The advice often given to first time birding camera buyers is, “Get the best camera you can afford.” As with most simplistic answers, that one contains just enough truth to be dangerous. A more useful answer would be a return question like, “What do you intend to use the camera for?” Different situations benefit from different equipment. Birding covers so many diverse activities from sitting on a patio watching the backyard feeder to an Antarctic expedition observing penguins. What you intend to do with the camera will determine which is best for you. While cost is an indicator of quality, a more expensive camera might not be the most appropriate for a particular need.
Bird photography requirements
There are a couple of generic requirements that a good birding camera must fulfill. A birding camera needs a lens with strong magnification. Getting close to birds is difficult and you will need a lens capable of capturing a good image at a distance that won’t spook your subjects. Ignore the 3X or 5X rating on cameras. It is a relative measure that gives little objective basis for comparison. More useful is the focal length. On digital cameras that is normally stated as either effective focal length or 35 mm equivalent focal length. Those measurements compare the magnification to what a 35 mm camera would offer. As digital camera sensors essentially magnify the actual focal length of a camera anywhere from 1.5 yo 2 times, the effective or 35 mm focal length measurement gives a standard for comparison. Consumer camera lenses that offer 450 mm – 600 mm effective focal lengths are good choices.