Efloraofindia has a great Future

[Gurcharan Singh]

Yesterday was the Annual Flower Show of Delhi University, but with a great difference. The number of visitors was exceptionally large. In the previous years it was usual to find most visitors visiting the stalls, having a casual look at plants and purchase some good plants, seeds or bulbs. This year it was a rare sight to find visitors crowded around the potted plants with their cameras clicking. Agreed most of these cameras were mobile cameras. Perhaps some skeptical members may think that mobile cameras are no good for class photography, but not so any longer. Most recent mobile phone cameras are equipped with high end lenses which can give you results comparable to some SLR cameras. What was more interesting that, most of them were not just interested to click  good photographs, many were interested to know and recording names of plants. I found several such visitors keen to know the names of plants, where labels were not available (and majority of plants were without labels). I found several such persons asking their friends or persons around to tell them the names of these plants. And to some whom I gave the names were extremely happy to know (and it actually showed on their faces).

        With this positive, pleasant change, I find no strange that more and more such persons who have good photographs to identify may like to join such groups as ours. This should not only increase the popularity of our group, but it should also help in enriching our database. The need is for letting more and more people know about our group.

              

--
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/

[Pankaj Kumar]

Unfortunately, I reached Delhi after 5pm yesterday as my flight by
delayed by almost 2 hrs. and hence I missed the show again. :((
Pankaj

--
***********************************************
"TAXONOMISTS GETTING EXTINCT AND SPECIES DATA DEFICIENT !!"

Pankaj Kumar Ph.D. (Orchidaceae)
Research Associate
Greater Kailash Sacred Landscape Project
Department of Habitat Ecology
Wildlife Institute of India
Post Box # 18
Dehradun - 248001, India

[Balkar Arya]

Yes Gurcharan Ji
You are right. For the same reason. We also have a flower show in our
college on 28 feb and same day we will arrange a seminar to show
common medicinal plants along with their Botanical and Common Names.
Today we hanged 50 photographs of large size (12x15 inches) of common
plants with their Botanical and Common names in our Botany department.
Due to the preparation of this programme and census duty i could not
atend the flower show of DU and also Horticulture fair of IARI, to
which i usually visit every year. In IARI this fair was today and
tomarrow also this fair will continue
Regards
Balkar Singh

--
Regards

Dr Balkar Singh
Head, Deptt. of Botany and Biotechnology
Arya P G College, Panipat
Haryana-132103
09416262964

[hari lal]

sir
which type of camera used for clicking plant sps is suitable .pls mail
brand name & model because i m new & want to purchage a camera.
hari shankar lal

[Gurcharan Singh]

Hari ji

Frankly it depends on which one you can afford. Of course the best is a digital SLR camera of any reputed brand. 10.3 and above mega-pixels are good. For closeups a macro lens is always ideal, but the whole (Camera with normal lens plus macro lens) should cost minimum Rs. 40000-50000. If unable to afford macro lens (plus 15000), extension tubes are good (but not as good) alternative. I have Sony alpha 100 with normal lens, a telephoto lens (which gives good macro for trees), and extension tubes for closeups.

    For routine photography a digicam could be purchased for less than Rs. 15000/-. It is much more convenient. I have Panasonix  Lumix DMC253, with 10.3 megapixels lens, 25 mm wide angle, 12x zoom and HD (AVCHD) video recording. I find it very convenient for general photographs. It should be available for nearly Rs. 15000 or so.

[Pankaj Kumar]

Dear Hari
You can call me I still have the same number.
Secondly, if you can tell me about your budget then it would be easier.
There are two lower end models in Nikon and Canon, D5000 and EOS 1000D
respectively.
They cost less than 30,000 Rs. If you tell them to replace the lens
with a macro lens then you may get that easily within 40,000/-.
But I assume you are not used to using DSLR and hence you will need
time to practice it.
More than good camera, you need the understanding of the subject and
the frame you wish to click, hence buying a good camera may not bring
you good results but it all depends on your own ability.
I have a whole set of camera with 3 lenses and macro ring flash which
costs somewhere around 3 Lakh, but I do take very very bad pics most
of the times.
Regards
Pankaj

--

[Na Bha]

I wonder, if it could be possible to talk to the organizers of such
flowershows and put a board at the entrance "advertising" efloragroup.
Many people will learn about the group this way.
Regards
Nalini

[Dinesh Valke]

Nalini ji ... brilliant idea ... salutes.
Regards.
Dinesh

[Gurcharan Singh]

Yes Nalini ji, it is a really good idea. 

-- 
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ 

[Pankaj Kumar]

Yes, I think advertising about the group will always be good, in
whatever possible means used!! !!
Pankaj

--

[Pankaj Kumar]

I suggest one way to have similar community on orkut and facebook
which will ultimately lead to the group.
Pankaj

[Anand Kumar Bhatt]

to come back to cameras, I have used Nikon D50 and now D3000 with 70-300 lens. Both are inexpensive. The original lens which is available with the camera is generally wide angled maybe 18-55 which gives a more panoramic view. Being  an amateur, I am quite satisfied with the equipment.

The only addition I am going to make is Nikon 55-300 VR lens to be used for bird photography.

ak

--
Anand Kumar Bhatt
A-59, B.S.F.Colony, Airport Road
Gwalior. 474 005.
Tele: 0751-247 2233. Mobile 0 94253 09780.
My blogsite is at:
http://anandkbhatt.blogspot.com
(A NEW BLOG HAS BEEN ADDED ON 29 jJanuary 2011.)
And the photo site:
www.flickr.com/photos/akbhatt/

(NEW PHOTOS HAVE BEEN ADDED ON 24 FEB 2011.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ten most  common surnames of Indians: Singh, Kumar, Sharma, Patel, Shah, Lal, Gupta, Bhat, Rao, Reddy. Cheers!

