Frustrations

I am frustrated.

*** Spoiler Alert ***

Oh - not that kind ...

Just a warning that I have, yet again, purchased something I totally didn't need but wanted ... Got to be annoying reading about it - so - there was your warning - you don't need to continue reading.

ANYWAY ... *sighs forlornly* I decided I needed a new camera before the cruise. Not even new - just a replacement. My medium size camera - which shall henceforth be called the Canon 200 was / is losing its mind and is such a WORKHORSE in my little arsenal of cameras. It does this weird display after taking a photo, won't focus on anything close up and refuses to fire a flash ... most every time I ask it to.

Actually searched for Canon 200 and didn't find it at Amazon - but who is going to get what they had when so many new varieties have been made since its purchase? There was a Canon 210 - which looked pretty much like the 200 - just a larger optical zoom (14x instead of 12x) and larger mega pixels (14.1 instead of 12.1). What this puppy is good for - other than that huge optical zoom and wide angle lens - is sunrises and sunsets. I use this over my big Canon since I get more vivid colors with it and like the results.

So - I order the camera and it arrives. I charge it, scan the little users manual - and sure enough - it is my old camera with some new features! New settings: fireworks, snow, beach, a fish eye effect and a miniature effect - which insults my intelligence a wee bit - it is called 'tilt shift photography' - ie a tilt shift lens but this is only the effect like the fish eye ... so call it what it is ... (but it IS just a point and shoot camera)

And, odd ...



... seems I've misplaced ...




WHAT?!?




ARE YOU SERIOUS?


I'm ... sputtering,


spewing naughty words,





I am ...


SPEECHLESS!



THERE IS NO SUNSET SETTING.


WHAT WERE THEY THINKING? They can have a FISH EYE effect, but not something that turns a regular sunset into something fantastic?


Have they all lost their minds?



The new camera: it is wonderful ... except for that one thing.


Man!

A tiny, psychotic little voice in my head says "Your Canon 200 still takes BEAUTIFUL sunsets - just no close ups or night shots".

Yeah, and I'm going to cart around 4 cameras where ever I go.

The voice informs me that my Canon 200 would only need to go when a sunrise or sunset were in the picture ... so to speak.

SIGH.

Carted 3 cameras out this morning to see the difference between them all and morning light. Sunrise was long over - but that never stopped my Canon 200 from getting a beautiful morning shot.

And for the sake of 'full disclosure' I have included the ugly: the photo as it comes off my chip - and we work our way from there.

Here is my Canon PowerShot SX200 IS set to 'sunset':

CROPPING is a HUGE part of me and my photos. Better, yes?

Then the fun starts - blending modes, filters, sharpening, fixing ...

Throw a frame around it and call it done!

Here is my new Canon PowerShot SX210 IS - the setting is on 'Snow' since I thought it might help make colors more vivid.

Didn't ...

Crop it:
Mess around with it (throw a linear burn on it at 25% opacity) and call it done:

Here is my Nikon CoolPix. He is the baby of the family and stays in my purse at all times - tiny - but packs a punch: Both 'sunset' AND 'Dawn/Dusk' settings on this puppy!

My Nikon with the 'sunset' setting selected:

Crop:

Play around with it:

NOW set to 'Dawn/Dusk':

Crop:

Nice pinks ...

So a good team player - but not the star ...

This:


or this?

I really, really do like the second one better. The color is better, it is just nicer ... and I have a knack for wanting things I cannot have.

I guess ...

for now ...

my camera family just grew by one ....