chuckography

"I can just walk up closer..."

All of you who have large cameras (known as SLRs in the trade - a single lens reflex), forgive me for being so excited.

My newest small digital Point-and-Shoot camera now has a terrific zoom lens.

For the last 10 years, each of my P/S cameras had to fit in my shirt pocket.

I now have bought a 5th one. The Canon Power Shot sx260HS.

It is the same size as a deck of cards, as were the others, but the last 3 years have seen a lot  of advances in technology.

This one has a 20x optical zoom.

In 35 mm camera terms, that means the lens starts with a fine 25 mm wide angle and can zoom out to a 500 mm telephoto lens.

Yikes.

My current camera - the Canon S90 - has been my workhorse since December 2009.

It has tons of nice features but the longest lens I have had zoomed only 3.8x.

Today, while testing my newbie, I found a setting for "fish eye lens" effect. This could be fun.

Reading the manual (online, a printed booklet no longer is shipped with cameras) I see this Smart Camera has a sensor that analyzes the scene.

It has 52 different ways to handle it when it is being used on AUTOMATIC.

I may never go back to MANUAL settings ever again.

Over the years I felt I could always walk up closer to the subject I was taking pictures of and nixed the idea of needing a telephoto lens.

But often there's a limit to how far you can back up.

So a wide-angle lens was my first choice and preference.

For many, many years I had carried a heavy camera with different lenses for various situations.

I was a Marine Corps combat cameraman in the 1950s and had to carry a rifle, or a pistol,  in addition to my photo gear.

Later, during most of the 1960s, I was on the editorial staff for a major metro daily in San Diego. Still a photographer but no rifle now.

A "gadget bag" was draped over my shoulder filled with lenses, many 4x5 film holders (before 35 mm cameras), extra #5 and #11 flash bulbs and, later, a portable strobe flash unit and it's bulky battery.

Even before I was thinking retirement, I realized I didn't want to lug around such a heavy load.

Luckily, digital camera appeared.

My three film cameras were put away in a glass case.

(Click on the photos for more details.)

Caught the cat by surprise. She didn't even smile.

I was halfway across the room when I snapped her.

Wait till I check out the video High Definition 1080p capabilities of this mighty-mite camera.

Labels: 25mm to 500mm telephoto, Canon Power Shot sx260 HS, cat close up, cat smile, combat photographer, fish eye lens effect, HD 1080p video, newspaper staffer, SLRs, The Canon Store

posted by chuckography @ 6:39 PM