Andrew Fildes wrote:
> Seeing as how we're in the mood - a friend is trekking in the
> Himalayas this December. he asked me what he should get by way of
> camera. I knew what he should look for but don't normally concern
> myself with mere compacts (that's a joke, right?!)
> Requirements -
> Moderate price and as compact as possible.
> 28mm wide end
> 6X zoom or better
> AA batteries.
> Anything like that out there?
> Panazonic TZ3 is as close as I can get at the moment.
>
The TZ3 has it all - except for the NR smeary thing, and the LiIon
battery. If you could turn the NR down/off or it had RAW, it would be
much better IQ. But that's a pixel peeper who likes to crop talking.
Otherwise, not bad, but doesn't use AA batteries
I ended up with the Canon A710 IS. Not as much zoom range, only 6x and
down to 35 mm. If AA batteries is the deal make/breaker, it's a winner,
getting decent battery life using only two at a time. There are all
sorts fo solar battery chargers available, including not only AA, but
camera/battery specific ones. More junk to carry, but perhaps better
than a brick of AA batteries?
You can fit add-on WA and tele adapters to it to get a 24.5-368 mm
range. They are sort of big and awkward, though, for such a small
camera. If only using one, you can leave the adapter/lens shade on the
lens, where it may actually do some optical good, as well as protect the
lens against sideways bumps, which are the biggest potential physical
risk, I think. Or leave it on the adapter for quick bayonet on/off.
Either way the convenience factor goes up a lot. So if even wider is a
plus, consider that.
Come to think of it, the lens adapter/shade also accepts 58 mm filters.
If I were going, I'd be packing an 81a and an 81b and maybe a polarizer.
When i doubt with a UV filter, go stronger. Its effect can be completely
corrected, while the UV effect can't.
Looking closely at samples, Canon has done a better job of the balance
between noise and detail in their lighter/more subtle NR. Also, although
this may not apply to your friend. There is an add-on to the firmware
that adds many features from their higher end models. Most important is
probably Raw output, live histograms of various sorts, flashing
highlight overexposure and other goodies. The exposure aids could be a
very big deal up in the Himalayas.
I haven't tested DR myself yet, but examples I've seen seem to indicate
it adds more the ability to recover shadow than highlights. The trick is
still to use the RGB histogram to shoot to the right without blowing
highlights.
For anyone interested in detail and larger print/display sizes, Raw is a
big improvement. Not only does it allow selective NR, but it completely
eliminates the sharpening halo artifacts of the JPEGs. Here's a sample.
<http://moosemystic.net/Gallery/tech/CameraSamples/A710/A710RvsJ.htm>
Notice the sharpening creating dark inner halos on the gallery rail
uprights and light outer ones on the "SHOES" sign. On the stair
balustrades, they simple show up as blurring of the very fine detail.
Notice also the selective use of NR in the dark window area at the
bottom, yet how leaving the noise gives more apparent detail and realism
to the bricks next to it. I've only played with this as a test so far.
If I were going to display it, I would also unmask the NR on other flat
areas, like the gallery rail.
I've not investigated the colour differences yet. Most are not all that
big a deal, as this is a mural on a building, so no colors are 'pure'.
The window frame is a puzzler, though. As this was just a casual shot on
the way to lunch, I didn't use the WhiBal. So I'll have to investigate
color issues with another sample, if I get a round tuit. :-) Ah,
there's one now, but it's in use as a smiley face.
> Andrew Fildes
> afildes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>
>
> On 04/12/2007, at 9:10 AM, Winsor Crosby wrote:
>
>
>> I would have recommended that, too.
>>
>> You might also check here:
>>
>> Scroll down to entry level cameras. http://www.steves-
>> digicams.com/best_cameras.html
>>
>> And from the guy who does the reviews at SLR Gear and Imaging Resource
>> http://www.imaging-resource.com/WB/WB.HTM
>>
>>
>
>
>
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