[Pankaj Kumar]

D3000 and EOS 1000D both are below < 25,000/- now a days.
Both comes with 15 - 55 Wide angle lens. But many dealers do offer
other lens to replace the kit lens. 60mm is a Macro lens in Nikkor
which should cost around 14,000 and hence can be used. For the time
being 28-80G lens can be bought for wideangle which will cost not more
than 4,000Rs.
Other options (non DSLR) could be Nikon Coolpix P100 and
Canon-PowerShot SX20 IS which should cost below 26,000Rs I assume.
Hence the biggest hurdle in buying a good camera or any electronic
item is always the budget. The more you invest the better equipments
you get.
BAS LAGATE JAAO LAGATE JAAO :p
Pankaj

[J.M. Garg]

I think any of the willing moderator or member can take up these role.

--

With regards,
J.M.Garg (jmg...@gmail.com)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1

'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna'
The whole world uses my Image Resource of more than a thousand species & eight thousand images of Birds, Butterflies, Plants etc. (arranged alphabetically & place-wise): http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:J.M.Garg. You can also use them for free as per Creative Commons license attached with each image.

For identification, learning, discussion & documentation of Indian Flora, please visit/ join our Google e-group- Efloraofindia:http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix or https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/ (more than 1500 members & 60,000 messages on 15/1/11 & with a database of around 4500 species on 15/12/10)

[Pankaj Kumar]

I will try to make communities on orkut and facebook once I am back at doon.
Still at Delhi and not well :((
Pankaj

[Smita Raskar]

Regarding cam upto budget of 25000 Nikon cool pix P90 is the best option i am having it....

it has good zoom also take very good pics, only you need to have lot of patience while taking  pic of minute object..rest it is best, in that budget...other wise very true.. higher price better cam..variety of lense are available.... "money matter"

but if you are having money and if you are ready to spend...spend once & you can get priceless happiness of creativity...:):)

--
Smita raskar

308 Disha Residency,
Salaiwada,Sawantwadi
Mob.9763989639

[Balkar Arya]

Presently using canon powershot 130 SX IS 12x zoom price 12500. Very easy to use handy small in size. Excellant photo quality. After using Fujifilm, Sony Olympus and nikon i selected Canon as best.

[Pankaj Kumar]

You cant compare either of them, but yes, rest are always left behind
while competiting with Nikon and Canon. Both have their own fan
following.
I always go for Nikon, because I am a Nikon fan.
Secondly, what Ms. Smita is using is a nice cam, but P100 is the
higher version of the same.
Regards
Pankaj

--

[Balkar Arya]

Yes Pankaj Ji you are right P100 is also a good choice

[Smita Raskar]

Yeah i agree P100 is better than P90..my friend got it...sorry ...i just forgot abt it..but i never mean to misguide SORRY

[Smita Raskar]

Also trust me i have not seen message  in detail...in which  Dr Pankaj has already written abt P100 .....sorry

[Pankaj Kumar]

You dont have to be sorry Ms. Smita. P90 fr you was recommended by me
only long time back. At that time it was the best in its category, but
then Nikon released this new model P100.
There is nothing to be sorry about.
Regards
Pankaj

--

[Pankaj Kumar]

You dont have to be sorry Ms. Smita. P90 fr you was recommended by me
only long time back. At that time it was the best in its category, but
then Nikon released this new model P100.
There is nothing to be sorry about.
Regards
Pankaj

--

[Smita Raskar]

Yeah Pankaj, i do remember, i was so confused 

& then when you told me about P90, i got it & experienced that no other cam would be better in that budget, i love it.

Even now i got D90 & nikkor 60mm micro lens on your recommendation only and  results are stunning, i am very happy with it too 

you are right person to consult about camera :):)

[Muthu Karthick]

Dear all,

My view in Macro-photography goes better with Canon A-series (non-SLR) which starts from 6000 INR, but the limitation is you cannot take long-shots in macro (flowers in trees). The other Cameras hardly render good Macro results in or slightly higher the budget of Canon A-series. 

As Pankaj sir said, camera performance depends on budget.

--
Muthu Karthick, N
Care Earth Trust

#15, second main road,

Thillai ganga nagar,
Chennai - 600 061

Mob: 0091 96268 33911
www.careearthtrust.org

[Pankaj Kumar]

I just realised that there is a new model Canon SX30is available in
the market. But the lens configuration is 4.5 - 150 though it claims
to have 35x zoom, the magnification would just be 1.5x hence you are
at your own risk if you are buying this camera :)), though it may have
good functions, it will not be good for wildlife photography and with
so less magnification, you have a better option of Nikon P100.
Also remember that Nikon will soon release another cam to compete with
SX30is, so you may like to wait.
As for macro, this camera has good zero cm macro. If you have good
light then it gives good results. I checked it today itself.
Pankaj

[Balkar Arya]

Dear Pankaj  Ji

What was the price

--

[Pankaj Kumar]

As I had informed before about SX30IS and said Nikon will soon release
a new model against it. So finally within a week it is out. Nikon came
out with COOLPIX P300 and P500.
I will try to compare them on a separate thread.

Dear Balkar sir, the price is somewhere around 26,000 for SX30IS and
P300 as well as P500 will also be available in similar price. Both
have good macro of around 10cm.

Regards
Pankaj