Topic: Steve's New Camera

[Skhilled (OP)]

Some of you may remember when I visited Mallie that I bought a new camera just for the occasion. I've been wanting one and then was as good a time as any. We already have 2 camera's...Lealer's (that I bought for her on a Xmas about 5 or so years ago.) and Tina's (about 1-2 years old). Well, both of those needed to be recharged and I didn't think about it until it was too late.  :innocent: So, I went out on my way to see Ken and Mallie and stopped in Best Buy's and bought this one:

Nikon CoolPix L22



This is actually a pretty cool camera, especially for the price! However, I felt rushed and crunched for time to make it on time for my visit and was having 2nd thoughts. So, yesterday I went took it back for an exchange...if I found something I liked better. since I just got paid, I figured I could spent a little extra, if needed.

I spent the better part of 1 1/2 hours in the store looking at the cameras and trying them out until I narrowed it down to the 2 I liked best. Because the staff was a bit shorthanded that day and there were a lot of customers, I had to wait for a really knowledgeable sales associate. I had nothing better to do atm, so I waited.

Turns out that his recommendation for what I wanted to spend and the features was not either of the 2 cameras that I had in mind. So, I ended up with a Canon PowerShot SX130 IS.



This camera is phenomenal!!! While looking at it in the store, I knew it was better than anything I've ever used. However, I had no idea of the vast array of features it had. It works very well in auto and easy modes, where the camera will make the best choices for you and will dummy the controls/features, respectively. There are so many settings just for the auto mode for any kind of situation that you could think of to take pics easily and achieve your desired results.

But in manual mode, you can highly fine-tune any kind of lighting or motion conditions with pinpoint accuracy. It'll probably take me a few months to really get used to all of the features enough to use them properly.  :hah:

[Ken]

Steve, that's a great looking camera and the specs are really impressive.  :2thumbs:

Now you just need to make a few nice pictures and post them for us to see.  :bigteeth:

[Lesmond]

Nice looking camera Steve, very professional looking too.

I have this kodak easyshare c140 easy to use, but not to big on specs..

    *  8.2 MP for prints up to 76 ? 102 cm (30 ? 40 in.) 3X optical zoom
    * 6.1 cm (2.4 in. ) LCD screen
    * Face detection
    * Easy upload to YouTube? or KODAK Gallery

 

 

[Skhilled (OP)]

Christina has one very similar to that one but I think hers is older. I know it doesn't have Face Detection.

EDIT: Wrong! It does have Face Detection and is very similar to yours with just a few minor differences. Doesn't say anything about youtube though:

http://www.camera-catalog.com/digitalcameras/manufactures/camera/kodak_m863

Went on a little hiking expedition yesterday with the kids to a wooded area and hiking/biking trail next to Penn State's Berk's Campus and again today with just Christina (tina14). Pics will be in the gallery when I finish editing them.

[Skhilled (OP)]

Just added a few pics here:

http://www.ourfamilyforum.org/FamilyForum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=myimages;u=142

More on the way...

[Ken]

 Great pictures Steve, thanks for sharing!  :2thumbs:

[Skhilled (OP)]

This camera has so many features that enhance almost every shooting mode you can think of. Now, I just have to remember to adjust for each one. Well, actually I don't have to remember because there is a setting that shows me all of the info I need about the picture I'm about to take and even more info like a histogram and image size for images that I've already taken. I just have to remember to turn it on and look. LOL

EDIT: The 2 features I like best are Color Accent and Color Swap. Color Accent allows you to point at a color (on anything) and will sample it just like in Photoshop or Paint.net. When you take the picture, the image will only show that color and leave everything else in the image black and white!

Color Swap does exactly what it says and will swap one color with another throughout the entire image! I'll post some samples later.

[Lesmond]

Great pictures Steve

[Skhilled (OP)]

Thanks, the more I play with it the more I'll get used to it.

[Skhilled (OP)]

Bought a new book today to help me get used to the manual functions.

I went back to the park and saw that large bird (about 2 1/2 - 3 feet tall) again...in the same spot! It probably nests there. It's a small spot over a river/creek bank. Maybe I'll try to hang out there tomorrow and see if I can get a better (closeup) shot of it. Here a pic of it:

[Ken]

Reading the manual and a little practice should help you to get really good with the new camera Steve. 

[Skhilled (OP)]

The manual has a lot of info but does not go into detail as much as I'd like on a few subjects. So, I've been watching YouTube vids and reading up on this site which has a lot of tutorials, photos, and very helpful people:

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/forums/

I've forgot to mention that I've also purchased a new book specifically for PowerShot camera. It does not contain my specific camera since the camera only came out in August but does contain a lot of the same info and features. So, it is very helpful indeed. My camera is so new that there is not even much other than the specs on the Canon site yet...or any other site. LOL However, those that have purchased it say that they love it.  riteon

[Skhilled (OP)]

I finally found out what that bird is! It is a blue heron. I actually got a better picture and more than that...I've also found it's mate.  :yahoo:





This image is part of the lovely path that runs along the river. Lots of people jog, walk or ride their bikes here. It runs for quite a few miles.  :08:

[Skhilled (OP)]

We went to Nolde Forest today. Here's a few pics.

This little fella was up high in a tree.


Here's a woodpecker that was directly over my head.


These next few shots are of the forest and a stream there.

[Ken]

Your pictures continue to improve Steve.  :2thumbs:

This last batch looks great, especially the forest and stream pics.


EDIT: I set this one as my desktop.  :bigteeth: