PHOTOGRAPHIC THREADS: camera queries, any photo tech stuff!

[FrazerHenderson]

As I don't want to lug about an SLR combination on trips up hills I'd welcome some advice on the most appropriate camera that I could slip into a pocket and yet take some decent photographs  to illustrate habitat as focusing down to macro level for detail.

I had a Canon IXUS 750 which produced reasonable pictures but alas was thirsty in its battery use and never seemed to reproduce well red and blue hues. It did however have reasonable macro capabilities.

Grateful if someone could advise on best for flower/habitat shots. When I've been into the likes of Jessops the sales pitches focus on features that I don't think I'll need such as video. I simply want something that can provide a good degree of definition, long battery life, macro and widish angle and can be easily transported. Thanks

[David Nicholson]

Just taken delivery of a new camera today, Sony DSC HX400V. I'd had my Fuji S5700 for nearly ten years and haven't they got complicated since then? It will take me for ever to remember what all the function icons on the various screens mean. I did think if I asked it to nip downstairs and get me a glass of something warming it might just do it!

[Graeme]

Just taken delivery of a new camera today, Sony DSC HX400V. I'd had my Fuji S5700 for nearly ten years and haven't they got complicated since then? It will take me for ever to remember what all the function icons on the various screens mean. I did think if I asked it to nip downstairs and get me a glass of something warming it might just do it!

Zeiss lense - nice - its got GPS as well so it knows where you are..............
Got another Nikon bridge about 18 months ago and it took me a week to look throught the various menu's - 99.8% of it I have never used
Enjoy

[David Nicholson]

I shan't be troubling either the Wireless or the GPS 'departments'. I think the trouble is that manufacturers try to lash-in so much new stuff just to appeal to the technophobes out there (and thus sell more new cameras) that much of what is there becomes unnecessary to the typical user and unintelligible to the likes of me. I tried to get the cheaper version without GPS and wireless but it wasn't available.

Although this is a bit bigger than my old Fuji I did want something that was a bit 'chunky'. Although many of the Compacts would be just as equal to my limited needs they do seem to get smaller (there go the technophobes again). I'm sure to have spread something that would fit into my shirt pocket all over the greenhouse floor, or drop it in the garden.

[Steve Garvie]

But aren't you a technophobe?

Just think, if you misplace your new camera you can send it an email and ask where it is.

[David Nicholson]

But aren't you a technophobe

No one is further from being a technophobe than I am Steve. Only this morning it cost me £25 to have a light bulb changed in the oven.i spent nearly two hours yesterday trying to get the lens cover off with no success.

Today I spent a couple of hours bemoaning the fact that my new camera had no macro programme before I found that provided it's on 'auto' the lens is good enough to get within a centimetre of the source without the need for a special programme.

[Maggi Young]

David -  try  the dick and harry for  technophile ........

[David Nicholson]

Ahhhhhhhh! Got me 'phobes' and me 'philes' in a twist. It's an age thing of course.

[Maggi Young]

Not to worry, David - it could have been worse! 

[David Nicholson]

It could have, me elastic could have gone as well

[David Nicholson]

The weather being what it is I haven't had any opportunity to play outside with my new camera (Sony DSC HX400V Bridge Camera). Readers may have seen that there is no dedicated macro programme on the camera. There are three distinct Auto programmes; Programme Auto which sets aperture and shutter speed; Superior Auto, shoots auto while reducing blurring and noise, and Intelligent Auto which identifies the scenes characteristics and settings and shoots accordingly.

Today the kitchen acted as a studio with some house plants lined up as subjects. I used the Intelligent Auto referred to above, the camera was hand-held and no flash was used. The lighting was as may be found in anyone's kitchen on a darkish January day. The settings came out as 1/60  F3.2  ISO 80.

Some results below, others on the following post.

Cyclamen 2 shot as close I could get without touching the petals. Out of focus a bit on the petal nearest the camera but it was hand-held?
Iris 1, I thought the standards nearest to the window were a little out of focus.

[David Nicholson]

Final three>

[Yann]

I'm still undecided to change of camera. I own olympus E-M1, 5 and the nice XZ-2. I'm in love with the olympus colors for several years. The E-M5 give similar results compared to the compact XZ-2, i use it with a 12-50mm/macro and a 45mm. To be honest the 45mm is sharper than the XZ-2 lens. The E-M1 is pretty well design but again i don't see so much difference in the photos compared to the E-M5 switching the same lenses.

When i look at Steve's photos shooted with a 7D and a 100mm plus his talent, i should say let's sell on all the m4/3 cameras.
But there's a but, i don't want to carry heavy bags during treks.

So after hours of reading forums and blog i found that Fuji camera looks like a good compromise.

Does anyone of you already photograph with a X-T1 or T10? any advice is welcome.

[David Nicholson]

Wow Yann you're wayyyyyyyy above my price range.

[Yann]

They were all bought second hands for 1/3 of the street price.. don't worry