Now and then, someone asks (this time my buddy Russ) what kind of camera I use, so
here it is.
First, anytime you ask someone how they like their camera,
car, or any gadget they have, their answer is likely to be influenced by how
well that device suits their particular needs, their mission. If the fit is good, then I think the answer
you get will always be more positive.
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Photo by Mark W. Laughlin
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I use a Canon SX20 IS, which I think I got
in Summer 2011. The main features I went
looking for in a camera were:
·
Flip-Out
Display: I wanted the rear display
to hinge out and rotate, so you can hold the camera high overhead (like when in
a crowd), and still see what’s in the viewfinder, by angling it down, or you can
angle it up, and place the camera down on the ground. I find both of those angles quite handy, but
also will steady the camera against a tree or pole for night shooting (as I was
doing for fireworks just recently), and by angling the display, I can see
what’s up while holding the camera in just about any odd position.
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Photo by Mark W. Laughlin
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·
Zoom
Lens: The SX20 IX has a 20x Optical
Zoom, which is quite handy. I sometimes
think I use up the majority of battery power zooming in and out, because you
can’t always walk up to, or back away from, a subject nearly as easily as
zooming in or out. The SX20 IS also has
4x Digital Zoom, but in general I try not to get into the digital, because you
are quickly trading-off zoom for resolution (I don’t think any of the shots on the
blog have used the digital zoom). I used
to own a full-bore SLR camera, and had an assortment of lenses. But, I always felt that I was carrying too
much crap around, always had the wrong lens on and wanted to change, etc. The SX20 IS has enough zoom that I can get
along just fine for what I generally need, with just its one fixed lens. I would like to take more super-close, or
super-zoomed photos, but that isn’t my current mission, or the mission I
selected the SX 20 IS for.
·
4 x AA
Batteries: I wanted a power supply
that can last all day, and one that does not involve a “special” battery that I will have to go pay $50 bucks for to
replace, or worse, one that I will find unavailable one day in the future, and
have the inability to find a battery cause me to scrap a camera. Some cameras have 2 x AA’s, but I wanted
4. Also, I like the “fatter” end of the
camera where the batteries go, because that fits my hand just right. Most of the time, I am shooting during
daylight, so without flash, I can probably get 400 or so images on the
rechargeable AA’s that I use, and I carry a second charged set along with me
anytime I expect a lot of use. AND, I
can pop into any store, just about anywhere in the world, and get 4 normal AA
batteries if I need them. So, I have no
issues needing to plug in the camera and charge it, I very rarely can’t shoot
for lack of power.
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Photo by Mark W. Laughlin
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·
SD Card: I find the easiest way to get photos off my
camera is to pull out the SD card and stick it into the SD port on my little
computer. Of course, I also have a cable
so I can plug the camera into a USB port, which is handy because my office
computer doesn’t have an SD slot, I don’t use it as a back-up often, but now
and then I need to. SD’s are available
in several Gig sizes, and even the 32 gigs are not so expensive anymore. I use 8 gigs that I've had for a while, and
they suit me fine. Micro-SD’s may be the
coming thing, but then I’d have to have an adapter to fit into my
computer. If I were shopping for a
camera today, I would likely stick with SD’s.
·
Portability: Finally, I must have great portability. My current situation is full of compromises
when it comes to taking photos, I just have to grab whatever time I can find
and take advantage of it as best I can.
The only way I can do that, is to have a camera that I can easily carry
with me wherever I go. For me, most of
the time, that means on business, and for that, I virtually always carry a
brief case. Whenever I power it off, the
SX20 IS automatically retracts the lens to minimum length. It’s only 4 inches (100mm) back to front, and
4.75 inches (120mm) long, and fits just perfectly in the corner of the front
pocket of the briefcase. I suppose my lugging
it around with no special care for 3 full years now is proof of its durability.
·
Cell
Phone: Sure, sometimes I use
it. My current phone takes rather vivid
12mp photos. But, cell phones tend to
have only digital zoom, so as I described above, that presents limits. Still, its handy for taking quick shots and
instantly zipping them off to folks.
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Photo by Mark W. Laughlin
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The SX20 IS also takes videos pretty quick and easy, but I
don’t do too much with videos at the moment, so that’s not a big priority.
Ok, that may be TMI for some folks, but that’s what I carry
and why.
Y’all take care,
- Mark
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Photo by Mark W. Laughlin
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