The Camera - my weapon to fight crimes against nature
I am often asked as a photography instructor what kind of camera do I use and what do I recommend. First one must realize that the camera is only a tool, albeit an important one - the ability to see is far more important then the equipment one chooses. That being said certain types of equipment and lenses are more suitable for nature photography for both technical and safety reasons. High quality and almost always expensive equipment tends to be better then cheaper equipment. New lens coatings, higher resolution digital cameras and vibration reduction technologies have a significant impact on the quality of the images one is able to achieve. As I get older my eyes aren't as good as they used to be and I like features like autofocus lenses and Vibration reduction technology!
R. Berdan Photographing Moose in Kananaskis, October 7, 2006, Camera Nikon D2DX and 70-200 mm
F2.8 VR lens photo by Peter Dettling (using a Cannon Mark II camera & 500 mm F4 lens)In this section I will share my experience and opinions and would be happy to answer anyone's questions about photography as it is my passion. Realize however, what works for me may not be the best solution for your needs. I have used cameras from Olympus, Nikon, Pentax, Cannon, Mamiya, Toyo and Leica - the brand choice is often a personal decision. Each manufacturer also provides equipment designed for different purposes and users (e.g. Pro vs amateur equipment). Ultimately what you buy will depend on your budget and how serious you are about photography. The debate over digital vs film is largely over in my opinion, I still shoot film but not very often - the benefits of digital are simply to great. This being said film is still a great option for many photographers and I still enjoy shooting film and even use a large format 4 x 5 camera for some landscape photography.
Nikon D200 Camera for Sale $800.00 firm - May 6, 2008.
Includes: battery with charger, 520 MB compact flash card, Instruction book, USB cable, CD, original box - hardly used - like new (less then one year old - belongs to my father), reason for selling, upgrading. Camera can be viewed and tested in my studio. Will include a Nikon 28-80 mm lens for free, lens has some cosmetic damage to filter thread of lens. To view set up an appointment call 403 247-2457 or email rberdan@scienceandart.org. Payment accepted CASH or money order. Will include one hour of free training on camera or 20% off wildflower workshop. Priced for quick sale. Original cost $1350 for body.
Nature Photographers Beware - Photography in Provincial and National Parks - see update below.
If you own a big lens or you intend to sell your photographs at some later date - Parks Canada is saying they require that photographers carry $2 million dollars liability insurance and that you apply for a permit at least 2 weeks in advance. The application fee and costs are outrageous and come to over $600\day! Read the regulations and costs here: http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/bc/glacier/activ/activ32_E.asp
My letter to the Minister of the Environment Hon. John Baird - I encourage all photographers to send him a letter (Download PDF of letter)
These regulations apply to anyone that might sell an image after they visit the park. Although it appears the regulations were intended for commercial shoots, advertising or photography involving sets and props - individual park rangers are approaching anyone with big lenses and asking if they are professional or intend to sell their images on their web site. Their claim is that it is a privilege to photograph in Canadian Parks - I believe it is our right to photograph in the parks as they belong to us not the custodians. Park staff are there to direct and protect the parks - photographers do no damage and encourage conservation. Photographers in fact benefit the parks and my images are being purchased by the Alberta government and Kananaskis and are being used promote the park. These ridiculous regulations need to be changed. In the US a similar battle ensued between parks authorities and photographers resulting in a new law that specifies that individual photographers do not require a permit if they do not do anything different then any other visitor - see below.
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Photo permit regulations in the US clearly state that "if such photography takes place where members of the public are generally allowed no permit is required" Read Public Law 106-206.
I am currently contacting both provincial and national government in attempt to have these regulations changed and I am enlisting the support and help of all photographers that might be affected. Please contact the government and tell them this is unrealistic.
Update: Jim Dennis who is in charge of provincail parks has granted me a one year permit to photograph in Kananaskis country for free - though I had to purchase $2 million dollars liability insurance. Technically I am also supposed to purchase a business license from Canmore. I have made all organizations that I deal with aware including: CPAWS, Friends of Kananaskis, Ecotrust etc know about these regulations as I often donate pictures to non-profit organizaitons that support the preservation of natural areas. I suspect that it may require one or more of us to challenge the parks in court before these stupid laws and regulations are changed. - Calgary Herald Front Page News - Parks Permits April 17, 2008
View PDF of news article on park permits ( PDF) Hopefully parks regulations will be clarified in the next few weeks. Things are hopeful - but hopefully we will have clarifacation in a few weeks on who does and does not require a permit and what the costs will be.
