Your Nature camera

Olympus TG-5. Small, relatively inexpensive, waterproof, relatively shockproof. Has focus stacking for close-ups, which I appreciate. It can’t take photos of far-off birds and such, but that’s fine; lots of other people do that. I try to simplify my life as much as possible and this camera does that for me.

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I use a full-frame DSLR for all my photographic endeavors. I actually have two different bodies, different models, but the important components around this topic are the optics. If you have a camera with integrated optics, the make/model perhaps plays a larger role in decision-making… but any relatively modern body with the ability to remove/swap lenses becomes less of a differentiator and the focus should really be more on the lens(es). A telephoto lens for birding, macro lens for insects, wide-angle lens for natural landscapes, etc goes a long way toward getting the image you see in your head before you expose the frame into the result that you are/were hoping for… (imho).

Of course, the most important part of all is just practice. Practice, practice, practice.

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As in, Nintendo DS??

I use the Canon EOS Rebel 2000D, in America it is the T7.

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That’s what I have as well!

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Other has really stepped up their game recently. Quite the market share!

Nikon D100

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Other: Nikon D80 that I bought in 2008 or 2009.

Originally purchased a Sigma 18-200mm lens to go with it. Later, another iNaturalist (@pintail) gifted me his old Nikkor 60mm macro lens.

Really hit or miss with how my photos turn out though. :face_with_diagonal_mouth:

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I’m just joking, I actually use a PowerShot SX620 HS. It gets the job done but I’m learning so to use it in low light levels.

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Sony A7R IV (what I voted although probably used the least for iNat)

Also:
Olympus TG-6
Pixel 6 phone (probably used most frequently for iNat)

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Compact — Sony DSC-HX90V with 30x Optical Zoom

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Sony A-68

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Canon EOS T5, with a Canon 55-250 lens. I also have the standard lens and macro extensions, although I found those too invasive from the insect perspective! It does what I need it to, so feel there is no reason to upgrade (I’m also more of an identifier). I also use old Windows 7 Office software to process my photos. I only use Crop and Brightness settings, so again it seems to work fine. Windows 10 editing software is crap!

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Almost the same as me! I have the Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ80 for birds and really anything else, plus the TG-6 for macro.

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  • Olympus TG-6 (paired with FD-1 attachment) – my go-to for most things; it’s compact, rugged, and brilliant for macro. I use it for photographing marine organisms, terrestrial invertebrates, fungi, plants, and so on.
  • Canon 80D (usually with 500mm telephoto) – for photographing anything that needs longer reach - usually birds.
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I use a Canon Powershot SX50 and an Olympus TG-6. The Canon is great for… everything, really, and the Olympus can (i don’t do this regularly, i promise) be lowered into the water on the end of a fishing pole. It’s good for tiny bugs, as well!

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I use a Sony A7RIV, mostly in crop mode, but what really makes it great for iNat is the 100-400 lens. The lens has a close focus distance of .98m (39") which makes for good macro like photos for smaller organisms. The focus distance is to the sensor so from the end of the fully extended lens this is only about 40cm from the lens tip to the subject. I also have a macro lens but it doesn’t have the versatility of the 100-400. With the 100-400 you can be photographing bees at 40cm, butterflies at 2 to 3m, birds at 3 to 30m and larger animals at further distances. All of my observations (except for a few) taken after December 1, 2019 are taken with this camera.

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Other: I use a Nikon P950 bridge camera. For a serious wildlife photographer its sensor is obviously not going to cut the mustard, but for a casual inat observer its great. Lightweight and 2000mm equivalent zoom means I can just see something, zoom in, snap it and then keep walking. I often just carry it around one handed while going for walks if its not in my bag.

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Welcome to the forum @Splish. thanks for sharing

Cheers. I am also interested in branching out into a little underwater photography and had considered the TG-6 Mesoplodon uses. I’ll probably only be doing shallow estuary work though and I need a new phone so may kill two birds and try the new iphone pro cameras when they release next batch later this year. Pricy option once you factor in a (good) waterproof case though.

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Fujifilm XP Waterproof. Although I rarely use it underwater, those times when I do make the waterproof feature worth it.

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Wow, lots of fancy equipment here in this thread! I use my phone; I have an iPhone 11 Pro. I also have an attachable macro lens, which works wonders for capturing minute details of small wildflowers and is a must for some tiny invertebrates. This spider was so miniscule that I thought it was a mite when I first spotted it. I couldn’t even tell that it was a spider until I inspected it more closely, and I’m sure that without the attachable lens, I wouldn’t have gotten a clear enough photo for an ID. It’s a real game-changer!

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