CAMERAS AND ALBUMS

I have taken delivery of my new (second hand) digital camera a few days ago.
For those of you who are into your digital photography I'll detail it below - for those of you that are not.... excuse me whilst I bore you senseless.

The camera is a Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ20, 5 megapixel "bridge" camera, ie somewhere between a compact digital camera and a very big, expensive digital SLR.
It was first launched on the market about late in 2004, so its not exactly new technology, but its more than fine for me, and meets all my requirements in a camera.

It has a built in 12X optical zoom (and a 4X digital zoom), enabling me to take shots of objects like... oh I don't know... how about distant roosting Peregrines for example!
The camera has a built in "Mega Optical Image Stabiliser", which basically means I've got more chance of obtaining a sharp(er) picture when I'm using the long zoom.

The camera also has a useful "macro" function. Those of you that have followed the evolution of "Blue-Grey" will have noticed, I'm sure, I do like to sneak up on wee beasties and take photographs of them. This built-in macro function, believe it or not, may not match the same function on my phone, so I have gone a step further with my new toy and ordered a very good snap-on auxillary macro lens (a "Raynox DCR 150") which should enable me to take very detailed photographs of small objects, VERY close up - much, MUCH closer than my phone's capabilities.

Possibly most important of all with my new camera is its manual override functions.
Rather like a much more expensive DSLR, I can manually adjust the aperture of the lens, the speed of the film equivalent, the shutter speed and (this is the big one for me) the focussing of the lens - although it also has an automatic function on all of the above.

It has a built in flash, and my friend who sold me this kit has also thrown in a great flash diffuser for those "macro" shots.
Not only that, but he also threw in a load of other auxillary lenses to boot.

There you have it. Not a DSLR, but near as damn it - and all I'll ever need, with the ability to add auxillary lenses should I require them (rather like a DSLR).

I am getting to grips with it at the moment - this digital photography lark is all rather new to me, and very exciting, so bear with me for a few days, whilst I learn its ropes.

My phone will still be used occasionally, I expect. I won't be able to carry around the camera everywhere I go.
Anna's fathers film 35mm SLR camera which he kindly lent to us both almost a year ago, (he went digital himself!) is probably redundant now though.
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank him for his generosity in lending that to us both.
It was (it still is) a wonderful camera and certainly assisted me to re-discover my interest and enjoyment of photography.
I'd also like to take another opportunity to thank the friend who sold me my new digital camera, at a knockdown price. A wonderful gesture and very much appreciated!

I have altered the home page of "Blue-Grey" to reflect my up-coming change in photography methods, with my new camera.
Near the bottom of the home page you will now be able to find a couple of mosaic images or "slide shows", all taken by me with either my phone, or Anna's father's camera.
Hover the cursor over a photograph you'd like to see fully and you will, immediately - though this does take a little practice! I had originally posted a more conventional slide show on "Blue-Grey" last night, but felt this slowed down ths site to an unacceptable level.
The mosaic slide shows on "Blue-Grey" are, in effect, an homage to my phone and Anna's Dad's camera.
As only the very centre of each photograph is shown in the mosaic before you move your mouse over it, its quite fun to guess what the image is portraying,and then see if you're right. Each photograph has certainly appeared over the last year on the blog.
Then again, I regard chasing squirrels around as fun, so don't take my word for it.
You can of course bring an image up, and click on it, to enlarge it in all its majesty, in the album. If you sowish. Sorry, so wish.

I have also added a new link to my newly-formed online photo album.
Click HERE or click on the MY ALBUM link found in the sidebar, at the very top of the home page of "Blue-Grey".
Click on this link, and not only will you be able to view my photographs at any time (should you really want?), but will also see any new photographs added to the album, immediately.
Along with the "blogmosaic" slide shows, (the mosaics for "Blue-Grey"), you will also be able to easily find a few more conventional slide shows (all titled "blackrabbit x") to view my photographs.

At present, the only photographs in my online album are ones not taken using my new (run) DMC digital camera. I have taken possibly 1000 photographs in the last year, but only selected about 75 to be included in the online album.
This will change imminently, as I'm sure you can guess, with the new digital camera coming out to play very often!

Onwards and upwards...