Hummingbirds are arguably one of the most difficult subjects to photograph. Their tiny size and incredible speed present a unique challenge to any photographer and any camera system. The issue, of course, is how to get an image that is both close-up and in-focus.
     As the old saying saying goes, "there's more than one way to skin a pig" and this summer I tested a couple of methods using different camera systems to see which would render the best results.

      My original go-to camera for this test was my Canon EOS 80D and my Tamron 70-300mm telephoto lens. All of the images in the first part of this blog post and in Hummingbirds 2019 Part 1 and Hummingbirds 2019 Part 2 are shot with that camera & lens combo.

     The Canon 80D is a DSLR camera that can be used in most any professional situation. The benefits of using this type of camera include:

• Superior image quality
• Interchangeable lenses
• Full manual controls including ability to manipulate ISO, shutter speed, and f-stop.

     While the DSLR style camera system seems like an obvious choice, there are a couple a major drawbacks when it comes to photographing hummingbirds.

     The way a DSLR camera creates an image for the user to view through the eye piece is by reflecting that image off of a mirror on the inside of the camera body. Back in the days of film, the "film plane" was behind this mirror. When the photographer pushed the shutter, this mirror would flip up and expose the film to a carefully measured and focused amount of light that would create an image on the film. In the age of digital, DSLR cameras still work this way but instead of a film plane, the digital sensor is behind the mirror. The classic "click-click" sound that is universally associated with a camera firing is the sound of that mirror flipping up and coming back down and herein lies the problem.
     A rapidly firing DSLR camera sounds like a machine gun clickity clackity clickity clackity and it scares the birds. Because hummingbirds are so small, even with a 300mm lens, it is still necessary to stand pretty close to the feeders in order to get images that don't have to be cropped a ridiculous amount. As soon as they hear that sound, they promptly go investigate the other feeders.
     While the Canon 80D does indeed produce beautiful images, it's noisy shutter scares the birds so I started to consider a quieter option. If price were no issue, the obvious solution would be a mirrorless camera system. If I were just now getting into the game, I would invest in this type of camera system. As of now, Canon is not even developing new DSLR models and are putting all of their R&D dollars into mirrorless cameras.
     That being said, I have a large investment in DSLR camera bodies and EOS lenses and jumping ship just for this one super specific application seemed a little silly. Mirrorless cameras are quiet but do you know what other kind of camera is quiet? Point and shoot cameras are quiet too!

     While researching different types of quiet cameras, I discovered that one could easily spend almost as much on a fancy point-and-shoot as on a DSLR. Spending $1000 on this experiment seemed excessive so I opted for the Canon PowerShot Elph 360. It's small, it's purple (always a plus!), it's quiet and, at $200, it's affordable.
     Disclaimer: to be successful with this camera it is still necessary to have a healthy understanding of the principals of photography. I don't want to imply that this is an out-of-the-box, no-brainer solution because it is not.

     While this camera is not without it's frustrations, it can produce pleasing results when it comes to hummingbird photography. Benefits include:

• An electronic shutter noise that can be turned off.
• Almost silent operation.
• 300mm optical zoom lens
• The ability to stand closer to the hummingbird feeders without scaring them with shutter noise.
• Being able to stand closer means less cropping.     
• Rapid fire mode.
• Affordable price.
• Offers a wide variety of features.
• High Speed Burst mode can capture many images in a short period of time.

     As previously mentioned, this camera is not without its frustrations. Drawbacks include:

• Temperamental focusing mechanism.
  
• Short battery life (so buy extra batteries).
  
• Diminished image quality, especially when operating in High-Speed Burst mode.
• High ISO and low light adversely affect image quality (so photograph hummingbirds in full sun.)
• NOT a no-brainer camera.

     As you can see in the images below, the Canon PowerShot Elph 360 is capable of producing very nice images of hummingbirds in flight that are both exposed correctly and in focus. For the purpose of blogging and creating medium/small prints, these images are more than sufficient. 
     The Elph 360 does offer a lot of features but, as there are few external controls on the camera body, most of the options are buried in the menus. Additionally, as point and shoot cameras do, the Elph does most of the thinking for you but the problem is that it does not always arrive at the correct solution by itself. Therefore it is necessary to have an understanding of things like shutter speed, f-stop, ISO and metering functions to be able to manipulate the way this camera "thinks". It's not difficult but it does require a bit of experimentation and patience. 
     All of the images below were shot with the Elph 360. Please feel free to compare them to the images at the beginning of this post, weigh the pros and cons, and decide for yourself which type of camera system is the most ideal for photographing hummingbirds.
     Click here to see my other posts about hummingbirds.

