are not sure how close you can get to your favorite fireworks display, won’t hurt to take a binocular along with you, even if it is only a small compact binocular.
Up north
Up north we go, at the end of the week, to close on our new home and start the long, tedious process of moving in and relocating. Yes, that means a lot of hard work, but this relocation is also something Bill and I want, badly. It will be so much more than just a new address; it will be a change in lifestyle from a big city, suburban existence to a more rural, small town recreation oriented lifestyle. It’s a matter of going from a neighborhood in the suburbs to being surrounded by forest and having access to a lake that is relatively undeveloped.
It will be such remarkable change that we find ourselves a bit overwhelmed by where to begin. It will, of course, be partly a matter of more use of our current gear, such as binoculars, telescopes, digital cameras, bicycles, spotting scopes, cross country skis, camping gear on a more regular basis, but it will also see us using new items, such as canoes, kayaks, fishing gear, chain saws, wood splitters, wood burning stoves and other very typical north country equipment.
That’s fine, but it really is all about my Bill being home with me, every day, when he retires in September. That’s the most remarkable change of all for a gal who had had been alone, only a short time, ago, and who had no thoughts of retirement. Miracles do happen. Don’t let anyone tell you they don’t.
Summer bird feeders
Birdwatching has had its share of ideas that have come and gone. There was a time, for instance, when putting out bird feeders to feed birds was regarded as a winter pastime, only; you didn’t feed birds in the summer. I’m not sure where this one started, but I suspect folks thought about feeding birds in terms of winter because that’s supposedly when birds need help with food the most. Of course, you could make the argument that birds could use help in the summer, too, since that’s when they are raising their young. Regardless, birds will keep you busy in the summer if you like filling and maintaining bird feeders. Feeding birds is anything but a winter activity, only.
Our feeders are constantly busy, right now, often with six or more species or more present at any given instant. The list of summer regulars includes Chickadees, Goldfinches, House Finches, Downy Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Cardinals, White-breasted Nuthatches, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, not to mention occasional appearances by Blue Jays, Grackles, House Sparrows, Hummingbirds and more. In other words, those compact binoculars I keep on the kitchen table and the spotting scope I have set up on a tripod by the window see plenty of action. In other words, if you want to put up some bird feeders in your yard, you can get started anytime of the year. The birds will keep you very busy.
7x50 binoculars
There was a day when the 7x50 binocular was once king of the hill and almost the only available choice when you needed a binocular for low light work. Indeed, 7x50 binoculars were once commonly referred to as “night binoculars” back in the day before actual night vision binoculars appeared on the market. That was also a time when giant astronomy binoculars with their jumbo objective lenses had yet to appear and, in those days, the 7x50 binocular was the go to binocular choice for astronomy.
The 7x50 binocular is still very much with us, of course, but it has lost its position as the mainstay for low light work with the proliferation of binoculars with ever larger objective lenses in the 56mm, 60mm, 70mm and up. Then, too, over the years, there has been less and less interest in 7x as a binocular magnification choice. Today, 8x and 10x binoculars rule the roost in terms of sales. About the only place that 7x50 binoculars still hold the distinction as a prime choice is in marine binoculars, where that 7x makes for easy holding on the pitching deck of a boat and that large object lens makes for a more user-friendly exit pupil and, of course, great image brightness.
I haven’t forgotten the joy of using a good 7x50 binocular, though. That 7x50 is still a great choice for some types of astronomy and has found a home with my other astronomy binoculars.
Weather spotter binocular
With the tornadoes we had in the Milwaukee area of late, I’ve been thinking back to the times when I’ve sold binoculars to weather spotters who were working with local authorities to scan the skies, even at night, for the presence of tornadoes and other severe weather. What binoculars did those folks use? What makes for a good weather spotter binocular?
Really not a matter of high binocular magnification to see a funnel, so low power binoculars, 7x, work fine. Lower magnification means a wider field of view and that helps when scanning for a funnel. Lower magnification also means better steadiness and also contributes to better image brightness and image brightness is crucial for use at night or when skies turn dark during the day during a bad storm. That means a large objective, typically 50mm. Lastly, a binocular that is being used in severe weather emergencies had better be one tough binocular. It is likely to be thrown into a car in a hurry and bounced around on the floor.
