dieseldave Loc: Davenport,IA

I have had PD for about 11 years, probably longer but that is when i went to a neurologist and confirmed my symptoms. I currently have a nikon 5300 with a Sigma 500 mm zoom for birds and the like. My wife thinks I s should get a point and shoot, since they are light, have great zoom and take good photos. She has a cool Pix 500, and she does get pretty good results. But what do you loose with that small sensor?
i would like to get a mirrorless, but then you are back to having heavy lenses aren't you?

HOT Texas Loc: From the Heart of Texas

Dave, I also Shake and your right about the mirrorless when you put a big lens on, My recommendation would be a bridge camera, you still may have to put it on a tripod but they are much lighter, the Sony RX 10 III is a outstanding camera for shooting birds and is price right because Sony has a new model the RX 10 IV Bridge camera of the year but cost 2X as much.

this deal is hard to beat, comes with a ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* 24-600mm F2.4 - F4 Lens.

https://www.adorama.com/us%20%20%20%20886873.html?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=%5bSHOPPING%5d%20%5bADL%5d%20%5bPLA%5d%20-%20Long%20Tail&utm_term=4586750196597420&utm_content=%5bPLA%5d%20-%20Long%20Tail

Leicaflex Loc: Cymru

Olympus OMD EM5 Mark II, 40-150mm Pro Lens, in 35mm terms, 80-300mm half the weight of DSLR.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

All is not lost, Dave. While you will give up some fine detail capture and get images that are noisier, a good bridge camera will give you excellent results.

I recently evaluated the Sony RX10M3 and M4. While the image quality is exactly the same (same sensor and lens) there is a world of difference between the two cameras when it xomes to handling, frame rate, buffer, but of most importance when shooting active subjects - it has an outstanding autofocus system that locks on in as little as .03 secs and tracks beautifully. Even better than my D810 in group Af mode. It's sensor is almost completely covered with hybrid phase detect/contrast detect sensors which enable the fast and accurate AF performance.

I wouldn't recommend the M3 for active subjects at all. It is slow to acquire focus and easily loses focus in a burst

The price of a new M3 is $1300 and the M4 is $1700. The extra $400 is worth it.

The image quality is very good, as you can see in the few images I posted here:

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-499130-1.html

I took the images in this thread with the M4

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-500449-1.html

Regardless of what you end up doing, you may want to consider getting a monopod to help with unwanted camera movement.

sueyeisert Loc: New Jersey

I’d look at a Fuji camera. It has large sensor. There is also a line of smaller lenses. There is also a new camera the EX-3 which is smaller. I switched from Nikon to Fuji because of the weight of the Nikon camera.

PhotosRfun

I also shake and use a stabilizer strap with a monopod. This my allow you to use the camera you already have. I did change to the Sony mirrorless. Check out www.coolcameragadgets.store

SonyBug

Dave, sorry to hear of the PD. I have Essential Tremors, so can empathize. I have a Sony a6500 and with either of my lenses, it weighs just 2 lbs. With the only heavy lens, the 70-300, it weighs 2.5 lbs. But, and this is why I bought it, it has "in camera" 5 way stabilization. So coupled with some of the lenses that have in lens stabilization, it gets very good shots with my shaky old hands.

BobT Loc: southern Minnesota

Nikonbug,

Are you saying that in-cam stabilization, when also using a lens with lens stabilization, together increases the stabilizing ability?

SonyBug

yes, they work together to become more than either alone. If you have a older lens with no OSS, then the in-camera still does a great job. But, I have many pictures held out at arms length with one hand at fairly slow speed that are perfectly sharp.

ronmaertz Loc: Sacramento, CA

I have Essential Tremor, so I know what you are talking about. For me, the only thing that works is a good tripod and a remote release. Lighter cameras, especially those with longer lenses are useless to me. I have a Sony RX100M3 with a 24 to 70 lens which I will occasionally use if I'm not shaking too bad, otherwise it's my Nikon D600 on a tripod with a remote release.

TheShoe Loc: Lacey, WA

The answer to that is Yes ... and No. When Oly introduced the 5-axis stabilization, they recommended that you turn off the in-lens stabilization when using the in-cam. There are now cameras designed to use both lens and body stabilization to increase the effect.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

If you stick to Micro 4/3 mirrorless cameras from Panasonic and Olympus, you can lose 2/3 to 4/5 the weight of *full frame* dSLR or mirrorless lenses. The longer lenses are image stabilized, and the newer Micro 4/3 Panasonic (and most Olympus) bodies are stabilized as well.

Panasonic uses DUAL IS in some models (in-lens stabilization working in tandem with in-body stabilization). That effectively eliminates camera shake issues in most situations (but does not help stop subject movement). Olympus has a few new lenses with stabilization in them, but their in-body stabilization is a bit better than Panasonic's, so they don't need it at short focal lengths (<150mm).

Leica designed an excellent 100-400mm zoom for Panasonic (fits Olympus, too). It has the equivalent reach of a 200-800mm on full frame. It's only $1800, which is a STEAL for that sort of reach.

SonyBug

Yes, the new Sony a6500 is recommended by Sony to use lenses with OSS and it enhances the effect. One of the reasons I bought this brand and model.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

I am sure others have made this suggestion to you, but I would like to mention it again. Look at purchasing the Olympus E-M5 mrII or E-M1 mrII with the 12-100mm f4 and the 300mm f4 or Panasonic G9, GH4 or GH5 with the 14-140mm and the 100-400mm. Both these systems have the best IS in the business and only about a two stop disadvantage in ISO above 6400 ISO. The IS is good enough that I have been able to take sharp pictures at 2 and 4 seconds. The heaviest lense / body combination should be about 6.5 pounds, and depending on which body you choose, probably less. There are lenses alone in FF and APS-C with the same field of view that weight 6.5 pounds without the body. If you have PD, there is a chance that these would be ideal for you.

dieseldave Loc: Davenport,IA

ok. it looks like the sony III or IV are my best options.
both weigh in under 3 lbs. My main problem is a heavy camera and lens is almost impossible hold still without a tripod, which limits my ability to change position quickly. I do not have tremors, never have so I think I can hold a lighter camera pretty still.

they both have a single zoom lens that is pretty good, especially combined with a 1" sensor. other mirrorless cameras, require different lenses and I doubt that here are 600mm lenses available that would keep the price below 1700$. Especially since I would need a least one more shorter lens.

and The fast auto focus on the IV is attractive, since that is the othr issue I have with the 5300/sigma 599mm combo I have.

If anyone knows of any brand of camera that has these features, weight, AF and price please let me know.
Thanks