Monday, May 29, 2006

Digital Question

Never one to follow fads, buy something new "just because," or throw out working equipment, now it looks like I'm going to have to take a very traumatic plunge.

go digital?

My camera, which isn't all that old, is giving me trouble. There are times I click on just the most perfect shot....and nothing happens. So I click and click again.

I've taken some gorgeous pictures with that camera, which have been sold and hung as art. Not to brag, but I am a good photographer. I waste very little film, but recently, I've been wasting more, since it's not working well. Also, I discovered that I don't have the focus flexibility I really need. It's great for landscapes, distance etc, but it's not the perfect camera for getting photographing the grandchildren. Now, tell me, what's more important, the sunrise or Hallelie and Porat's smiles?

Now for the problems:
  • I don't like the quality of digital prints.
  • the time-lag when shooting with the digital is toooo loooong
  • composing via the mini-screen is difficult for middle-aged eyes
  • and the view-finder isn't all that comfortable to use
  • there are too many small pieces and stages to worry about, like those little memory chips and the battery power
  • so it's harder to be spontaneous and just keep my camera in a bag to be pulled out whenever
  • I'll have to learn a whole new system to use on the computer, instead of just handing the film to the guy in the shop

So, if you have some recommendations for me, please don't be shy. I need all the help I can get.

4 comments:

Ezzie said...

Go with a Canon Powershot A520 (my biased opinion). $200, incredible pics, and if you turn off the red eye, fast picture-taking. Since you can remove the red-eye with any free software, it's no big deal.

Ezzie said...

$200 at full price, by the way. You can get it from OfficeMax for that with a printer thrown in, and many people have nice coupons for OM.

Sarah Likes Green said...

you can get some pretty good quality prints these days. i sent off a batch in the bag that we got on the plane with a cheap deal and i was pleased with the results. any enlargements though, it's better to find a digital printing lab and they can do a certain type of print that is basically the same quality as traditional glossy photo prints. you probably couldn't tell the difference if you had two side by side.

Batya said...

Ezzie, thanks for the recommendations. How's the viewfinder? I don't like using the screen, totally different visual sensation. where are the stores?

Sarah, I can tell the difference too often; maybe it's just more primitive technology.

Or does it mean that the camera is at fault?