My Cameras Are My Best Tools

One of the questions I’m frequently asked is what type of camera I use to take my garden and bird photographs. Well, I actually use two main cameras to get the job done, and they’re probably a lot less fancy than you’re envisioning!

The camera I use for regular garden shots and especially for zoom shots of birds and critters that come our way is a Canon Powershot SX50HS. This is essentially a point-and-shoot fixed lens camera. In addition to having a fantastic built-in zoom lens, the camera also takes video.

Having the ability to take videos of birds and animals was a game changer for me because it gave me the chance to capture their behavior and beauty more than ever.

I’ve had this camera for about 4 years and Canon has since upgraded this model. I think it originally cost me about $350.

Now, you might be surprised about my other main camera which is my iPhone. I have a 7-plus and it takes absolutely the BEST close-ups! Which is mighty handy when you need to take a lot of photos of flowers and insects, let me tell you.

The photo to the left is a perfect example of the type of image I can get with my cell phone. It’s amazing what we can do with our phones these days, isn’t it?

The main camera is 12 megapixels and there’s also a zoom feature. And, of course, it takes video, which gives me another option. 

However, for my garden videos, I switched from using my Powershot camera to a Canon Vixia HF R70 video camera about 2 years ago. It was pretty inexpensive (about $200) and gives me the ability to use a microphone, which has been another game changer for me. Not to go off on a tangent, but using a lavalier microphone works great because you can hear what I’m saying no matter what the conditions (and especially if I need to turn away from the camera), and it filters out an amazing amount of background noise.

Anyway, this video camera works very well for my needs. I set it up on a tripod and away I go. It’s really easy to use, too. Once I’m through shooting all of the video takes, I transfer the videos to my iPad, edit (in iMovie) as needed, and voila!

At some point, I’d like to upgrade to a video camera that accommodates TWO mikes so I can interview and/or have a conversation with someone else during my videos. So far, I haven’t found one that fits my needs and, more importantly, my budget.

So now you know what my preferences are when it comes to cameras. Photography is such a joy and a passion for me. I love capturing the beauty that surrounds me and enjoy sharing it with you. And from the number of questions I get about the cameras I use, I can tell you are interested in doing the same!