New Regulations regarding photography in Kananakis - May 6, 2008
http://tpr.alberta.ca/parks/kananaskis/permits.asp#commercial - Looks like freelancers will not need to pay $500\day!
Free Article by Robert Berdan "Composition & Visual Elements of Design"Free Winter Workshop Notes by Robert Berdan and Rinus Borgsteede - 2006 (PDF 3.7 MB)
Download my Free Digital Book - Moods of Nature (free while under construction)
SLR or Single lens reflex - refers to cameras with interchangeable lenses where the user looks through a viewfinder and sees what the lens projects like the D70 camera below.
My Nature Photography Equipment & Ratings
(+ very poor, ++ poor, +++ Satisfactory, ++++ very good, +++++ Excellent)Large Format 4 x 5 Field Camera by Toyo
90 mm F8 lens by Rodenstock ++++
135 mm F5.6 lens by Rodenstock +++++
210 mm F5.6 lens by Rodenstock +++++
My Bread and Butter Camera Equipment
Film (have not used for some time now)
Nikon FM2 - film ++++
Nikon F100 - film ++++
Nikon F5 - film +++++
Digital
Pentax Optio W20 +++ 7 Megapixels, waterproof - no RAW files :-(
Nikon D300 - 12 Megapixels +++++ (very good at high ISO speeds)
Nikon D2X - 12.4 Megapixels +++++
Nikon D3 - comming soon I hopeLenses I use
10.5 mm Nikon +++++
12-24 mm Nikon +++++
18-200 mm VR ++++ (Lens creeps if pointed down)
20-35 mm F2.8 Nikon +++++
17-55 mm F2.8 Nikon +++++
50 F1.8 mm Nikon E ++++
60 mm F2.8 Nikon macro +++++
100 mm F2.8 Nikon macro +++++
70-200 mm F2.8 VR Nikon +++++ (fantastic lens)
300 mm F2.8 VR Nikon +++++ (fantastic lens)
1.7 X Nikon Teleconverter +++++
2.0 X Nikon Teleconverter ++++Tripods
Gitzo - small, medium carbon and large with Arca Swiss ball head & Acratech ultimate ball head
Velbon Sherpa PRO CF-740 http://www.velbon-tripod.com/sherpa_pro01.htmGitzo makes the strongest, sturdiest, tripods I have used, but the carbon filber tripod uses leather bushings which swell in water and the legs often lock up in the field. The Arca swiss head is very stable and excellent for use even with large lenses like the 300 mm F2.8, but it too locks up if there is a lot of moisture such as encountered on Vancouver Island. The Acratech head is very good, doesn't lockup but is only good for lenses up to about 200 mm focal length and it has two knobs, itwould be better if only had one to control the tension in my opinion. I have owned the Sherpa for about 6 months now, its very light weight, i like the foam handles around the lens and so far its worked flawlessly in the field - I will see how it holds up in the winter. I always take two tripods with me in my car on trips to the Rockies or West Coast.
Binoculars
Leica 10 x 32 portable +++++
Expensive but simply the best, Swarski binoculars are also good if you want quality binoculars but expect to pay around $1500 for a pair.
Equipment Reviews and OpinionsThis section represents my opinions about the cameras and lenses I own and use, if a lens does not meet my standards of sharpness and quality I usually get rid of it. If possible I try to test lenses before buying, however sometimes a lens's strengths and weaknesses only become apparent after several months of shooting. The lenses I own are rated using a +++++ system with 5 being the very best - sharp, good build, and fast autofocus. Lenses with less then 4 +'s I either don't use very much or I eventually get rid of. The best way to evaluate a lens is to see some images taken with it under different conditions or test it yourself under the conditions you encounter. Try to deal with a camera store that will let you return the lens if it is not satisfactory after a short period of testing. Some lens weaknesses can be improved in Photoshop, but photoshop has its limitations. My main criteria for lens quality are 1) image sharpness and clarity - for telephotos at the widest aperture i.e. F2.8 2) fast accurate autofocus 3) solid build and moisture seals 4) ability to override auto focus and manual focus 4) good contrast and minimal flare when shooting toward the sun 5) minimal distortion though distortion is something relatively easy to fix in photoshop 6) No back reflections off the sensor visible when shooting into bright lights 7) Nice bokeh - appearance of the out of focus background (read more here about bokeh).
