new equipment celebration thread

[jann1033]

not quite what i was hoping for

the ansco was my first camera, i had been laboring under the delusion it was a Kodak Brownie but evidently my parents were cheap, although it wasn't totally devoid of bells and whistles if you notice the button to switch from B&W OR color film the Kodak was my dad's camera that i remember him using on family occasions when i was little. not sure if it would work or if i could even get 620 film anymore but it might be fun to see.
anyone else have their old family photograhic heirlooms?

 

[DVC Jen]

I am soooo envious! Seriously I am.

So are you gonna play with them - or just look at them? I wouldn't have a clue about playing with them - but I would love to have a collection of old cameras.

 

[Rustysmom]

My mom has a camera that looks almost exactly like the one on the right and it took the 620 film too. It had a little door that you pulled up on the top to see the viewfinder I think. I think she has the old flash that kind of looos like the one in the picture that attached to it somehow. I remember putting the bulbs in.

I'm going to my mom's house tomorrow and I'll have to take a look at it. I took a lot of pictures with that thing when I was a kid.

 

[Master Mason]

I have some of my dad's old cameras... When I move I will get them out of the boxes they are currently in and put them on display, I'll take some pictures then.

 

[Gdad]

That's pretty cool- I found my first hand-me-down camera a while back- an old Argus C4 Rangefinder- took a few pictures of it but have not bought any film to take it for a spin yet.

Also have my old Canon AE-1 35mm on 'display' although not quite as interesting.

 

[wdwwishes]

The Canon 50D and I think I'm very excited. I decided it was time to move on from my Rebel xTi. I think this camera is going to be great. I was a little concerned with size and weight compared to the xTi but I don't think that's going to be an issue at all. Like the xTi, there's some features that I'll need to "grow into" but that's fun of it. Just had to a little happy dance here.

 

[Todd_H]

Congratulations!

The 50D is a great camera that will serve you well. Enjoy it and be sure to read the manual to get the most out of it.

 

[SrisonS]

Sweet!!!!! I hope you enjoy it. I've been thinking of getting a new camera myself. Money's sort of issue though. But I just have an S3 IS right now; and really wanna make the jump to a DSLR. But I want something that's gonna last me a good while......i don't have the most money in the world.

 

[jann1033]

congrats on the purchase. will be looking forward to seeing the results soon

 

[WillowBelle]

You will this camera!!! My DH bought me one for Christmas (and the battery grip for Valentines) and I am in hog-heaven. I upgraded from a Canon Rebel that I had for 6+ years. For me there was one heck-uva learning curve with the upgrade. I'm incredibly happy with the results that I've gotten with this camera. I can't wait to take it to WDW next month!

 

[praline3001]

My kids (with Daddy's help) bought me a new camera for mother's day
I already had an older powershot A570 Is ...this past year I have really started getting more into photography so I have found limitations with this old powershot. The DH and kids surprised me with (drum roll)
The powershot G10

I know not a DSLR but those things scare me LOL
I am a budding photographer and I like the powershots auto settings when I need it.
This new camera has more settings and gizmos then I know what to do with

I post here every once in a while but always feel shamed when I see some of the BEAUTIFUL photos you guys share!
I did have a few questions, if you wouldn't mind

1. Are there any books out that are easy to understand for the newer powershots? I have the owners manual but it isn't really all that clear for us beginners. I want to be able to use my new camera to its max but the owners manual confuses me LOL

2. My camera came with a neck strap. I am used to wrist straps BUT this camera has some weight to it and I am worried I will drop it in the parks (I am a bit clumsy) NOW if I use the neck strap AND a camera bag I will most likely choke myself with both straps around my neck
I was *thinking* a waist pack but I am not big on looking like a dork with a fanny pack
How do you guys take the bigger cameras in the park for the day?

3. The battery pack (I am coming from AA's) is very new to me. Best Buy doesn't carry my battery pack and I was told the only place I can find it is online (its a NB 7L)
The canon store sells it for 70 but I can get the same one on amazon for 47.... is there any difference here? Its a huge cost difference ~ I want to make sure the amazon one is *good*. What about off brands? Are there cheaper battery pack off brands that work just as good and won't mess my camera up?

4. How do you take a pic of pets without getting the green eye?! I keep practicing with my poor pets and they are about to seriously hurt me LOL the red eye reduction doesn't do any good. I tool the coolest picture of my cat but she had creepy eyes so I tried drawing them in but I suck at that
Here is the edited photo I took~ as you can see the eyeballs are even creepier than green eyes

5. Back to the battery pack ~ how long do they last? How many shots can I get out of a charge? I will play with it a bunch before our upcoming trip but I want to be able to gauge my limits here.