If I had a choice, my pick for a weather binocular would be a rugged, totally waterproof, individual focus 7x50, such a Fujinon Polaris F-SX 7x50 or, perhaps, a Steiner 7x50 Commander III. Either one of these would fit the bill, nicely, though I understand and fully sympathize with personnel that are on a limited budget, given what governmental agencies allow for purchases.
Binoculars for the table
Like so many other folks, we own a beautiful dining room table, but seldom use it. The location for nearly all our meals and many a discussion over many cups of coffee is, instead, our kitchen table. Anyone who has a table in the kitchen with a view of their backyard understands. In fact, if I ever planned and designed a house, this arrangement would be a must. A comfortable table in the kitchen with a nice view will be used for so much more than meals.
Our kitchen table, for instance, is used for much of our birdwatching. That’s why binoculars are a permanent fixture on the table and any binocular on the table is likely to see a lot of use with our very bird friendly back yard. That honor long ago, just fell to my Nikon Premier LX 10x25 and this compact binocular has seen a lot of birds and much use by us and many a guest. This binocular has been there so long, now, that the table would seem incomplete without it. It belongs on the table right along with my flowers. It is a binocular that is always an arm’s distance, away, as I write on the laptop or sip my coffee. I own more expensive binoculars, but I can’t claim to use any binocular as much as this one, simply because it always there when I need it.
Is there a binocular that belongs on your kitchen table?
Backyard bird report
In our backyard news, my duct tape special hummingbird feeder finally leaked, again, so it has been replaced with a new model. No hummingbirds have been seen using the new feeder, so far, but it is just a matter of time. I even left the price tag on the feeder to impress them with what I spent. Yes, birds that visit our yard get first class treatment as long as they don’t mind an old gal staring at them though binoculars or a spotting scope or even having their pictures taken, now and then. No one has complained, so far, so the birding binoculars are always at the ready.
No new birds, this past week, but still plenty of visits by the regulars and that is saying a lot. My summer birdwatching may lack the variety of spring and fall, but it does not lack for activity. Funny how people once thought that feeding birds was a winter, only, activity. Ha!
Yes, that’s a Blue Jay you see in the pic. Not very blue, right? Where’s all the blue? The blue in a Blue Jay is not produced by a pigment; the blue is produced when light strikes certain feather cells and is scattered. The actual pigment in a Blue Jay is brown. How much blue you sometimes see in a Blue Jay is there a matter of light conditions at times. This one was not especially blue at the time.
Summer birding and bird feeding
These hot, muggy summer days haven’t seemed to slow the birds at my feeders or my birdwatching, but the warm, humid weather means I do have to clean the feeders more and remove old food more often than in winter. Bird food spoils, quicker, in warm weather, just like any other food. The suet is especially prone to spoiling and all I have to do is watch the birds to know when it is time for some fresh suet. The seed food is much better in terms of staying palatable. Anyway, looks like it is time to clean the birds’ dishes, again.
My out of the house bird watching on the bike trails, of course, requires no such housekeeping, but finding birds with the birding binoculars, this time of year, in the thick foliage can be a real challenge. That’s why I learned how to identify birds by their songs and calls many, many years, ago. In fact, you can identify and find many times more birds in the forest, this time of year, by songs and calls than by sight. I still carry binoculars, of course, but I tend to do as much listening as I do looking. If you are new to identifying birds by sound, there is good news. There are so many new digital aids to identifying birds by their songs and calls (there is a difference between song and calls), that anyone with a little patience and time can acquire this skill to an amazing degree. I used to collect songs on the internet and download them to an mp3 player, but the new software and digital stuff is so much better and easier to use. If you don't want to spend money on this new software, just visit the All About Birds website and take a listen to some of your favorite birds. I do it all the time just to listen to some of my favorites.
