Digital Cameras, Megapixels and Bird Photography
Digital photography technology has taken giant steps in the past decade, with picture size leading the way.
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Today's high end SLRs push the 16 megapixel range, opening the door for a new wave of digital poster photography.
Current market conditions provide bird photography enthusiasts a range of megapixel options in their cameras. Camera choice depends on photography needs. The general rule of thumb when thinking about megapixel is that higher megapixel cameras print larger pictures.
Many birders want pictures for documentation purposes. In most cases, cameras in the 6-8 megapixel range provide an adequate picture size for editing and printing a decent 8x10" or smaller picture. Digital cameras above the 8 megapixel range approach the necessary sensor size to print nice looking 14x11" and larger pictures.
Expanding on the theme of larger pictures, the following two pictures provide a glimpse at the picture quality of the larger megapixel cameras.
The Black-crowned Night Heron in the following picture is well known for its concentration skills, especially the ability to stand still, staring out at water's edge for long periods of time, waiting for the perfect fish. It is reduced to 600 pixel width and still shows good feather color and detail. The green background contrasts nicely with the bird's black and white feathers.
A technical first take on the second picture starts by discussing digital camera ease of color transition. The yellow and green contrast of this Townsend Warbler picture shows a nice color contrast at a 600 pixel width. Feather characteristics are easily visible.
Pictures of birds at downward angles are usually common. This particular picture tells a unique story about the temperament of the warbler. Generally, people see warblers twice a year as they are passing through their neighborhoods on their annual spring and fall migrations. Often those warblers exhibit a reluctance to be around people.
Some warblers, like the Townsend's in the picture, are longer term residents of an area. Generally in non-breeding season they can be approached at close distance. The Townsend's and I spend a good four minutes walking up a short incline together. It looked for insects in the grass and I took pictures.
Picture clarity and color for large megapixel pictures improves when you don't edit them for the internet. With current high megapixel cameras, you have the ability to print poster size pictures with clarity good enough to enable the feathers of the bird to be counted. As digital camera megapixel technology improves, you will have the ability to print wall size pictures allowing you to count the insects partially hidden under the bird's feathers.
© 2007. Patricia A. Michaels.