I have TONS AND TONS more but those are the basics as I just got it LOL

 

[ukcatfan]

1. Not specific on a camera model, but Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure" will help you venture out of auto.

2. If you want to stay with a neck strap, upgrade to something like an OP/Tech Pro Loop. When I used a hand strap on my Powershot models, I always twisted it around two or three times, so If I dropped the itself, it would need to untwist before actually falling. That would give me enough time to react.

4. Either use no flash, or get an external flash. Pet's eyes are worse than people, so you really have to get the flash as far away from the lens as possible.

 

[praline3001]

I just ordered the OP tech pro loop
Thanks so much for the suggestion!

I took one look at it and LOVE IT! My Ds has something similar for his sax and it works GREAT.

I like wrist straps but ..errr.... I am as clumsy as they come So I will feel safer with it around my neck...unless of course I trip and fall

I have been playing the exposure setting the G10 has .. not the greatest but I am trying!

I will keep trying with the pet eyes ~ my cats are 15 years old and don't move so they make great test subjects I didn't get an external flash for mother's day but there is always my birthday

 

[jrc-elpaso]

I have a Sony DSC-H7 and I lengthen the strap so it's long enough to wear across my body like I do my shoulder bag - more comfortable than around my neck.
You might want to check out a basic photography class. I took an on-line class last summer before we went to Alaska. From ed2go. Go to their website and check to see if their classes are given by a local college or university (the only way to take them). I took "Secrets of Better Photography" and learned a lot. 9 times out of 10 my camera is on AUTO but I've learned enough to use some of the more advanced features if I want to. I really like the settings like fireworks, etc.
The really great thing about digital is that you can go out and shoot a hundred pictures and it doesn't cost you a dime. So just get out there and practice and have fun.

 

[Angrypenguin]

Congratulations! The G10 is a wonderful Point and Shoot, really a point and shoot on steroids. Once you learn all the functions, you'll be ready for a DSLR in no time!

 

[praline3001]

The really great thing about digital is that you can go out and shoot a hundred pictures and it doesn't cost you a dime. So just get out there and practice and have fun.

I have taken 800 shots today ~ does that count as getting out there to practice?

I have also been doing a lot of reading from this site~
http://digital-photography-school.com/digital-photography-tips-for-beginners
And then applying what I learned ~ its A TON OF INFO and to be honest ~ too much to absorb at one time but I am learning!

Congratulations! The G10 is a wonderful Point and Shoot, really a point and shoot on steroids. Once you learn all the functions, you'll be ready for a DSLR in no time!

Those things still scare me. Don't get me wrong ~ I love taking pictures but I am much more about the composition and a complete doofus when it comes to the technical side of things
I am trying though ... I will say it is a MAJOR upgrade from my old point and shoot!

Here are a couple of shots I took that I like.
My DH's eyeball ~ he was sooo thrilled
He said something about sticking the camera somewhere but I just tuned him out!

My old dog~

Playing with the macro settings ~ a little more blurred than I was looking for ~ I need to get a tripod!

A dead magnolia bloom~ of course today I couldn't have any new blooms

Here I tried using the foliage setting on my Sago palm ~ I saw this type photo in the photo contest and wanted to try myself LOL ~ I don't think I care for the foliage filter as it looks a little TOO fake ~ maybe I just did it wrong?

 

[praline3001]

OK ~ I DID try the no flash low light situation for my cat.
I am having trouble with the high ISO grain VS cat terrified of a tripod
At least his eyes don't look like aliens LOL
I will keep trying ~ maybe if I use a little super glue to glue him down he would stop moving Cats are a lot harder to photograph than I thought

 

[YesDear]

You have a great camera there. My only suggestion is to slow down a little and pay particular attention to what the settings are for particular pictures. You will then begin to learn what gives you what response!

Also with 800 shots do not be afraid to delete the ones that are bad. I find some newer photographers do not want to get rid of anything.

 

[Amy]

praline3001 - you might want to order a Short Courses book for your camera. Here's a link: Canon G10. It really expands on the little info you get in the manual that came with your camera. I got the Short Courses book for my Canon S3IS a couple of years ago and it was the best investment I made in my camera. I recently got the SX10 IS, and I'll be ordering the Short Courses book for it, too.

 

[praline3001]

You have a great camera there. My only suggestion is to slow down a little and pay particular attention to what the settings are for particular pictures. You will then begin to learn what gives you what response!

That's is what I am starting to do this week while the kids are in school. Those first shots were because I just opened my present and all of those dials were like..err...calling my name to turn and push
This week I am going to focus on the macro setting. Here are the 2 best macro shots I took today: