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Post by breeze on Jul 21, 2015 12:07:19 GMT
So if we were to see you in person, you would look backward to us?
I'd like to know what the three cameras are, and how the two of you with the casual grip manage to get such good photos. I'm asking seriously.
I can see how htmb gets results, using a firm grip, but you two wagglers have me baffled. kerouac is only using one hand! Daring!
Zen and the art of photography--some of us have it, some don't. And I may never get it.
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Post by htmb on Jul 21, 2015 12:41:46 GMT
Breeze, I've watched the other two as they've taken photographs and believe they have each developed their own individual techniques through intensive trial and error, but I can only speak for myself.
My current camera is a Panasonic LUMIX FZ70. It is a bridge camera with a super long lens. It's great for taking outdoor photos at long distances. It's really super for wildlife photography and for pictures of people at a distance. However, it has a smaller sensor so is not very good for indoor use, particularly in a place like the Palais Garnier. I was looking for a camera with a viewfinder, and I use that feature 99% of the time.
I typically use two hands when taking photos, but I was only shooting with my right hand to photograph our first view of the Tour de France riders because it was pouring rain and my left hand was holding my umbrella. I was pleased with how those pictures turned out, and I would have to mark it up to familiarity with the camera and practice, practice, practice, because that photo event happened exceptionally fast. Of course, it's also critical you be able to hold a camera steady.
I'm preparing to start using my little Panasonic without a view finder again for an upcoming trip, and I am sure my initial photos will not be very good. I'm hoping that all will smooth out as I get back into practice.
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Post by breeze on Jul 21, 2015 13:37:13 GMT
htmb, I am even more impressed. Have to be brief since someone else needs the computer (thinks he owns it). I'll get back to this, but thank you.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 21, 2015 18:51:59 GMT
Breeze, my camera doesn't weigh very much, so it's quite easy to use one-handed to take pictures on the fly. Also, my camera & many others "hold" their focus, allowing the user to follow a subject & not have to take the photo immediately. There is also that handy-dandy anti shake function -- a godsend. My camera has a feature that can be set to automatically grab four pictures in low light & combine them for the best image. One of its claims to fame is that it takes pretty good low light pics. Could be better, in my opinion. One of its non-advertised virtues that I love is that it's not a "glare grabber", which both of my Panasonic point&shoots were. Finally, it is quite decent in reproducing true colors. One last desirable point for me is that it looks like any old cheap piece of crap -- no reason for anyone to try to snatch it. But when you're holding it, you can feel the quality. The little darling is a Sony rx100. There are four generations of the Sony rx. when I bought mine, both the rx100 and the rx100II were available, but the 100 was getting the higher reviews. www.engadget.com/products/sony/cyber-shot/dsc-rx100/
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2015 20:15:59 GMT
Breeze, my camera is a Lumix TZ40. It is the smallest one I could find at the time with the strongest zoom. New models now exist, even with a viewfinder.
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Post by fumobici on Jul 22, 2015 0:51:29 GMT
Hmmm. I'm still making due with my tiny Canon Elph. Bixa, your panorama from the Galeries Lafayette rooftop is magnificent. I couldn't take that photo though with my Elph. The geeks agree the RX is the best pocket camera but I'm looking at the Canon S120 which a little smaller (I'm not rational here, I really prize small in cameras). The S120 looks pretty cheesy too for a nice camera, my old Elph with its satin anodized aluminum body looks classier, and I too like a plain unassuming looking camera.
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Post by breeze on Jul 22, 2015 3:05:16 GMT
Tonight Amazon has kindly taken back another camera; this time it's the one they sent me to replace the first one. I could not manage to take good photos with the first one, but the second one had the same problem as the first so I figured I must be the problem. Over the past two months I became a student of this particular camera. I have the stacks of printouts to prove it. I have taken 800 lousy photos, pestered people who are better photographers than I am to try out my camera, gone online to a helpful board that specializes in Sony cameras, and called the Sony alpha team several times and emailed them sample photos. Finally, seeing bixa's photos of the Palais Garnier and Galeries Lafayette taken with the same camera convinced me that I was not solely at fault. Amazon was very reasonable.
Tomorrow I go camera hunting with the short list of cameras that you all have recommended above.
Not that there's a camera store in this area anymore. I may resort to Best Buy.
