New Camera!

[LeverBob]

O.K....I've been dragged kicking & screaming into the space age. Bought a new Canon SX150IS. Got the camera, case, mini tripod & 4GB card for $231 from Gordon's in Carson city. Anyone have any suggestions for an old coot about how to use this infernal contraption? They will be welcome, believe me.

This is our only Christmas present this year & will replace my classic Asahi Pentax Spotmatic II.

I have a good sound knowledge of photography, however, this is like learning how to use a computer. Yikes!

After all these years, it is my direct intention to blow-up all your 'puters with shots of my horrible ugly mug. With guns of course. And Nags. And anything else I can conjure up.

I can see the monitors melting from the horror. Even my cousin LeverBubba won't email in fear that I will fry his motha-board & won't email me until I regain control of myself.

Flame on Pards!

LB

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Be prepared for the worst....when I learn how to use this thing.

LB

[PaperPatch]

Well, I'd flame ya LB....but I can't find my matches.

Seriously, I felt the same way as you at first; now though I believe the Digital Camera is the best thing since repeating rifles. Once you learn its operation....you'll be all set.

Merry Christmas!!!

[Griff]

Set it to "Auto", buy stock in Duracell or Eveready and click away! I love my 35mm, 67mm & 4x5 view camera, but they're gathering dust while my Canon digital goes everywhere!

[Old Savage]

So where are the pics?

[Pitchy]

Can it shoot video`s too?
Grats on the nice present.

[kimwcook]

Cool. Just make sure you shut the camera off when you remove/replace the memory card or change lenses. Like Griff said, set it to auto and shoot away. It's amazing the clarity a digital SLR can have. Close ups may require a tripod or similar device or you're pictures will show your movement. Can't wait to see your next pics.

[claybob86]

Lithium batteries cost more than alkalines, but in my experience, they're well worth it in a digital camera.

[Chas.]

Griff, you sound like me. I have a Canon AE-1, Minolta two and a quarter squared, and 2 Graflex 4x5's and haven't used any of them in several years. Bet they're not worth much on the market either. Digital rules.

[LeverBob]

O.K. Pards ....here's the stats on the camera:

14.1 mega pixels 28mm lens,3.0" LCD, IS ( internal stabilization 12X zoom, HD1080 video, etc.

After I read the instructions (that'll take some time), I practiced & learned how to shoot the pics & video. Since my cat Philo Bedoe was handy (he was cleaning his butt) I recorded his bathe for posterity!

Fooled around some & then tried to load the programdisc for the computer. It won't load the driver (dang!). Went on line first, tried it again & it still won't load. Have to have it to transfer the pics & video. :\'Puter is a vindoes (german) 7 Heh!

This is such fun!!!

Once I get sorted out, I guess I'll have to get a photbucket account...is that how y'all do it?

Thanks

LB

[pwl44m]

If it takes AA batteries, rechargable is the only way to go.
I am about due for a new camera.
Perry

[JBledsoe]

.

Photobucket doesn't work for me, too complicated. I use one called Tinypics. It resizes the image and gives me a code to copy to my post.

Try it you will like it.

[1894c]

I'm still using my instamatic... :)

[LeverBob]

Set it to "Auto", buy stock in Duracell or Eveready and click away! I love my 35mm, 67mm & 4x5 view camera, but they're gathering dust while my Canon digital goes everywhere!

Got it! Works like crazy that way...thanks.

LB

[Griff]

LeverBob,

I have the SX100IS, only 8 megapixel... I don't bother w/the Canon software, probably should, but I don't manipulate my pics very much. Pull the card outta the camera, put it in the SD slot in the laptop (or use the cable), up pops a dialog box, click on the "open a window to view files", then move them from the SD card to a new subdirectory under "My Pictures". Yep, use Photobucket.

Although if you do want to use the Canon software make sure you're installing the right version for your OS and hardware... ny 'puter needs the 64-bit stuff. It can run some 32-bit software... but not all...

[claybob86]

If it takes AA batteries, rechargable is the only way to go.
Perry

I used rechargeables for a while, but found that if I used the camera every day and kept up with the charging, they were fine. But if I left the camera sitting for a week or two, the batteries would be dead, or close to it. Including spares that weren't in the camera. These were the NiMH types. Got real tired of that, switched to lithium and never looked back. Camera's always ready.

[LeverBob]

Keep it coming...I need all the advice I can get. So far, so good!

LB

[Shrapnel]

Click on the bear and see a video, the rest are taken with the same Canon Power Shot SD4500 IS camera. Way easy to use and takes great photos. These things have more features than you can use, but they do take great pictures...

