I bought a 2nd hand computer yesterday. It's fairly compact, but moderately heavy for its size. All black, with just an optical input. It's a few years old, and has been superseded - as technology tends to be - by more refined models with a better song and dance routine, but it should do me for a while. The GUI has more menus than Masterchef and is almost as tedious. It goes by the name Canon 30D.
I thought a full move into digital imaging was long overdue; 'long overdue' as in 'he's one of the few sentient beings on the planet who doesn't own a DSLR'. I have been using small point-and-shoot digicams for several years, and have struggled to get them to produce something approaching respectable work, but the proper photographer in me decided that enough was enough.
So, am I happy now? Well, let's see: I fundamentally dislike using menus to control settings; I dislike being totally battery-dependent; even by my standards of using large, brass-bodied cameras, this is a large weight to carry around; I can't use my old FD lenses, but I knew about that. On the credit side, proper control of exposure and depth of field is once again available to me (not to mention colour balance); the autofocus is pretty quick, and very likely accurate to boot; the ability to shoot rapid flash exposures is good (the wee Powershot needed about 10 seconds to regain its composure, so if you missed the birthday-cake-and-candles shot, tough). Beyond that, there are all sorts of widgets, frills and embellishments that I will come to know in the fullness of time, and likely ignore. For now, I shall play with the new toy, and see where it takes me.
Oh, yes: it has an ultrasonic lens cap. Honest - I can't hear it at all.
I thought a full move into digital imaging was long overdue; 'long overdue' as in 'he's one of the few sentient beings on the planet who doesn't own a DSLR'. I have been using small point-and-shoot digicams for several years, and have struggled to get them to produce something approaching respectable work, but the proper photographer in me decided that enough was enough.
So, am I happy now? Well, let's see: I fundamentally dislike using menus to control settings; I dislike being totally battery-dependent; even by my standards of using large, brass-bodied cameras, this is a large weight to carry around; I can't use my old FD lenses, but I knew about that. On the credit side, proper control of exposure and depth of field is once again available to me (not to mention colour balance); the autofocus is pretty quick, and very likely accurate to boot; the ability to shoot rapid flash exposures is good (the wee Powershot needed about 10 seconds to regain its composure, so if you missed the birthday-cake-and-candles shot, tough). Beyond that, there are all sorts of widgets, frills and embellishments that I will come to know in the fullness of time, and likely ignore. For now, I shall play with the new toy, and see where it takes me.
Oh, yes: it has an ultrasonic lens cap. Honest - I can't hear it at all.
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