Thanks for sharing your information and inspiring me.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 23, 2015 20:10:04 GMT
Fumobici, thanks so much! I have to say, the panorama on the computer looks even better. I guess Flickr compresses the images somewhat. Have you used Snapsort? Sometimes their calls are arguable, but it sure helps narrow down the choices: snapsort.com/compare/Canon-PowerShot-S120-vs-Sony-Cybershot-DSC-RX100 <-- that link compares the Canon you're looking at and my little Sony. Here is the main page of the site: snapsort.com/compare Still, I can't imagine you'd get a bad picture with the Canon, and that really small size is certainly compelling. The smaller the camera, the less dithering about whether or not to should bring it along. Wow, Breeze -- you had the Sony rx100 & it didn't work out?! I have a friend who won the Sony nex-7 in a photo competiton, , but even so, covets my little rx100. I wonder if there was a run of bad ones. I do edit my pictures, or at least check to see if they need some editing, but feel that my little workhorse pumps out pictures that need minimal editing at most. Do you think editing would have helped the problems you were having, or were the results too bad to be fixed?
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Post by breeze on Jul 23, 2015 21:39:52 GMT
Bixa, I have such faith in your taste in cities, food, traveling companions, pets, plants, and cameras that yesterday I wound up ordering the RX100 again, but this time from a different major retailer. As you suggest, there may have been a run of bad ones and I'm hoping that by switching from international retailer A to national retailer B I'll find a different run of cameras.
Just in case, I'm improving my phone camera skills, but I so hope that the soon-to-arrive RX100 will be The One.
Most of my photos were beyond help. I sure hope it ain't me that's the problem.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 23, 2015 21:51:30 GMT
*gulp* Well, I sure hope I haven't led you astray, Breeze! And that was an awfully sweet thing to say ~ thank you!
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Cameras
Jul 24, 2019 16:55:15 GMT
via mobile
Post by mickthecactus on Jul 24, 2019 16:55:15 GMT
As I’m sure you know I am not a technophile. My pictures are taken with either my phone or Kindle Fire and I’m not that happy with them.
I would like an inexpensive camera that takes good pictures of my plants but most importantly good close ups and simple to operate.
Suggestions?
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Post by kerouac2 on Jul 24, 2019 17:09:24 GMT
I am a Lumix fan. Bixa is a Sony fan. Good enough?
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Cameras
Jul 24, 2019 17:38:30 GMT
via mobile
Post by mickthecactus on Jul 24, 2019 17:38:30 GMT
I am a Lumix fan. Bixa is a Sony fan. Good enough? What do you reckon? 🙃
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Post by lugg on Jul 24, 2019 18:02:30 GMT
Lumix all the way for me . but I am a creature of habit and I stick with what I know.
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Post by kerouac2 on Jul 24, 2019 18:35:45 GMT
I have bought about 5 Lumix cameras over the years, but I do know their weak point -- dust in the lens. I suppose that if you are super careful, use a camera case and never keep your camera out in questionable conditions, you might never have a problem. I took at least two of my Lumix cameras in for a complete cleaning just before the 2-year guarantee expired with brilliant results. And then I allowed them to deteriorate over time.
I have no idea if the Sony cameras -- or other brands -- have the same problems.
I do not really take care of what I buy.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jul 24, 2019 18:48:22 GMT
I have a little lumix DMC-TZ5 that I've had since about 2009, I love it and used it constantly for years producing many reasonable photos if I say so myself. Hubby bought me the newer model ?TZ10 but I didnt get on with it...a couple of years ago I bought a Cannon Power Shot SX700HS which i initially loved but am now 'going off it'.
My problems are largely to do with editing my photos...so it could be the latest version of photo editing on Windows 10....
I need to re-read my manual I think. I've been fiddling with the buttons on the camera and seem to have ended up with rubbish photos...it's probably all my own fault.
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Post by mossie on Jul 24, 2019 19:33:39 GMT
My first Lumix was a TZ5, a super little camera. I never fiddle with the settings, the knob is welded in the IA position and the little Jap inside the camera works it all out and sets it correctly every time.
