Point and Shoot Fun

Took the point and shoot out for a fun little test run. All kinds of situations, different lighting etc. It is generally pretty nice and the color is vibrant but I found it makes crazy decisions about shutter speed and f stops. Never the less it's non too shabby:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/...00f90fb094.jpg

very nice! What P&S do you have?

P&S cameras can be great because they are so much easier to drag around.

Judging from the Flickr page the camera is a "Panasonic DMC-ZR1"

More point and shoot fun. On my way home today I noticed someone had hung their laundry on their balcony and it was all red! Ha! So I took a couple of photos of that plus a few more of red stuff. When I got home I made a mosaic and filled in a couple of spots with photos I had.

The Panaosonic Lumix has a model similar to Marko's Canon G11. Mine is a level down from that because I wanted a really slim, portable camera. It is just for fun. Sometimes if you are out and you see something you want to photograph but no have camera with you, you can take a couple of shots with the P&S and get an idea how they will work out with the big or perhaps you just see something red and irresistable.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/...a1840671_b.jpg

Taken with the Panosonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 -focal length equivalent to 135 mm.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/...be21f71e_b.jpg

Focal length equivalent of 190 mm


I made these quite large so everyone could have a good look at them. They have had a contrast boost/punch in LR and that is all. Not too shabby, but as Marko said in his podcast, you will not learn to take good photos with one of these cameras. They are handy and a non-photograher can get good results as well just by simply holding the camera steady!

The point and shoots on today's market are getting pretty darned good. I think anyone writing them off as a capable tool for learning basics or capturing good (even publishable, depending on the model) images is generalizing a bit too much.

I think for learning basics of composition, at least, you could use either a P&S or SLR. And timing is such a key element of good photography that this popular phrase "the best camera in the world is the one you have with you" carries some serious weight.

I just listened to an older podcast last night that was an interview with Michael Freeman, and got a bit of a kick at how he feels the gear is overprioritized (if that's a word) and how he tires of hearing from non-photographers comments like "wow that's an expensive looking camera, it must take great pictures".

The image quality in those photos looks quite good to me, Raiven. And cool collage. My point and shoot is nowhere near that level (a Samsung i6) but it fits in my pocket and my wife usually has it in her purse when we go anywhere. We've captured some nice moments with it.

I admit I'm "guilty" of liking to have a selection of good tools and more control though, but there's still a place for simple and compact.