Sometimes you have to pay a lot more for a small amount of improvement. I used to use a Tamron 300 F2.8 for many years and it is an excellent lens for the money, but the Nikon 300 F2.8 IF lens had better contrast and the images appeared slightly sharper, the new 300 F2.8 VR lens from Nikon is one of the sharpest lenses I have owned and is worth the $6,000 price tag for me. For someone starting out as a nature photographer, go for a used 300 mm F2.8 or an F4 lens- I believe its better to have a competent lens then not to own one as you can't take pictures with what you don't have. I appreciate better lenses because I used many of the el-cheapo cameras and lenses when I started out. When you start out - developing good technique and using a tripod will make a bigger difference then using the best lenses money can buy - when you master your technique then considering buying more expensive or professional quality lenses - it can take a long time to pay off an expensive lens!
Non brand name lenses - I have had success with both Tamron and Sigma lenses and recommend some of them. In some cases e.g. Tamron's 90 mm Macro is just as good as the Nikon 105 mm macro lens in image quality (at half the price) and the Sigma 12-24 mm lens tests indicated it was slightly better then the Nikon 12-24. The Sigma 12-24 mm has the advantage that it could also be used on film based camera bodies - so I went with it instead. The Sigma lens is cheaper then the Nikon counterpart and while the image quality is excellent, the lens mount does not appear to be as good as that made by Nikon. There is also an air gap in the Sigma lens that appears between the lens barrel while focusing that could allow moisture to enter into the barrel of the lens. As for other no name lenses I don't have much experience with them and can't recommend them.
Advice on purchasing a new lens or camera
1) Start by researching and reading as much as you can - web sites are a better source then most magazines which are often afraid to be critical of their advertisers. Start with a search on Google and look at several reviews and note how thoroughly they test them. A site that shows sample images should is better then one that doesn't. However, consider whether the review is being posted by a professional photographer or amateur. Be skeptical about glowing reports, it is easy to doctor images so they look sharper - see photo below same shot - one side of the picture has been sharpened.
The image above was taken as part of my in store lens tests on the new 18-200 mm Nikon VR lens. The photograph was taken on a tripod, D2X camera ISO 100 F3.5 (wide open). The area on the left was unsharpened i.e. as it appears when I opened the RAW file in Photoshop CS2. On the right I selected an area and sharpened it in photoshop - it looks much sharper doesn't it! This is why it is important that the image conditions be specified or even better if the photographer makes the high resolution .jpg or RAW files available for download so you can evaluate them yourself.
2) If possible go to your favorite camera store - take some pictures with the digital camera using a tripod and your own compact flash storage - take some test images home and evaluate them. Even better if the store will let you try the equipment for a few days and return it if it does not meet your specifications. Ask what the stores return policy is before buying. Alternatively use the lens for a while if it's not up to par then trade it in on a better one - I often do this. (Keep in mind I buy a lot of camera equipment and photographic supplies so the store I deal will likely be more willing to allow me to test equipment for a few days where they may not do this for someone buying their first camera).
3) If you have friends that are photographers and own equipment you are interested in, then ask them what their experience with a specific lens or camera is. The better the photographer is the more critical they are likely to be. Ask them to show you some of their photos - they will like that part :)
4) Seek out camera clubs they are great way to get many different opinions on equipment and photography, listen carefully to those whose photographs and approach you respect.
What you purchase also depends on what you want to do with your camera e.g. travel, photograph birds, landscape, wildlife etc. For me, image quality, weather proofing, and flexibility in lens selection are the major factors I consider. I also require fast autofocus speeds when photographing wildlife and I rely on autofocus in low light conditions as my eyes aren't quite as good as they used to be. I also want full control over the picture taking process which means I usually shoot using a Digital SLR or a 4 x 5 camera. I only use a compact camera when convenience and lightweight are more important then image quality, flexibility and control. Keep in mind a better camera won't necessarily make you a better photographer but, if you really want to improve your photography, better equipment can help you achieve better results.
