30
Dec 12

Four Cameras, Four Photos

The setup - A single LED lamp, a sheet of glass, and a backdrop.

The setup – A single LED lamp, a sheet of glass, and a backdrop.

I’ve been wanting to do this for a while; a simple comparison of the four different cameras I have. The old adage goes, “It’s not the camera, it’s the photographer”. While I am a gadget junkie and love the latest and greatest equipment, I agree with the old adage. A sense of composition, a good eye, and patience make the photo. Sure a good camera is of great benefit, but an amazing photo can be created with most any camera… even a throwaway camera.

What prompted me to write this article is my father-in-law’s announcement that he purchased a Canon DSLR camera from QVC last night. He already owns a couple point-and-shoot cameras and has no idea how to transfer photos from the camera to his laptop, much less print them. He can’t seem to remember how to look at his photos on the camera itself either. He loves technology, but doesn’t have or understand the skill needed to use it. I feel bad for him.

When I asked him why he bought the new DSLR, he told me that he wants to be able to shoot photos like mine. After some discussion, I told him it’s probably way too much camera for him to handle and suggested he cancel the order. I don’t think he will though… he told me that he thinks that I can teach him to use it. I don’t mind trying, but experience tells me that it’ll be a lifelong vocation.

So, I decided to shoot a few photos and show him the differences between four different cameras.

I have a Canon Rebel Xsi, an entry level DSLR camera with which I’ve shot nearly 20,000 photos. I also have a Canon PowerShot SX200IS, a point-and-shoot camera that has a history of about 1800 photos. The third camera is a Nikon CoolPix L120… my least favorite point-and-shoot camera with less than 150 photos. Finally, I have my iPhone 4s, which I use quite often. The iPhone camera has at least 1500 photos to it’s credit.

Here are the four photos. All are straight out of the cameras, SOOC, no post processing at all.

Canon Rebel Xsl DSLR

Canon Rebel Xsl DSLR


Canon PowerShot SX200IS Point-and-Shoot

Canon PowerShot SX200IS Point-and-Shoot


iPhone 4s

iPhone 4s


Nikon CoolPix L120 Point and Shoot

Nikon CoolPix L120 Point and Shoot

The verdict? In my opinion, the first three photos are very acceptable for an amateur photographer. If I had to choose, I’d use the second shot from the Canon PowerShot SX200IS for printing. If I were to do some post processing, the DSLR photo has purer whites and would be a good candidate. Th iPhone camera is pretty amazing… I use it a lot because it’s just so handy and it is a decent camera. The colors are typically a bit washed out, so I’ll use an app to tweak the hue and saturation if needed.

Even the Nikon point-and-shoot camera could produce some great photos. Although there are several settings for different conditions, there are no controls for setting aperture, shutter speed, or ISO, the three settings that make or break a photograph.

All in all, I believe that you can take an outstanding photo with any camera.


28
Dec 12

Kennedy Center Honors 2012 – Led Zeppelin


27
Dec 12

“Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros…

I’d forgotten all about this wonderful gem of a short story by Sandra Cisneros. I loved it the first time I read it and even more now.

The timid yet insightful narrator, eleven year old Rachel, has wisdom beyond her years, but also realizes that experience comes with age. Her understanding of the difficulty of growing up is fascinating as well as enlightening. Enjoy!

Eleven

Please click HERE for the full text!


14
Dec 12

Bartlett Pear – Project Flickr: 50/52 Still Life

I love to photograph pears! For whatever reason, I think they’re one of the most sensual foods on earth. And I get to eat them after the photo session!

I shot this on a sheet of glass painted espresso brown on the back side. The backdrop is a simple piece of black fleece.

I lit it with a single 60W daylight LED lamp on a dimmer. I’d say its dimmed to more like 15 or 20 watts.


14
Dec 12

“A Bunch of Crazy, Ignorant Fools”

Thom Hartmann interviews Bruce Bartlett, Historian/Domestic Policy Adviser to President Ronald Reagan/Treasury official under President George H. W. Bush. Bartlett writes for New York Times, Financial Times, Fiscal Times, and Tax Notes magazine. This man is an old school Republican who realizes what the Tea Party really is: a bunch of crazy, ignorant fools.

Part 1/2

Part 2/2


14
Dec 12

A Whale of a Photo…

This is one very amazing photo…

Click on it for full size.


09
Dec 12

Fire!

I just think this is neat…


06
Dec 12

Left, Right… no… Right, Left…


02
Dec 12

Moochers…