Help Me With My Settings On An Olympus FE-210

[Jim]

It is an inexpensive little digital camera with many options but I'll be darned if I can figure out the best one to use.

99% of my bird shots are from an open window to a tray feeder about ten feet away with the window open.

Here is a link to the camera specifications:

http://www.olympus.co.uk/consumer/29_FE-210_Specifications.htm

When I use a 640x480 image size and zoom-in, I lose so much detail and crispness. If I use SHQ 3072x2304 setting then I get only a few shots before the memory card fills but I can crop the resulting image.

Most of my shots are early morning or late afternoon and always facing a woods just south of my window. This puts the sun to my left or right of the FOV.

I do have a small tripod but due to the height of the tray feeder I must brace the camera against a window frame to reduce motion.

Should I use a flash or not?

Any help is MORE than welcome until I can get a better camera.

I sure miss my old Canon AE-1!

whitey

[Jim]

This a hand held shot braced against the window frame at approximately 5:00 pm facing south from ten feet away with an image size of 640x480 zoomed to the max on the sunset setting.

whitey

[Tom/Pat]

I am not familiar with your camera but you have answered some of your questions.
I suggest you shoot at the highest setting- cards are cheap- Shoot several shots with & without flash-
A 3X optical zoom is way short for birds. A 10X or greater optical zoom works well- IS is also very helpful.
A few short years ago we were where you are now-   Many many dollars later I am still looking for better photos-
It never ends-

 Luck
T&P

[Jim]

Thanks Tom & Pat,

I have used Linhoff's, Canons, Olympus and even an old 4x5 w/ a bellows in the past and have processed my own BW shots years ago. I think these low end digital cameras are really junk for what you pay for them. This FE-210 is now relegated to shooting quick snaps of family and the occasional tourist shot.

I am waiting until I get an influx of surplus cash them I'm going to start looking at the best camera body I can find and progress from there/

Just felt so bad that my AE-1 finally bit the dust.

whitey

[Jolly Jalapeno]

I have an Olympus with the 10x zoom, and I swear, that camera could take better macros than my Canon 50D with macro lens, and had a pretty good reach with the 10x zoom.  Like Tom said, sometimes you just experiment with the settings until you find one that works.  When I have time, I will take 10-15 photos of the same thing, but all at different settings -- just to find the one that works for me.

[Linda]

Don't get discouraged Whitey.  My first digital had 2 MP and like Tom says...we are always wanting something better.