NEW EQUIPMENT EVALUATIONS
10.5 mm Ultra wide DX lens from Nikon. The lens produces images with obvious curvature, however the curvature can be corrected using Nikon Capture. My initial tests show the lens is sharp, there is chromatic aberration around the edges of the frame (expected considering its super wide angle of view). The lens can also focus very close (to within a few inches 0.46 ft). I am still in the process of testing this lens to its fullest extent but my initial test images look favorable and it should make for some interesting photos and panoramas.
Nikon's 10.5 mm super wide angle lens makes for some interesting shots - but watch you don't get your feet in the picture! Lake Louise Ice Castle - no distortion correction applied.
Nikon 18-200 mm VR lens review - finally after being on order for over 6 months I received this lens on May 25 2006. My initial impression of the lens is good, the lens feels good, no obvious creep when I point it up, focus and zoom rings feel good as expected. The lens has a combination of barrel and moustache distortion in the wide angle range. In the middle range distortion is minimal. There is some light fall off in the corners at 18 and 200 mm regions which is easy to correct in photo shop. I can fix some of the distortion in photoshop and this is not a major concern for the type of photography I do. My major concern is sharpness, contrast and ability to handle flare. Focus speed isn't lightening fast but reasonably good considering it is F3.5-5.6. I purchased this lens: 1) to bring along when I only want to take one lens and 2) for hand holding while kayaking and horseback riding. I think for these purposes the lens will be very good. I previously owned the Tamron 28-200 and Nikon 24-120 mm and both were big disappointments in terms of sharpness and ability to control flare when shooting into the sun. I need to shoot with the 18-200 mm VR lens for a few months before I can assess its true strengths and weaknesses and will post my results after this summer. Below are a few test images taken with the lens - all hand held as that is what I will primarily be doing with this lens. One of the bonuses of this lens is its ability to focus quite close and it may be good for limited closeup photography shots.
Aluminum siding on my house 18-200 mm VR lens at 18 mm F3.5 - showing barrel distortion
Nikon 18-200 mm VR lens at 42 mm zoom setting at F5.6 still some distortion
18-200 mm VR lens at 200 mm less distortion, but some light fall off in the corners is visible
Two pictures taken with the 18-200 mm VR lens hand held showing some closeup photographyRead Tom Hogans review of Nikons 18-200 mm VR Lens
Nikon's 18-200 mm VR lens - I have had the summer to shoot with this lens and test it under a variety of conditions. In short - I like the lens a lot, its sharp, it focuses fast for an F 3.5 aperture. I took it with me kayaking, hiking and used it for portrait, basically anytime I only want to carry only one lens. This is a keeper as some photographers say. It has some distorsion as shown above, but for general picture taking, wildlife, landscape it's not really noticeable. I can hand hold it down to about 1\15 of second with the VR function turned on and still get sharp pictures. The only major fault I can find with the lens is that when it comes to birds in flight its too slow (newbirds_gallery16.html) even if I push the camera ISO speed to 400 or more. If Nikon makes a similar lens in a F2.8 version you can bet I will be looking to upgrade. The main problem is this lens seems to be in such high demand that folks are waiting months for it. I am not sure if Nikon underestimated the demand or there is some other problem with production because for many folks considering a new camera this one lens pretty much covers everything and makes for an ideal travel lens. I give it 4 out 5 because of the distorsion and its F3.5 widest aperture. For around $800 this is a great lens to have. I used the lens on a Nikon 200 and Nikon D2X for my testing.
Nikon D200 Camera - for $2100 this is a lot of camera! It feels like a small Nikon D2X, similar build, same button layout on the back only the compact flash card goes in the side. I like the built in Flash and use if for fill lighting frequently. The camera has two weaknesses 1) The lithium rechargeable battery is only good for about bout 200-250 shots, compared to about 1000 shots on the D2X and 2) the images require twice as much sharpening in photoshop as those from the D2X. Fine details are not as good as I expected i in spite of what DPreview images show. The D200 is my back up digital camera and the one I use for kayaking or when on horseback because of its more compact size. For fine detail and landscapes the D2X is much better and is worth the extra price it costs. That being said, I think most photographers would be very satisfied with the D200 results especially if they never used a D2X camera and overall it sturdier then the D70 cameras.
