My wife Sue bought me a very useful present that I can see that I am going to enjoy learning how to use ... a bridge camera! This is halfway between the simple 'point and click' digital cameras that I have been using for the past few years and a traditional SLR (single lens reflex) camera of the sort that I used to use.
The Fujifilm Finepix S8200 has the usual LCD screen display found on digital camera but also has a digital viewfinder that should make taking photographs on very sunny days a lot easier. (Most 'point and click' digital camera users have problems with this, and often end up holding their cameras in all sorts of odd ways to try to frame their shots when the sun is reflecting back off the LCD screen.) It also has a 24mm wide angle Fujinon lens that has 40 x optical zoom and a 16 megapixel BSI-CMOS sensor, all of which should allow me to take much clearer photographs of things that are some way off as well as close-ups of stuff on my wargames table!
This year's Christmas present included an interesting selection of books. From my old friend Tony Hawkins I received and copy of Stephen Manning's SOLDIERS OF THE QUEEN: VICTORIAN COLONIAL CONFLICT IN THE WORDS OF THOSE WHO FOUGHT (Published in 2009 by Spellmount [ISBN 978 0 7524 4984 5]).
I was also given copies of DECEIVING HITLER: DOUBLE CROSS AND DECEPTION IN WORLD WAR II by Terry Crowdy (Published in 2008 by Osprey Publishing [ISBN 978 1 78200 331 1]) and ...
... NATIONAL SERVICE: FROM ALDERSHOT TO ADEN: TALES FROM THE CONSCRIPTS, 1946-62 by Colin Shindler (Published in 2012 by Sphere [978 0 7515 4620 0]).
These books all cover topics that interest me, especially the last as I only missed doing National Service by a few years!
The Fujifilm Finepix S8200 has the usual LCD screen display found on digital camera but also has a digital viewfinder that should make taking photographs on very sunny days a lot easier. (Most 'point and click' digital camera users have problems with this, and often end up holding their cameras in all sorts of odd ways to try to frame their shots when the sun is reflecting back off the LCD screen.) It also has a 24mm wide angle Fujinon lens that has 40 x optical zoom and a 16 megapixel BSI-CMOS sensor, all of which should allow me to take much clearer photographs of things that are some way off as well as close-ups of stuff on my wargames table!
This year's Christmas present included an interesting selection of books. From my old friend Tony Hawkins I received and copy of Stephen Manning's SOLDIERS OF THE QUEEN: VICTORIAN COLONIAL CONFLICT IN THE WORDS OF THOSE WHO FOUGHT (Published in 2009 by Spellmount [ISBN 978 0 7524 4984 5]).
I was also given copies of DECEIVING HITLER: DOUBLE CROSS AND DECEPTION IN WORLD WAR II by Terry Crowdy (Published in 2008 by Osprey Publishing [ISBN 978 1 78200 331 1]) and ...
... NATIONAL SERVICE: FROM ALDERSHOT TO ADEN: TALES FROM THE CONSCRIPTS, 1946-62 by Colin Shindler (Published in 2012 by Sphere [978 0 7515 4620 0]).
These books all cover topics that interest me, especially the last as I only missed doing National Service by a few years!
Bob,
ReplyDeleteIf you do not already have a "mini-tripod" for taking photos of "minis" . . . (I couldn't resist the play on words) . . . I suggest that you acquire one.
And congratulations on your excellent Christmas, sir.
-- Jeff
I have a bridge camera - very useful (although I have recently been given an old SLR as well). Most of my blog photos are done with an iPhone though :)
ReplyDeleteBluebeard Jeff,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestion.
I do have a mini-tripod somewhere, and will have to find it and use it ... if only to stop the camera shake as I get older!
I hope that you and your family had an enjoyable Christmas and wish you all a healthy and happy New Year.
All the best,
Bob
Kaptain Kobold,
ReplyDeleteI have begun to use the bridge camera ... and it is much easier to use than I expected. It has a viewfinder (something that I found very useful when using an SLR) and programs that allow me to take a greater variety of photos than my old digital camera.
With luck it should mean a distinct improvement in the quality of photos that appear on my blog.
All the best,
Bob
PS. I have tried taking photos with my iPhone, but they never seem to turn out very well. :^(