PHOTO GALLERIES

PHOTO GALLERY INDEX

PHOTOGRAPHS

Canvasback (WWT Slimbridge November 2019) - pic by Nigel Key
Canvasback (29/11/19 WWT Slimbridge) ©NigelKey
Freckled Duck (WWT Slimbridge November 2019) - pic by Nigel Key
Freckled Duck (29/11/19 WWT Slimbridge) ©NigelKey
White-Fronted Goose (WWT Slimbridge November 2019) - pic by Nigel Key
White-Fronted Goose (29/11/19 WWT Slimbridge) ©NigelKey
Photos copyright of ©Nigel Key
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PHOTOGRAPHY

WWT Slimbridge is an ideal location for photographing Wildfowl for both the beginner and the keen amateur.

Many of the wildfowl that are situated around the various zones of WWT Slimbridge are only a few feet away and are very tame allowing excellent photographic opportunities with only a basic digital camera.

Should you wish to photograph wildfowl from distance or from the many Hides situated around WWT Slimbridge then you will need to consider investing in suitable equipment that is best for you.

The type of equipment you buy can depend upon:-

How much you want to spend;
The quality of image you are after;
Convenience, some equipment can be heavy and bulky;
How often you will use it;

Digiscoping
Digiscoping is the name given to using a basic camera attached to a scope. The advantages of Digiscoping over using a Digital SLR and long telephoto lens is that scopes have much more magnification and can be a much cheaper alternative.

Scope
You will need a good quality scope preferably with a large objective lens of about 80mm which will let much more light into the camera then a scope with a smaller 60mm objective lens. More light means you can use a higher shutter speed and lower ISO setting on the camera.

Scopes with high resolution glass (ED) will give better results but will also be more expensive.

Camera
Digiscoping requires an inexpensive digital camera, preferably with a 3x optical zoom, various Exposure Programs such as Aperture Priority (Av) and Manual Mode (M), an internal zoom lens, and the ability to attach a shutter release cable. Many Digiscopers use the Nikon Coolpix cameras which are well suited for this use.

As well as taking static photographs, you can also take video footage using a Digiscope. It is also a good idea to have plenty of spare batteries, and memory cards.

As Digiscoping becomes more popular then there are more accessories available such as adaptors to connect the camera to the scope.


Tripod
When Digiscoping you will need a very good sturdy tripod to keep the scope and camera steady. With the high magnification available on a scope then the smallest vibration can result in a blurred image. You will also need a good tripod head that will allow you to pan and tilt easily.



Digital SLR Camera and Lens
Another way to photograph birds at distance is to use a Digital SLR Camera with a long telephoto lens. These cameras are very versatile in that there are various lenses available for all sorts of photography and focal lengths. Focusing is accurate, there is no shutter lag, and you can take photographs hand-held or with a tripod and also photograph birds in flight. However these cameras and especially the lenses are very expensive and even the longest telephoto lenses are no match for the magnification of a scope.

Digital SLR Camera
Digital SLR Cameras are now much more affordable than before and even the cheapest DSLR cameras are very good. Two of the most popular makes are Nikon and Canon although when it comes to using good quality long telephoto lenses then Canon will probably be a better choice.

Digital SLR Lens
The choice of lens is much more important than which camera to buy and there are many different telephoto lenses available depending on how much you are willing to pay.

For a Canon DSLR Camera, a good entry level lens would be a Canon 70-300mm lens preferably with Image Stabilisation (IS), and Ultrasonic Motor (USM) for faster focusing. A better lens would be the Canon 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM or Canon 400mm f/5.6L USM lens. The best lenses include the Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS USM, and the Canon 500mm f/4.0 L IS USM lens which are very expensive and heavy but will work well with extenders to increase the lens focal length.

A lens of 50mm is equivalent to x1 magnification, so a super telephoto lens of 500mm would give you x10 magnification which is considerably less than the magnification of a scope.