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Recommended Digital Cameras for Birders

Birdwatching is the sport of watching or studying different types of bird species. Often, serious birdwatchers, or "birders," wait long periods of time and travel far distances to catch a glimpse of a rare species. When "birders" finally do get their eye on a bird, they often want to capture that moment. Several companies make specialized digital cameras specifically for the sport of birdwatching.

Pentax Camera Digital Binoculars
- The Pentax Camera Digital Binoculars, designed for "birders," features binoculars, a common accessory for birdwatchers, as well as a camera. The two combined provide "birders" with an all-in-one feature that enables a simple click to take a digital photo while also getting a good view of a bird. The Pentax Camera Digital Binoculars combine 7X magnification with a 280mm camera lens. The camera can hold approximately 100 photos with its 16MB flash memory and provides shutter speeds from 1/30 to 1/8000 second to capture birds before they fly away. While the combination of the camera and binoculars make the item bulkier, it is often worth it for birdwatchers to have one device instead of two. The Pentax Camera Digital Binoculars start at approximately $99 as of December 2010.
Canon EOS 40D
- Some "birders" may prefer to keep their camera separate from their binoculars if they are doing professional photography. Professional photography requires a high-quality camera with a zoom lens, such as the Canon EOS 40D. This camera is recommended for "rigorous shooting conditions" and is made to resist tough weather conditions. The Canon EOS 40D also offers a quick startup, a high shutter speed of 1/8000 second and a noise reducer, which will avoid disturbing birds. With 10.1 megapixels, the camera can produce photos clear enough to be printed at poster size. The Canon EOS 40D starts at $699 as of December 2010.
Bushnell Instant Replay Binoculars
- If you are looking for a higher-end binocular-digital camera combination, consider the Bushnell Instant Replay Binoculars. These digital camera binoculars allow the user to spot the bird and capture high-quality pictures at 5M. With 16GB of internal memory, the product will store plenty of photos for print later. The binoculars also offer 8X binocular magnification, as well as 8X camera magnification. Also included is a digital screen to easily view the image. The Bushnell Instant Replay Binoculars start at $199.98 as of December 2010.

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