Hummingbirds have arrived
My duct-taped hummingbird feeder got a visit, yesterday. My daughter and I were at the kitchen table, talking, when she looked out the window and saw a hummer at the feeder. Hard to say which of us was more excited, but we both jumped for joy. The hummingbird didn’t even stay long enough for a look with the binoculars and definitely not long enough for a pic with the spotting scope and digital camera, but it will be back, I’m sure. I’ll keep an extra close watch in the days to come. In any event, if anyone has been hesitating about repairing a hummingbird feeder with duct tape, take heart.
I did get out on the bike trail, too, yesterday and enjoyed it, thoroughly. Nothing like a ride through the oh so thick summer growth along the river, especially after a heavy rain. That lush vegetation makes for beautiful surroundings, but it does make it tough to see birds, though I did spot a female Indigo Bunting with my Leica 10x25 BL at the edge of an open field along the trail. Also saw some more Wild Turkeys in the binoculars, though they were out of range of my camera. I had my Nikon F3HP along for the ride to get a few prints of the bike trail for my scrapbook. I do plan to return and see if I can get some of the hoboes along the tracks to pose for a pic. Not every bike trail has that kind of photo op.
Binoculars for shopping, driving and nmore
Binoculars are the kinds of tools that you find ever more handy the longer you own them. For sure, I’ve found some unexpected and unusual uses for my binoculars over the years.
Binoculars for shopping? You’re in a large shopping center and you want to see what stores are on the other side of that huge parking lot. Girls, you know the drill, right? That’s the perfect time to pull out a compact binocular or even a monocular from the purse and do some scouting. Same can be said when you are walking the streets of a city and want to see what stores are up or down the block.
Binoculars for navigating traffic? More than once, I’ve used a binocular when I’m in a new area to read the street sign, up ahead, so as not to miss my turn. No, I don’t use a binocular while the car is moving and I would never recommend such a thing, but when you are in city traffic, you will be anything but moving all too often, as everyone knows. Yes, a binocular has rescued me from making a wrong turn more than once.
I’ve also used binoculars to spot one of my kids at a ball game or concert when it came time to pick them up and play chauffeur. Done the same thing when trying to spot a friend at a busy beach or park.
Okay, yes, folks sometimes stare when you use a binocular out in public this way, but I’ve also had some folks comment they wish they had thought of it, too and, of course, a lot of folks just want to know what you are trying to see. That's the reason for using binoculars, after all.
Hummingbird feeder survives crash
I did head to the store and buy a hummingbird feeder, just as I said I would, in yesterday’s blog. To save a few bucks, I just purchased a cheap plastic feeder and it’s just as well that I did. While hanging the feeder on its maiden voyage, so to speak, it slipped out of my hands and crashed on some rocks, below. Had it been a glass feeder, it would have no doubt been the end of the story with glass pieces scattered all over the garden. It was plastic, though – it did crack and leak nectar all over the garden, but it did not shatter, at least. So, being the frugal sort that I am, I just wrapped the cylinder tightly with black duct tape with a little red reflective tape added for flash and then hung it out in the garden to see what happens. The good news is that it does not leak; the not so good news, so far, is no humming birds, though I have been spending quite a bit of time in the kitchen, binoculars at hand, waiting to see what the hummingbirds think of my duct tape job. I suspect a duct taped feeder is not the norm for hummingbird feeders, of course, but I see no reason it wouldn’t work. Of course, I am not a hummingbird, so what do I know? In any event, the spotting cope and digital cameras are ready to go if a hummer cooperates by posing for a pic.
In other birdwatching news, my other feeders continue to stay very active. A new platform feeder filled with black oil sunflower is a big hit with the Mourning Doves. They just lay right down in the feeder, in fact and make themselves comfortable. Not exactly my idea of good manners, but, then, I am not a Mourning Dove, either.
Hummingbirds: I should have known
I should have known. We know have hummingbirds in our backyard. This is my first summer in Milwaukee, so this is a new bird for me to add to my backyard bird list, but knowing hummingbirds, the way I do, and knowing what hummingbirds like for cover and feed, there was really little doubt that I would get a few hummers in our yard. Our yard, in a word, is lush. We have more flowers per square foot than the average garden and, even better, we are across the street from a forest preserve. Getting hummers in the yard was really a no-brainer.
