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[confusedcious]

Crucifix Orchids... very pretty little things. I tried to take a close-up but was using the wrong camera for it and sadly they came out blurred. Might have another go later with the SLR so I can focus it myself. Stupid auto focus would briefly focus where I wanted it then insist on focusing on the shadecloth every. single. time.

Went to the ASO's 'Last Night of the Proms' tonight. It was fun. Saw various instrument bows used as balloon bats and cello spikes and the conductor's baton used for popping!

I'm right in the middle of a block of sixteen days with at least one shift a day at the moment... and very tired. So off to bed with me.

Comments

[deaddaze.livejournal.com]

What SLR/digital are you using? I'm in the market for a camera and always enjoy hearing people's opinions.

[confusedcious.livejournal.com]

I have a film Pentax MZ-60, which is great except for the light meter, which, as soon as you're not in full outdoor light, sucks. I don't use this much anymore though.

I use a Pentax K200-D (conveniently the body for this is compatible with the better lenses I had with the MZ-60, the lens that came with it is shit). It has a couple things I don't like - I can only turn the flash off in certain modes, which is utterly ridiculous, and you have to use the viewfinder, not the back screen to take photos (probably common to SLRs), but for the most part it gives good results and is pretty intuitive. I can't comment on the software that came with it, I mostly use Olympus Master because I like the results I get with it.

Whatever you get be prepared for starter lenses to sometimes be crap. I was lucky to have a higher quality dual lens set from the first SLR. I still want a dedicated macro lens badly... oh yeah. If you like macro it's definitely way better to have a lens capable of it - one of mine has a macro switch - than rely on the body's macro.

If you want any more of my observations just ask :)

[confusedcious.livejournal.com]

P.S. If you're not only looking at SLRs I have a Fujifilm S5800 - it's a few years old now but it really is a brilliant halfway camera - it's not a true compact nor an SLR. I take this when I'm travelling as an SLR is just a hassle if I'm backpacking.

[deaddaze.livejournal.com]

I had a Canon S5IS that is very similar in intent to that model and had trouble with the lens jamming (heavy glass in a plastic rail). Canon refuses to admit there is a problem with the design on this series and charges about 60% of the retail cost of the camera every time it needs fixed. I threw the camera away and have been leery of the 'bridge' cameras ever since (and refuse to buy canon anything).

How robust is it? Since you hike with it I guess it handles dirt and some jostling fairly well? I'm looking for another camera to take climbing with me and something like this would be much better for most of my outdoor adventures than a fullblown DSLR.

Thanks for the info! I had forgotten how wonderfully helpful you are.

[confusedcious.livejournal.com]

Though my precise model of bridge camera (had forgotten the word, ta) has never given me any real trouble I did have a spot of bother with it in Paris - had to keep restarting it for some odd reason. Taking out batteries and replacing. But now it's fine again, so it may have been the batteries. It's never been dropped a long distance but has been battered about a fair bit and still takes a good shot. I'd let you have a go if you were anywhere near here but...hey.

[deaddaze.livejournal.com]

I've got several older pentax lenses, so that's what I'm looking at. It's good to know that it is fairly intuitive. I'm eyeballing a kit that comes with either a 50-200mm or 55-300mm zoom, but I'm just not sure that I shouldn't get a normal starter kit and see what I can't make do with from my old lenses with it and purchase from there. I'll have to look at my old film Pentax is. I don't remember the model number.

[confusedcious.livejournal.com]

I have a 35-90mm and a 100-300mm that are both very good. I don't know what the other is, I used it briefly, changed to my older lenses and was blown away by the difference in quality of shot. I really, really, really want a proper macro lens though... but they're so damned expensive, and Pentax fittings are not actually very common here. Almost everything is Nikon.