Please help me......

DaveNewman

Senior Member
hi all,

A little help.. I own the P900, but im struggling like hell to take good decent action shots (dogs playing, birds in flight, aircraft in flight) anything really which involves moving the zoom and then getting to focus (i find this slow) and then shooting while in some form of action motion. Everything else (still photos) I can do no issues. In fact, its getting to the stage where im thinking this camera is just wrong for me and I require one with interchangeable lenses (d300 models) I am NO professional, just someone who likes taking photos.

Any advice and help would be brilliant right now.
 

PapaST

Senior Member
I've had 1 or 2 cameras similar to the P900. The zooms are incredible but even with stabilization they are tough to hold steady. And trying to track something with full zoom is darn near impossible for me. Some people can get very good at wielding a smaller camera with that much zoom but it takes practice to say the least.

I think I came to the same crossroads you are at now. I moved to DSLRs a few years back and it has definitely helped. It doesn't sound like your camera is malfunctioning. I think you're just hitting the limitations of a bridge camera. My advice is to try and understand what those limitations are and try to train yourself to work around those limitations. If you've tried that and it's still no go then I would recommend going to a DSLR.
 

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
The P900 is a great camera within its limitations and you have hit them, action photography is going to be very difficult with it as its not made to work at the speed you need.Moving onto a DSLR will bring its own problems the main one will be the lens size you need for birds in flight etc,so as suggested do some research on the pros and cons.
The only way you stand any chance of action shots with the P900 is to predecide what zoom setting you will need and then just concentrate on the action, multi focus point and continuous shutter but it will not be easy.

I did manage the odd action shot but not many

DSCN4333 by electric.mike, on Flickr
 

DaveNewman

Senior Member
morning all..
@mikew im also from lincolnshire.......

anyway, thanks for the tips and advise, ive been speaking to a friend over the weekend who is an excellent photographer and pretty much does what i like to achieve or at least try myself. hes recommended me a DSLR and 2 x lens which TO HIM are all the ones i need for what i like to do. Then, just like anything, its getting out there and doing it.
 

Alan

Senior Member
I have a P510 that I have used for 4 plus years. It takes a lot of practice to get these shots but once you figure it out it can be a good camera to carry around. One thing to remember is that shutter speed needs to be high just as it does on an SLR. I try to shoot at 1/1000 + for any action shot. I also learned to predict where the action would be. Try to lock the focus where things might happen. For example I would lock focus on a part of the lake where i expected a diving duck to pop back up and just wait. Also having a good depth of field helps.
I have to tell you that once i learned how to use it it made me a better photographer. Took me back to when i shot film and had to set speed and f/stop for every shot. Now that i have been using my D5600 I never use the A or P. I set shutter or f/stop and even go to full manual.
I still carry the P510 and even plan on using it next week when I have to shoot a convention. I will be using the D5600 as well.
Just keep shooting. It is possible with a little practice.

This is from my P510

DSCN9458.jpg
 

Marilynne

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
I have a P510 that I have used for 4 plus years. It takes a lot of practice to get these shots but once you figure it out it can be a good camera to carry around. One thing to remember is that shutter speed needs to be high just as it does on an SLR. I try to shoot at 1/1000 + for any action shot. I also learned to predict where the action would be. Try to lock the focus where things might happen. For example I would lock focus on a part of the lake where i expected a diving duck to pop back up and just wait. Also having a good depth of field helps.
I have to tell you that once i learned how to use it it made me a better photographer. Took me back to when i shot film and had to set speed and f/stop for every shot. Now that i have been using my D5600 I never use the A or P. I set shutter or f/stop and even go to full manual.
I still carry the P510 and even plan on using it next week when I have to shoot a convention. I will be using the D5600 as well.
Just keep shooting. It is possible with a little practice.

This is from my P510

View attachment 291744

Oops, thought you had the P900 Alan.
 
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