Bird photography is an exceptional genre for those who are keen on documenting winged creatures. While there are some amazing cameras out there for bird photography, it appears that Chinese optical manufacturer, Apexel, is keen on introducing the world’s first AI-powered camera for this. What makes it even more impressive is that you get this for less than $1000, making it more affordable than Nikon’s P1100.
Designed by Gobirding, the camera, called APL-ETF-M1, is expected to launch on August 31. The bird photography camera is designed as a monocular, and it has some amazing features. Have a look at the specs:
- Optical Zoom: 30x
- Hybrid Zoom: 120x
- Autofocus: Advanced AF with real-time subject tracking
- Stabilization: Dual OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) + EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization)
- Video: 4K/30fps
- Still Photography: High-resolution stills
- Slow Motion: Yes
- Time-Lapse: Yes
- AI Bird Recognition (On-Device): 1,500+ species offline
- AI Bird Recognition (Cloud): 10,000+ species via GO Birding App
- Connectivity: Dual-Link Wi-Fi + Cellular
- Battery Life: 6 hours active use / 72 hours standby
- Charging: Fast charging + external power bank compatible
- App: GO Birding — bird maps, data management, social sharing, encyclopedia
- Price: $699–$799 USD
Bird photography is also about knowing the species. According to the company, the AI camera covers 1,500 species without connectivity, with 10,000 when a connection is available through the GO Birding app. The latter looks at the entire known avian catalog that is known to humanity. For photographers, this is amazing, as it helps one to get access with ease.
In addition, the monocular is designed as a collapsible, single handheld device. One also does not need to rely on an external field guide either. With up to 120X of zoom, one can overcome any challenges thrown their way in bird photography. The image stabilization, 4K/30fps compatibility, and it can produce sharp images even at maximum zoom. You also get real-time subject tracking to make matters better.
The M1 bird photography camera is designed for bird watchers, and it also speaks to wildlife and nature photographers, especially those who do not wish to carry a telephoto setup to remote locations. Overall, one gets about 600–800 mm of lens equivalent, and if you know how costly such lenses are (going up to $15,000), this camera makes life much easier. One also gets a 6-hour battery life, and offers power bank compatibility when you are working in no access charging places. One can also upload the images from the field as well.
It is one of the few, unique options for bird watchers and photographers out there, especially if they wish to save money on a camera and a lens. There are no specs about weather sealing, and if there is not one, then it will certainly make it challenging to shoot when it rains. Until then, keep an eye on what the camera can do in our reviews.