Nikon D70 or D70s digital camera offers 6 Megapixel images and it can be purchased with a 17-70 mm lens for under $1400. The body is made of plastic, but the build is good and the images it produces are excellent. I don't own this camera, but tested one my father purchased and I was impressed with the image quality - I liked the digital images much better then those I got with my Fuji S2 12 Megapixel camera which I have sold. This D70 camera is ideal for serious amateurs and professional photographers. I prefer the Nikon D200 body over the D70 because the body has better weather seals, rubber coverings which make it less slippery and slightly higher resolution 10 vs 6 Megapixels The D70 is great camera for anyone serious about their photography and wants the ability to control all aspects of their photography and have the flexibility of interchangeable lenses.
Not so good - Avoid this Nikon Lens unless you can get it very cheap!
24-120 mm VR lens from Nikon ++, owned it about 6 months, the focal length was a nice feature as was the VR, unfortunately the lens does not produce sharp images at any F-stop or focal length even on a professional tripod. I purchased the lens for a horseback trip and was able to get some satisfactory images but overall I was very disappointed with the lack of sharpness in the images. Avoid this lens. The 24-120 non VR version was sharper +++, but the barrel distortion was bad at both the short and long ends. Now that Nikon makes an 18-200 mm VR Lens - I don't recommend this lens to anyone unless you can pick it up for under $200.
So so lenses
Nikon 80-400 mm VR lens (+++)- this lens produces very sharp images, easy to hand hold, but its autofocus is too slow for moving wildlife - you would be better off getting the 70-200 mm VR F2.8 lens and using a tele-converter if you need this range. I would recommend this lens over the sigma 50-500 mm lens as it has faster autofocus, better anti-flare coatings.
Sigma 50-500 mm lens F4 F6.3 (+++)- overall images sharpness is good, autofocus very slow not good enough for moving wildlife. If you shoot into the sun or bright lights with a Digital camera the sensor could often be seen reflecting off the back of the lens - it needs some anti-reflection coatings on the back of the lens to prevent this. The focal length reach is amazing and the price is reasonable for this range - unfortunately its not suitable for low light photography of wildlife. In bright light it works great and produces sharp images, I was even able to photograph craters on the moon. Some folks will find it heavy, but they haven't tried to carry around a professional 300 or 400 mm F2.8 lens!
Sigma 12-24 mm lens versus Nikon 12-24 mm lens. I owned the Sigma lens for about a year. I had ordered Nikon's lens when it came out but after 8 months of waiting decided to try the Sigma. The Sigma lens, unlike Nikon's version, can also be used on a film camera and I thought this was a plus since I still own film cameras and sometimes take them with me when I am kayaking. I read some reviews on the Sigma lens and they suggested it was good. In my opinion I agree the lens is good, but the Nikon lens is better. What makes the Nikon lens better is 1) better build and feel 2) I can put a polarizer on it without vignetting 3) I can use neutral density grad filter with it and the images appear sharper. The Sigma lens has such a strong front curvature that it almost always shows signs of flare and it protrudes so that its almost impossible to use a grad filter. I can use an ultra thin polarizer, but it vignettes on the Sigma lens at its widest opening. When focusing the Sigma lens, there is a clear gap between the lens and camera barrel that could allow in dust & moisture which concerns me as I often shoot in the dead of winter. Autofocusing on my first Sigma lens failed after a few weeks and I got a new one on warranty. Autofofcus is nice but I am rarely concerned about speed on an ultra wide lens. Bottom line: Sigma lens is good value, offers some flexibility in that it can be used on a film camera but the Nikon lens has better sharpness, less flaring, better contrast and is easier to work with filters - so I switched. I like to use the Nkion 12-24 mm primarily for landscape and usually have it set to F11 -F22, I also like the smaller diameter and find easier to handhold. The Sigma lens price has fallen to around $800 while the Nikon lens fell from about $1800 to around $1200 - which is good news and it suggests that maybe waiting a little while after a new lens is released might be the smart thing to do.
Note: I have seen some reviews Canon's 10-20 mm and frankly the tests seem to show it's even better then the Nikon 12-24 or the Sigma lens - I may have to buy a Cannon body in the future!
