One thing I'm liking about the mirrorless camera I'm renting (2 more days and it goes back) is how handy it is to have as, even with a telephoto lens, it fits easily in the pocket of my golf bag. The clouds today were pretty intriguing -- huge fluffy white clouds that looked like they were going to envelope the trees. Played my best round of the summer despite being more interested in finding potential photo ops!
Thank your for your comments on my abstract -- very much appreciated!
I love the layers of texture and colour here. As Sally says, maybe focusing on photography whilst playing helped you relax on your game. It's such a mental thing, golf!
@lynne5477 Hi Lynne -- good question re the camera. I have loved the small size, the light weight, the quality of the images (when the focus is under control). I have not liked at all the embedded menu system, the lack of easy access dials that make it hard to make decisions while in the midst of photographing, and the very slow recording of the image. The last part means that to get the focus working the way I want for a single image, if I'm tracking something moving, I have to stop, go into the menus, find the focus choices and figure out which one would be best, come back to the viewfinder to take the picture, which was moving, so now is gone. For what this cost to buy with the WA and telephoto lens only (no primes, just to have the range), it's like a fancy point and shoot that costs 4 - 5 times as much. I won't be buying this line, but I am now on a search to find the right mirrorless system for me. Apparently Fuji and Olympus are the other two major companies for now, and each line has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. I'll stay with my Nikon DSLR but for sure will rent each one I'm considering before purchasing. I REALLY wanted to like the Sony system and if I hadn't tried it out, except in the camera store, I suspect I'd have purchased and then regretted it every time I used it.
Wonderful shot- so airy! The folks in the camera club whom have gone mirrorless are not sold on them either. They all say the plus is the weight. And the minuses vary. There is only one fellow I know who totally loves it. He has an Olympus I think. So far I have not heard any of our speakers say they are switching which probably indicates the "bugs" haven't quite been worked out in any system just yet!
I love the layers in this shot, and those big fluffy clouds. I am so interested in your comments about the Sony above. Now that I have all the lenses I want for my DSLR, I feel I need to stay with it for many years to get the value from them. But I think my next move will be to mirrorless.
I too love the layers and tones of your shot. Also very interested in your comments about mirrorless cameras. Keep us posted! It's been so hot and humid this summer that I haven't had the energy to carry my Nikon DSLR and only carry my iPhone in my back pocket!
@888rachel I'm thinking the wait will be worth it. From everything I've read, no matter which camera (Fuji, Sony, Olympus) there's a trade off I'm not quite ready to make. And thanks for the kind comment above too!
Such a wonderful image with those glorious clouds. Sounds like your relaxed attitude helped the golf - how funny! Your comments on the Sony are so interesting and have stopped me pressing the buy button! I really want a light weight travel camera but have been put right off by your observations. I must ask Andie @ukandie and Louise @weezlou about their cameras as they seemed to enjoy using them and they both looked so temptingly lightweight!
(just killed a long note I had underway...arghh!) Taffy, excellent photo! to you and Pam @pamknowler I'll weigh in about my camera experience this summer. I brought along my Nikon D5000 w 3 lenses (Heavy...) and decided to hedge my bet by adding a Sony a6000 with 2 lenses (light). Gave my daughter an older model bridge Nikon and upgraded to the latest and have a Panasonic Lumix I like. This summer I've been asked again and again to be the event photographer for numerous venues, so the cameras have had a thorough workout! Of all the pictures I took for Folk Harbour Festival archives, I turned in over 2000, covering 5 days in every sort of lighting. The Sony rose to the top with sharp photos of performers on stage under stage lighting situations and I could count their eyelashes! Outside in the sun, it did a spectacular job! Several times people stopped me to say they were considering getting a Sony. I did compare cameras with a man who does the photography and web site for an historic church in town and he raved enough about his camera, I saved the name: Fujifilm X-Pro2 Mirrorless Digital Camera I still have a lot of reading to do with my camera, but I've been so busy taking pictures for fund raisers and gallery openings, a wedding, Canada Day (that went to the Board of Trade site), and Lunenburg's biggest summer event, the Folk Harbour Festival that everyone has expressed delight in receiving what I've taken, and I feel I'm on the right path I confess I'm not as technical as you two and many others, but find my composition and ability to capture a moment (often with people) is what I bring to the table. This town is just the right size for me to offer what I can with my cameras of choice. When I was searching, a 365 member highly recommended the Sony I now have, and I think of her every time I use it, knowing that what she told me was correct.
And that's my take on it.. (The photo, Taffy is gorgeous! I was just so frustrated as I began this ...again!)
Taffy and Pam @pamknowler Just noticed you're using the newest Sony, Taffy. Ken and I researched that and the "older" a6000 and only bought the latter when we felt it looked quite good, and we were reading that there were some problems with the newest version. I haven't made a side by side comparison, but I suppose you already can see I'm happy with my choice. I harbour no regrets!
@Weezilou Thanks for the thoughtful reply Louise! I found the menu system to be so frustrating but really wanted to like the camera. The images are great -- and it's certainly easy to use under a lot of circumstances. But I just don't feel I have the control that I want to have with it. Disappointed, because as you can see, the images are quite nice when they do work.
@Weezilou@taffy thanks for the info Louise. I have read a number of reviews where they say the older model is the one to go for. I am loving the quality of Taffy's photos with the newer version but it does sound complicated which has put me off buying it.
@pamknowler The photos have been good, Pam. My problem is lack of control of aperture and shutter speed while looking through viewfinder, and lack of easy control over focus point. For me, it really interferes with my ability to take the kind of shots I like, but overall, I did enjoy the lighter weight a lot. What I ended up doing is getting a few things I needed to make my Nikon 7700 point and shoot more convenient, and I think I'll just carry that around with me when I don't feel like carrying heavy stuff. Eventually, I'll replace that I think with a P&S that has a viewfinder and shoots RAW files. That will be the short term plan until the mirrorless cameras align more with what I'm looking for. I still plan to rent an Olympus and a Fuji sometime this year or early next...just to see.
@taffy I think I would have similar frustration Taffy. I did have a Panasonic Linux but was never happy with it as no viewfinder and no raw files plus I found the menues confusing. It broke the first day in Chicago and I want to replace it and that is why I was thinking mirrorless was the way to go. The light weight for travel photography is so tempting!
@pamknowler I didn't realize one of your cameras had broken while here. If you end up finding a point & shoot you like, that shoots RAW, let me know, okay? I'm on hold for the moment on any decisions until I see if my friend wants my Nikon P7700. If not, then I'll keep using that one even without a viewfinder as it's quite a good camera except for that.
And that's my take on it.. (The photo, Taffy is gorgeous! I was just so frustrated as I began this ...again!)