Still, I have been reluctant to put out hummingbird feeders, simply because this will also be my last summer in Milwaukee. Come fall, we will be a couple hundred miles, plus, north and I didn’t want to buy feeders and set them out, over the summer, if they received no use. I have no choice, now, though. (Okay, twist my arm.)
Ever tried to observe hummingbirds though binoculars when there is no feeder present? The way hummingbirds zip in and out of of a binocular field of view makes observing and identifying hummers a birdwatching challenge. You gotta slow them down for a good look. A feeder does just that and, of course, a feeder says welcome to our yard and help yourself to some nectar. Fair is fair, after all.
Of course, I don’t want to just observe hummingbirds. I also want to get some pics via digiscoping and there is nearly a zero chance of getting a good pic until that hummer slows down. That also means a feeder and, of course, the usual amount of patience at the spotting scope and digital camera.
Better be off to my favorite bird feed store.
More old binoculars
We’ve been packing and cleaning for weeks in preparation for our move, up north, and, in the process, I’ve dug a lot of old binoculars out of closets, the basement and so on. No nothing in the way of good finds or even serviceable binoculars, but still fun to find these old binoculars and examine them. All of these binoculars suffer from either misalignment of the prisms or they’ve leaked or both. One shows signs of, well, either desperation or resourcefulness in its attached piece of twine used as a binocular strap. Not pretty and probably not comfortable, either, but better than no binocular strap, I suppose.
Not sure why I find these old binocular relics so interesting, but I do. Maybe it reminds of the days when I was looking at binoculars such as these, when porro prism binoculars were the standard binocular design and roof prisms were few and far between. Maybe it’s just a matter of comparing these old binos to current binocular models and seeing how far technology has come. Then, too, binoculars this old must have a history and I am curious as to the stories these old timers could tell. Lastly, these old binoculars remind me that, if I keep cleaning, I may yet find a true keeper of a binocular.
Time to get back to work.
Seeing more birds
When I’ve given seminars on birding and been a birding guide for groups, I’ve often been quoted as saying, “If you want to see different birds, you need to go to different habitats. If you go to the same habitat, you see the same birds.” With this always in the back of my mind when I am birding or birdwatching, I am always seeking different habitats when I go out in the field. Variety is truly the spice of life when you want to add a lot of birds to your bird lists.
This all explains why I get a bit excited when traveling through different areas and why I always, always, carry binoculars and cameras and, sometimes, even spotting scopes when in new country. We all have our ways of getting to know a new region and making it familiar; for me, it is by studying the birds and the plant life of a region. That gives me a way to compare one region to another region and, over the years, I’ve been amazed at how just a slight change in vegetation and bird life can give a new area a completely different character and “feel”.
Now that I am about to leave the hardwood forests and farm country of the Milwaukee area for the north woods of northern Wisconsin, I know I am in for quite an adventure and change in terms of the birds I will see and the vegetation. I am no stranger to the north woods, though – I have a very good idea of what to expect. Just the same, its been many years since I was in the north country and I am ever so eager to return to what I have always felt was my home.
Young birds at the feeder
Summer is the season for birdwatching – simply observing birds as they go about their activities - as opposed to birding, which is more a matter of getting out and identifying as many different birds as possible with the birding binoculars. We also use binoculars in bird watching, of course, though binoculars are not always so essential for this activity. Still, you will always find a binocular on the kitchen table at our house to keep an eye on the birds that visit our feeders even though I can watch birds quite easily without them. Using binoculars just makes it more fun.
One of the most pleasurable types of birdwatching is watching young birds grow and develop. Lately, I have been getting young birds at the feeders, so my binoculars have been getting a workout. You can spot the younger birds because a lot of them have incomplete plumages as well as some downy feathers. For instance, this morning, I have seen young Chickadees and also a young Downy Woodpecker, accompanied by a parent a parent who was feeding it suet. Now,
I would like to think that my feeders have had a small part in bringing these young birds into the neighborhood, though I certainly can’t prove it and it’s a little egotistical to think I can raise wild birds. Be that as it may, I feel like a parent or, at least, a Godparent to these little ones.