[LeverBob]

Well, I'd flame ya LB....but I can't find my matches.

Seriously, I felt the same way as you at first; now though I believe the Digital Camera is the best thing since repeating rifles. Once you learn its operation....you'll be all set.

Merry Christmas!!!

Much obliged Pard & the same to you & yours!

LB

[LeverBob]

Howdy Shrapnel....I'm having a hard time believing the clarity of a digital pic. This camera beats my Pentax...never though it posiible. Your pics are beautiful Pard. Any advice?

Never liked digitals, in music I could hear that millisecond delay in the reproduction...always liked analogs better for sound reproduction. This is awesome for an a cantankerous old coot.

LB

I'm gettin' educated here...learning is fun, especially here. To bad there ain't any levers on it.

[Griff]

Yes, stay outta the digiital zoom. Picture quality seems to degrade if you then crop and blow 'em up. If you stay on optics you can enlarge quite a bit more than if you get into the digital zoom, even if you crop less. Might not be as big a factor @ the higher pixel counts. Shrapnel is right, way more features than I use, espcially comin' from an SLR. Would like one of the hi-end Nikons so I could use my Nikkor AI lenses!

[LeverBob]

Thanks Griff...I'll stay outa that stuff until I get my feet under me.

LB

[olyinaz]

I use an old cranky site called PBase to store my photos simply because I'm used to it and change is, of course, bad. But I think I'd have to suggest Picassa from Google instead of Photobucket or Flickr. Those are the big three. Also, many people simply use Facebook for posting photos on line now.

Costco has a great on line photo upload-and-go-pickemup service and their enlargements are both inexpensive and amazingly good looking.

If you'll be wanting to take indoor flash photos it's still pretty much the same as film - only external flash units with bounce capability give good results. But don't hesitate to experiment with no flash and using the low light setting on your camera. Some of these new cameras can take amazing indoor snap shots without flash.

Outdoors be wary of highlights and super bright areas in your photos. These digital cameras have resolution that blows away the old Instamatics but their sensors do not have the dynamic range that film had. Highlights and bright areas can very easily get completely blown out and washed to white. My suggestion is to learn how to adjust your camera's exposure and also how the light meter works (where it is and how it samples).

Cheers,
Oly

[LeverBob]

Thanks Oly...I suppose I'll be a regular down @ Gordon's photo service for a while...my buddy Dennis down there is a 'Nam/Navy vet & said he'll give me instruction when I need it.

LB

[Griff]

Thanks Oly...I suppose I'll be a regular down @ Gordon's photo service for a while...my buddy Dennis down there is a 'Nam/Navy vet & said he'll give me instruction when I need it.
LB

OMG, I don't know that I'd trust anyone named Dennis, and was a Navy/'Nam vet! Ain't that like "3-strikes & yer out?"

Dennis
USN/'Nam, '71-'73

[adirondakjack]

I use photobucket to host pics (no complaints).

I d like my canon digicam (I forgot the name of it, but it's got the IS and all that, takes good pics) but I dunno for sure where it even is. Last time I went to use it the batteries were dead, and I used my Droid2 phone's 5 MP camera instead. The droid form factor is harder to hold steady than a "real" camera, but it takes great pics AND I always have it with me, making the "camera" that doesn't make phone calls redundant for most uses.

I can't see me buying another "real" camera, except maybe a waterproof camcorder for fishing.....

[Shrapnel]

Howdy Shrapnel....I'm having a hard time believing the clarity of a digital pic. This camera beats my Pentax...never though it posiible. Your pics are beautiful Pard. Any advice?

Never liked digitals, in music I could hear that millisecond delay in the reproduction...always liked analogs better for sound reproduction. This is awesome for an a cantankerous old coot.

LB

I'm gettin' educated here...learning is fun, especially here. To bad there ain't any levers on it.

For what it is worth, I got the Canon because of the research I did from Consumers Reports, all the way to camera stores, (Not Wal Mart, Costco, etc. but real camera stores) and the Canon came out on top every time. Save yourself that trouble, I already did it , just get the Canon and start taking great photos.

Merry Christmas, Shrapnel

[LeverBob]

Well Shrapnel I did just that & have to gather myself every once in a while from being stunned by that little honey. I guess Doc is going to get cantankerous if'n I don't post some pics pretty soon.

Doc....you're just goining to have to hold onto you horses until I feel confortable in posting pics. I don't have as many pretty girls as you do & so I'll substitute my nag instead...she's real pretty to me...

Thanks to all of you for your advice...there's no other site in the world I would rather be...my family!

Merry Christmas to all!

LB