On a happier note...

I got a new camera for my birthday (thank you, Uncle Pete!) and am so far in LOVE with it. The zoom is absolutely incredible: 35x optical means WAY close-up beauties. Plus, if you engage digital zoom, you can be up in someone's business like you can't believe.

Among the camera's other features are: face detection, blink detection, zoom-framing assist, intelligent contrast correction, vivid color (pure color enhancer), and motion detection technology coupled with the optical image stabilizer and 1/3600 shutter speed makes for clear, sharp pictures even when the subject is running.

In other words, it's amazing. It has 14.1 megapixels so the quality is insane, and that pure color thing is crazy - the pictures seriously pop. The face and blink detection are super cool - the camera will alert you if someone's eyes are closed or blinking, and auto-focus and snap the picture (if you engage that control) when everyone's eyes are open and they're smiling.

It sounds like you don't have to do much to get a good picture - and basically, you don't. But it also allows for a hell of a lot of control and manual adjustment to get funky and dynamic pictures that are otherwise impossible with other cameras.

Anyway, here are just a few samples that I've gotten so far (I'm going to explore some more this weekend):

Sampling of the zoom capacity:

1) No zoom; landscape shot of the Oviatt Library at CSUN


2) 30x zoom (notice it's not at max!) on the flag flying atop the library


Another zoom sample...

1) No zoom; landscape of the "park" in the middle of campus


2) Zoomed into the far left branch sticking out from the tree



Then a black and white landscape:



And then CSUN's unofficial mascot, the squirrel. LOL these buggers are everywhere on campus and I swear they're plotting our demise:


See - he's ready to pounce.









And my favorites - the moon! It didn't take much work to find the right setting to pick up the details of the surface, while my old camera couldn't even get a close-up white sphere despite hours of manipulation.





I can't wait to experiment some more - especially with concert photography, my absolute favorite kind. There's so much to learn on this camera and I feel like I can really expand my skills. Yay!