Oops, gotta grab the Nikon Premier LX 10x25. There’s a Cooper’s Hawk riding a thermal over the neighbor’s house ...
Why expensive binoculars are important
Had a customer who once complained that he was tired of hearing about expensive binoculars. Why should he care about fancy, premium binoculars when he would never be able to afford one? Seemed like a lot of fuss about something that would never affect him. He’d just buy another cheap binocular when his current cheap binoculars gave out.
I could have made a strong case for buying a Swarovski binoculars or Leica or Zeiss binoculars or any other premium class binocular as the best value in the long run, but I also understand what it is like to be on a tight budget. That’s just the reality of life in these tough economic times and, besides, a cheap binocular is better than no binocular. I just sold him what he wanted and he was happy.
On the other hand, he was wrong about premium grade binoculars not being important, even to someone who could never afford one. The fact is that all improvements in binoculars over the years have first appeared on expensive binoculars and those same improvements have trickled down to lower and lower priced binoculars after they’ve been on the market for a number of years. In other words, many of those great features we now find on even some cheap binoculars were once reserved only for the very most expensive binoculars. There was a time when you had to pay those binocular big bucks to get commonly found binocular features we now take for granted, such as multi-coated lenses, then fully multi-coated lenses, waterproofing, phase-corrected roof prisms, twist up eye cups, locking diopter adjustments and, more recently, open-bridge body designs. It’s really extraordinary that you can get all or, at least, most of these, now, for under $200 in a binocular like the Bushnell Excursion EX. It was not always so, not even close.
Bird feeder promise
One of the conditions I’m tempted to make on the sale of our home, here in Milwaukee, is that the buyer promise to take care of the birds in my backyard and feed them, just as I have faithfully done. One of the questions I will also be asking of any prospective buyer is if they have binoculars. After all, I would expect anyone who is interested in birdwatching to have binoculars and, better yet, birding binoculars. Anyone who does not own binoculars will be immediately suspect and I will consider them unworthy of my bird paradise of a back yard.
Of course, I know, scientifically, that wild birds are quite capable of taking care of themselves, whether anyone feeds them or not, but I have become somewhat protective of all the birds that visit my bird feeders and I’d like to think they’ve become used to me. When I am at the feeders, refilling them, it is has become quite usual to have Chickadees and Goldfinches perch within arms reach of me as they wait for me to fill the feeders. How could I not become attached to my cute visitors? No, I haven’t tried to get them to feed out of my hands, but I suspect that would be possible. I prefer my birds to remain wild – friendly, yes, but still wild.
Northern skies for binoculars
June is one of my favorite months for doing astronomy with my binoculars. From the very beginning of my binocular astronomy career, some forty years, ago, I have had a special fondness for locating and spotting globular star clusters with astronomy binoculars and the summer months are the best time to work on these deep-sky objects. Most of these objects, though, are located in the southern skies, especially the constellation Ophiuchus and that could be bad news for me, since I will soon be moving even further north and that means some of my access to the southern skies will be lost. Not that I have anything against northern skies, but it just so happens that the southern skies are home to many more deep-sky objects, at least as far as globular clusters, than northern skies. It’s just simple geography – the farther north you move, the more the bulge of the earth blocks your southern view.
On the other hand, my new north country home will have much darker skies and that is a very big plus for working with my binoculars and telescopes. That should allow me to see many more galaxies with my binoculars and a good many of these are located in the northern skies, especially in Ursa Major, Canes Venatici, Virgo and so on. That is a more than adequate trade-off as far as I am concerned. Lookout north woods, here we come.
Bird watching eyes
One thing that birdwatching or birding develops in a person is a trained eye and, in this, bird watching is similar to hunting or wildlife photography. Spotting wildlife is the key to success in these pursuits and this is why birders, hunters and wildlife photographers often spot wildlife that others miss.
