Gone With the Old, On to the New

I sent my old Canon Powershot S3IS to my son, Jon.  It's served me well for about 3 years.  However, I wanted a better camera for our trip to Yellowstone so I splurged and bought my present Canon Powershot SX30IS  This one has a 35X optical zoom.  The S3IS had a 12X optical zoom.  The newer camera also has a bigger viewer which is great for my failing (ummm... injured) eyes. 

When I looked  at the photos I took with the newer camera I found that the photos weren't necessarily a WHOLE lot better.  I had the worst time using the macro feature.  It was just as weak as the older camera.  However it did take a wider field of view and the video was HD and much better.

I guess what it boils down to is the photographer.  My friend, Dave happens to be a professional photographer and he can use a disposable camera and get an amazing photo.  When he uses his expensive cameras, WOW!

So maybe I should read the manual for the camera.  Maybe I should learn how to use the proper functions.  Maybe I should take a class.  Maybe I should go back to Dave for more advice.  Sigh...

My old camera is on its way to Jon.  I sure hope it serves him well.  I sent him the instruction booklet also.  I wonder if he'll read it.

About Time for a New Camera

Funny how some things happen. Art was looking in the Sunday paper and saw the Canon SX30IS on sale for $379. He asked if I might like to look at it since I wanted a new camera for our trips to Yellowstone and Glacier as well as Alaska this year. My present Canon Powershot S3IS is OK but I'm having a hard time locking onto a macro photo and I just love to do flower close-ups. Frankly, I think it's broken.


The SX30IS is better at locking onto a macro photo, but still not as good as my even more previous Olympus (which died too soon) used to be. Or... it could be my imagination. Or it could be I'm just not used to using this camera yet.

My older S3IS is a 12X optical zoom. This new camera is a 35X optical zoom. I hope to get a better shot of a penguin on an iceberg when we go on that Alaskan cruise in fall. Just kidding. You can only find penguins in Antarctica. I think. I'd need an even longer lens for that shot.



Anyway, in another of those strange occurrences, we were at the Navy Exchange and played with the new Powershot. The sales person was wonderful in showing us its features and told us she had only one more left (Isn't it always the case?)... and it was $5.00 less than the Sears ad, plus no tax. So what the heck!

We bought it.... in one day! (This could become a habit.)

Anyway, now I have to learn how to use it. I hate learning how to use new electronics. It makes my brain hurt. However, I'll try... or I'll just let Art play with it and explain it to me. That always works for me.

We took my mother and aunt to the Honolulu Foster Botanical Garden to try out my new camera. Although it was sunny when we started out, it poured cats and dogs while we walked around the park.


I'm still figuring this camera out even though it's supposed to be a point and shoot. It occasionally had a hard time locking on to a subject. It could be the fault of the operator, but I'll keep trying.