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Post by lugg on Jul 24, 2019 19:39:10 GMT
Re editing Cheery - Bixa introduced me to PhotoScape - its really simple and I find effective.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 24, 2019 23:08:49 GMT
THANK YOU, Lugg! All those people who won't take my word about Photoscape might listen to you! Mick, I've had a couple of Lumixes and I would say they do take dazzling closeups. It's kind of funny, because I think everyone is attracted to them because of their zooms, but they are really reliable with closeups. I'd say I reliably got better closeups with my Lumixes than I do with my Sony. One of those Lumixes did get dust inside, too. Whether or not that's the camera you want depends on how picky you are. I like my Sony because it really captures detail and is more likely to record true colors. I don't like that it's overpriced because of a bunch of bells and whistles I don't care about (why do I want wifi on my camera?). I absolutely love that it has a viewfinder. However, when I compare my pictures from the first generation rx100 to my pictures from the present rx100, the first generation did turn out some very impressive pictures, if I do say so. Still, the newer one makes better pictures. You can be the judge. This is page three from the Candelaria thread. The pictures on page three were taken with my first Sony. The pictures on page four were taken with the newer one. Same environment, capturing the same kinds of things. To me page four is absolutely better. anyportinastorm.proboards.com/thread/3502/mexico-la-candelaria?page=3I have two things against the Lumixes. One is that they can sometimes capture too much glare. The other is that they can be iffy about capturing colors accurately. Both of those problems can usually be gotten around, either while taking the picture or while editing. Mossie loves Panasonic, and he is a real photographer who learned from the ground up.
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Post by fumobici on Jul 25, 2019 2:45:19 GMT
My old Canon still takes nice snaps, although I suppose it's "obsolete" now. I chose it because it was the smallest quality P&S camera made, and you can focus with a ring on the lens, which is perfect for close-ups. A camera *must* slip in and out of my front jeans pocket easily. Then I look at everything else. Same reason I got an Apple SE phone: TINY. It's got a decent camera too — takes 4K video.
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Post by mossie on Jul 29, 2019 11:28:54 GMT
THANK YOU, Lugg! All those people who won't take my word about Photoscape might listen to you! Mossie loves Panasonic, and he is a real photographer who learned from the ground up. I am not a real photographer please, I am just a casual snap shotter who happens to capture the moment. What did one of the old timers, Cartier Bresson?, say. See this, I never noticed the interaction between the vendor and the little girl until I put this up on the computer screen
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Post by kerouac2 on Jul 31, 2019 14:34:32 GMT
So, I received my new camera today (DMC-TZ90). It's a little bit fatter than my previous one, and as is too often the case, I saw once again that the battery is incompatible with the batteries of my other cameras. Among different brands, I can almost understand this, but I find it pretty shitty for the same company to do it among its own similar models (I'm sure they have excuses like "this battery is 7% more powerful than the other one."). This arrived with a special universal adaptor (even more complicated than the British to European adaptors), as the charging cable had weird prongs that I had never seen before. A lengthy Google search finally informed me that the basic prongs were Chinese, which I should have guessed immediately. Luckily, just like the other chargers, all you have to do is pull out the USB plug and stick it in any other charger, so now I have yet another adaptor that I will probably never use until I go to China (and not just Hong Kong or Macau) -- and even so, probably most tourist hotels in China have sockets that I could use without the adaptor.
I'll probably test the camera tomorrow. Today I am still wary of it.
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Post by lugg on Jul 31, 2019 18:52:50 GMT
Happy snapping K2' I think that despite the changing battery / charging details you may find you find it quickly comfortable as the controls of Lumix ( at least with the ones I have owned ) tend to follow on logically from one model to another . That is a really great photo Mossie
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Post by kerouac2 on Jul 31, 2019 19:01:21 GMT
I admit that one battery has normally been enough for me for a full day, even on a photo intensive day. But every now and then I have had a camera shut down due to an exhausted battery -- always my fault for not having charged it earlier. In my previous Lumix, the battery life was exceptional. I hope that the same holds true for the new one.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 31, 2019 20:45:06 GMT
I have to say that I'm the teensiest bit suspicious of someone who thinks he needs a 90x zoom. What the hell are you snooping taking pictures of?
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Post by kerouac2 on Jul 31, 2019 21:53:56 GMT
Pollinators?
I am waiting for news of my ruined camera whose estimate I refused. No word yet of when I will get it back.
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Post by rikita on Aug 24, 2019 7:53:54 GMT
no idea what 90x zoom is, but isn't that the same as a telelens? then you'd need it for photos of animals, the moon, and other things you can't just get close to ...
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 24, 2019 15:17:28 GMT
Rikita, I believe a telelens is a separate lens that is attached to a camera, whereas the multi-x Panasonics have the zooms built in.
Fabulous photograph!
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Aug 25, 2019 7:50:44 GMT
I'm interested in how you get on with the new camera Kerouac...thinking of going along to the local camera shop...
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Post by bjd on Aug 25, 2019 8:13:21 GMT
Before I bought my latest camera, I spent some time on the internet, googling things like "best compact camera with zoom" or whatever. There is a lot of information out there. Then when I went to the camera shop (yes, I did not buy it online), I knew a bit more about what I wanted and could ask for specifics and information from the person in the store.
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