Yesterday. I was biking a section of trail that has a busy street on one side and forest on the other. There were quit a few pedestrians walking this section of trail since it also provides access to a bus stop on the busy street. As I was half-way along this section of trail, I glanced to the forest side and immediately spotted something that just seemed out of place in the landscape, though it was simply too distant to identify, positively. It did appear to be an animal sitting on a log, in an open section of woods, so I slowed down and approached a point on the trail that would give me a better vantage point to observe. By then, I was fairly certain it was a Wild Turkey and, after taking a peek with my Leica Ultravid 10x25BL binocular, I confirmed that it was, indeed, a turkey. I pulled out my little Sony digital camera and took a photo, though at only 3x (see the pic), I was not too confident I would get a useable pic.
While all this was taking place, people were passing me on the trail. Most ignored me, but one nice guy stopped and asked what I was doing. I pointed out the turkey, but he still couldn’t see it or, at least, spot the turkey from the background of brush. I let him take a peek with the binoculars, but he still couldn’t see it. Finally, I pulled up the pic I had just taken on the camera and magnified it to the max, digitally. That did the trick.
Thank heavens I had not spotted a smaller bird. I doubt I would have even tried to take a pic.
Astronomy tripod or lawn chair?
Folks, like me, that use binoculars without a tripod to do astronomy tend to get a little creative at times about our observing techniques and equipment. Don’t get me wrong; I do use tripods for astronomy binoculars, at times, but I avoid tripods for astronomy binoculars whenever I can. Those darn tripods just take much of the fun, freedom of movement and simplicity out of doing astronomy with binoculars. If I have to use a tripod, I may as well just grab one of my telescopes.
Still, after an hour or so of observing with binoculars, these old arms get a little weary, especially when I use my Nikon 10x70 Astroluxe or other low power, giant astronomy binoculars. Rather than grab a tripod, though, I improvise. In years past, I often just laid on my back, on the lawn and rested my elbows on the ground. This is a very effective way to observe and also a darn comfortable way to observe with astronomy binoculars, though you are limited pretty much to skies directly overhead. Laying on the ground also exposes you to insects in the grass, especially chiggers. If you don’t know what chiggers are, don’t want to find out the hard way, believe me.
A better option will cost you about $15 at your local big box retail store. Just get a reclining lawn chair, but get with arms. The arms provide great support for your elbows as you hold the binocular and the reclining feature allows to comfortably view objects over a much greater portion of the sky than being flat on your back. Besides, summer is all about being lazy and taking it easy in your lawn chair, right?
Flower photography made easy
Hope everyone had a good Memorial day. Bill and I sure did, though we spent most of it packing and cleaning out the house in preparation for our move to our new home. Even so, I did capture a few moments birdwatching in our, oh so lush, garden and at the bird feeders. Nothing new to report in the way of unusual or first-time bird to our feeders, but didn't expect to, either. It is summer or, at least, it feels like summer, so won't see much in the way of new birds in the binoculars till the next migration come late summer or fall.
On the other hand, our garden is bursting at the seams with new flowers blossoming, almost daily. This is definitely a photographers dream and, best of all, it doesn’t take a really sophisticated camera to keep a record of what blossoms in your garden throughout the year, unless, of course, you want to enlarge, frame and hang some photos on the wall. If you’re like me, just viewing on a computer screen and emailing pics to friends is fine and, for that type of work, just about any one of hundreds of small digital cameras will work just fine. These days, even the lower end digital point and shoot cameras, such as the Canon Powershot A480, will do a fine job. No need for a high end digital camera for this work.
If you do want to take those wall-hangers, though, I move right up to DSLR, beginning with the Canon EOS Rebel XS or similar and a good macro lens. The larger camera lenses and larger sensors used on a DSLR offer the resolution you need to maintain good image quality when you start to enlarge. Although digital cameras have the edge in convenience and ease of use, I still much prefer film when it comes to my serious macro work. All the megapixels, fancy software and complicated menus can’t touch the results you get with a truly excellent lens, such as my Nikon 55 mm AIS micro in front of ASA 100 or ASA 64 print film when it comes time to frame a pic and hang it on the wall.