Underwater Housing for Nikon Coolpix 7900 - $135 US - http://store.aikotradingstore.com/facpp1.html
Purchased this housing for my compact camera and plan to test it thoroughly while kayaking this summer, the price was right and the company delivered it from the US to Canada in less then a week. If you use an underwater housing always test it first for leaks without the camera inside! I hope to have some pictures using this device soon.
What about Canon Cameras or other manufacturers?
About half the students who take my workshops use Canon cameras. In short - both Nikon and Cannon are the leaders in digital photography and if I were to recommend to someone which name brand I would recommend one of these two. The rest of the Camera manufactures seem to be following behind, and both Nikon and Cannon offer a tremendous assortment of lenses of high quality. I like the "feel" of the Nikon camera bodies better then Cannon, but I also like the design and feel of the Cannon lenses and may someday purchase a Cannon if Nikon does not make a full 35 mm frame digital camera. If you are considering a new digital camera, make sure you check whether or not you can use older lenses on the newer digital bodies - you may not be able to. Otherwise select a brand that feels good for you, offers an assortment of lenses and accessories and is at the right price for your budget. The photographer and their ability to see and use their equipment effectively is far more important then the brand of equipment used.
Is purchasing a film camera still a good idea?
Film cameras are relatively cheap compared to digital SLR cameras at the moment. Film has its advantages when shooting in the cold, or when taking long exposures at night. The additional cost of the digital camera will, however save you money if you shoot often because of the savings in film and processing. If you are new to photography and want to improve quickly without a costly learning curve - then I recommend going digital. If you simply can't afford $1000-$1500 for a Digital SLR and lens, then a good film based SLR will get you started at a much lower starting out price-point. Film based cameras are good for backups or if you prefer to look at slides on a light box. I love looking at slides when I get them back, but I am also impatient and want to see my results right away when I get home from a shoot. I used to shoot thousands of dollars worth of film each year, now I can shoot as much as I like and the cost per image is much lower. I think shooting digital facilitates learning photography faster. The technical information is embedded in each image and you get instant preview allowing your to try different settings if the results are not satisfactory. Shooting digital also promotes creative experimentation though it may also make one complacent and lazy in the picture taking process. If I ever feel I not taking the care I need , I pull out my 4 x 5 camera as it costs about $5-7\shot and this helps me think and look more carefully before I push the shutter! There is still a place for film, medium format and even large format photography and some photographers may never choose to shoot digital and that's OK its great to have many choices. One of my workshop participants brought a pin hole camera and it was great fun to play with and shoot using this older technology. Now is a great time to get involved in photography whether you are interested in shooting with film or digital and remember ultimately good photography is about seeing, capturing the moment and sharing your personal viewpoint with others.
Nikon Links and reviews
Nærfoto Bjørn Rørslett Professional Nature Photographer www.naturfotograf.comThom Hogan Professional Photographer www.bythom.com
Michael Weber - Professional Sports Photographer www.imagepower.de
Dpreview - www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Nikon/
Nikon Links - www.nikonlinks.com
Nikon.ca -www.nikon.ca
Rob Galbraith Digital Photography Forums and Reviews -www.robgalbraith.com
Norman Koran - photographer (very technical guy) www.normankoren.com/#Tutorials
Nikonians - Nikon user group web site www.nikonians.org/guide_into_nikonians1.html
Nikon D2X versus Cannon MarkII - www.naturfotograf.com/D2X_rev06.htmlUnderwater Housings for Nikon SLR Cameras - www.digideep.com
For Equipment and Photo supplies I recommend "The Camera Store" in Calgary.
See Some of Robert's PublicationsCheck out January 2006 issue of PhotoLife
"The Joy of Winter Photography by Robert Berdan"
in stores now!
Free e-book by R. Berdan "Moods of Nature" here - book still under construction
January 2006 Greek Photography Magazine - Article
"Composition and Visual Elements of Design" read article here in English
Visit the magazine Web site http://www.photoeidolo.gr/greek/index.html
2006 Wildlife Poster by Robert Berdan
(22 in. x 17.5 in.)
Available from Friends of Kananaskis $10.00 each
Canadian Fly Fisher Magazine November/January 2007
Article by Frank Wood Photography by Robert Berdan
Canadian Fly Fisher Magazine February\April 2007
Article by Frank Wood Photography by Robert Berdan
Robert Berdan in Kayak at top of Nature's Best Magazine - photo by Peter Dettling
135 mm