     The best way to attract hummingbirds is to provide them things that they like, i.e., food and habitat. 
     There are many options when it comes to hummingbird feeders but you don't have to spend a lot of money to get a good one. The ones I have right now were under $10 and are the best feeders I've ever had. The most important thing about the feeder is whether or not the base comes apart and can be thoroughly cleaned. If the base is all one piece and doesn't come apart, don't buy it.

     It is not necessary to spend a lot of money on commercial hummingbird food. It is also not necessary for the food to be red. The feeder being red is enough to attract the birds, there's no need to add artificial coloring to their food.
     The best and easiest hummingbird food can be made at home and is quite inexpensive. The recipe is simple: one part plain white granulated sugar to four parts boiling water. When the water reaches a boil, stir in the sugar until it's all dissolved, cut the heat and wait for the mix to cool. I make hummingbird food in 12-cup batches (so that's 12 cups water and 3 cups sugar) and I store the excess in a gallon jug in my refrigerator. Right now my feeders are so busy that I am refilling all three of them every other day and making 12-cup batches of food twice a week.

     Hummingbirds are nervous little birds and they prefer for their feeders to be kinda high off the ground so they can see all around and watch for predators.
     It is important to only put out enough food that the birds can finish it in a few days and it's also good to put the feeders where they will be shaded from the afternoon sun. Even if their food is not finished in a few days, it is still necessary to rinse out the feeders and refill with fresh food. Hummingbird food will go rancid after a few days of sitting outside in the sun. In addition, the birds leave bacteria from their beeks and tongues inside the feeders. This bacteria combined with the sun-warmed sugary mixture becomes real gross after a few days. If you wouldn't drink it, don't leave it out for hummingbirds to eat. In the early part of the season I only fill my feeders a third to half full so that I'm not wasting too much food by having to pour it out. 
     Another tip that is super important is not to mess with the recipe for the food. Use only regular hot water and plain white granulated sugar. Don't try to substitute other stuff for the sugar. For example, don't use brown sugar, honey, agave nectar, artificial sweeteners or anything else besides plain white granulated sugar. Doing so can harm the hummingbirds and our job is to help them. It would be better not to feed them at all than to feed them the wrong stuff and jeopardize their health. 

     Hummingbirds like trees and they also like flowering plants. Ergo, flowering trees are a good idea. Mimosa, Desert Willow, and Chitalpa Trees are all good options since they bloom all summer. I have seven Desert Willows and two Mimosa trees. Hummingbirds also like flowers that are tubular. Trumpet vines are a great, fast growing option for attracting hummingbirds.
     Click here to see my other posts about Hummingbirds.
   

Tech Specs: All photos in this post shot with Canon EOS 80D and Tamron 70-300mm lens.

     I just love these little birds soooo much! Hummingbirds may be tiny and cute but they are sophisticated flying machines and, like little dogs that don't know they're little, fierce as can be. 
     I live in Meadow Lake, New Mexico andhummingbirds are here April through October. A good rule of thumb for knowing when to expect hummingbirds is between the last frost and the first frost. Hummingbirds feed mostly on flower nectar and insects so they don't do winter.
     In my part of New Mexico, the most common species of hummingbird is the Black Chinned. The male Black Chinned Hummingbird is easy to spot with their solid black head, purple throat and green back. The females are not as ornate, they have the green back but are mostly tan. 
     The Black Chinned Hummingbirds arrive first, usually in the first two weeks of April. Then, around mid-July the Rufus Hummingbirds show up as well. They are easy to differentiate from the Black Chinned because of their orange color scheme. Once they get here, there are about 15 birds that spend most of their time in my yard so I maintain three feeders that are refilled every other day to keep up with the demand.
     Hummingbirds usually depart around the beginning of October. Contrary to popular belief, the presence of feeders does not delay their migration. It is the duration of daylight and the temperature that tells them it's time to go. Even after most of them have left, I will still keep one feeder out for a week or so in case birds migrating from farther north pass by my house and need a snack.
     Since we built our porch, I spend time every morning sitting out front photographing the hummingbirds. Tech specs on all of these images is as follows: Canon 80D, Tamron 70-300 lens. ISO 640, f.8 at 1/2000 of a second in the morning sun. 
     Click here to see my other posts about hummingbirds.