New Imaging Gadget

I absolutely still love my Nikon P900. I've had it for five years and it's travelled to many countries and taken a major chunk of my photographs during this time. Yet, it is way too big and conspicuous to tote around easily. 

I have been considering a smaller travel zoom camera for quite some time. Ordinary phones can take fantastic pictures nowadays but for a real adventure, something with a bit of zoom is mandatory. 

Best Buy in Surrey had a visitor today.  It was me. I saw a price drop of $30 on a Canon SX740 HS. I've held off buying one as I figured this model is well past being cutting edge. Perhaps, a new replacement will be forthcoming, I reasoned.  Ah, life is short. At least it's too short to keep waiting on something I wanted to give a try. 

The following two images were just taken from my balcony.  I had to figure out which button to press!  Although the demure camera's 40X zoom is far shorter than my trusty old P900, the convenience of the new little camera will make up for some of the limitations.  To me, a zoom lens is more important than pristine picture quality for it allows for otherwise impossible images. Notice the SkyTrain bridge and the visible support structure in these two images taken from the same spot.

 

I was able to copy images directly onto my phone, so in turn, I was able to upload them to Flickr instantly.  Canon's Android app seemed marginally up to that task.

Four Common Yucatán Creatures

Wanna hear a joke?  An agouti, a green iguana, a coatimundi, and a javelina walk into a bar ... and ...

Actually, these are just four creatures commonly found in this part of Mexico.  I had the chance to snap photos of wild ones with the help of my Nikon P900.  Two were shot in Tulum and the others here in Playa del Carmen.  I wanted to see them all in one blog post.

All are residents of North America but seem special to me, mainly because they cannot be found near home in Vancouver, BC.  

Urban Photography

Day 132 - I realized that we will be heading back to Canada three weeks from tomorrow. Of course, that's dependant upon airplanes still being able to fly on April 2nd. Air schedules are somewhat in turmoil due to the COVID-19 health situation. I do have to take the time to appreciate where we are now though.













The weather is considerably warmer here now. It was 35°C (95°F) and the high humidity made it seem even hotter. We still enjoy leaving the airconditioned comfort to go outside. Today, we didn't go far but walked near Little India and the revitalized area near Masjid India. As you might have guessed by the photos, I carried the big camera rather than just relying on my phone for snaps.

There's always more of everything on my Flickr stream.

Koha Pair at the Birdfeeder

Day 15 - We will be heading back to Minuwangoda tomorrow after Jay's elder sister votes. She must vote in the presidential elections at a specific location near the house here in Nugegoda. We have quite a bit of stuff to take back with us. Although Jay's sisters went out today to do some banking, Jay and I stayed at home. It was a quiet day.

Jay took more pictures at the birdfeeder in the yard. Included is the Asian koel (called Koha in Sri Lanka.) They have a common, well-known, loud call. Unlike some species, the females are artfully marked; whereas, the males are completely black.





Sri Lankans associate the call of this bird with Sinhalese and Tamil New Year, in April. The koha might be noisier during the spring but, of course, these birds make noise year-round.

Birds, Squirrels, a Cat, and Some Rice

Day 12 - We woke up a little late; it was perhaps 6:30. As we nap during the heat of the afternoon, this does not seem early. It was already light as sunrise was exactly six o'clock today.

During breakfast time, Jay's elder sister puts out the food for the birds and animals. I was able to snap a few pictures. Many people consider my Nikon P900 as excellent for birding. However, I've never been one to try capturing any sort of wildlife. I've never thought that closeups were that special. I can see now that getting a great shot is satisfying. Here are some things which arrived at the bird feeder this morning.











And directly below all this activity was this fellow. He was too tired from last night's revelry to be too interested.



At around 10 o'clock we started using the PickMe app for a bit of nearby shopping. Jay's sisters wanted to go to Kandy Fashion in Nugegoda. It is a rather posh, 5-storey store with mostly clothing. They had a few bags when leaving. Then, we took another car to a close ARPICO Supercenter. They are an old name which started as primarily hardware but now sell just about everything except clothing. This time there were even more bags. So, I selected a slightly larger car when returning to the house.

That meant we were home at lunch time but decided to order in. It was a Full Moon Poya Day in the Buddhist calendar and a holiday for many businesses. I was able to fire up the PickMe app for the final time of the day to order rice and curry packages. We didn't know the restaurant which came up in the app but the two fish and two chicken and rice containers were pretty good. A motorcycle guy came with our food in about twenty minutes. I have my credit card in the app and it was seemlessly charged a mere CA $7.70 in total for all four lunches. Delivery was included but we gave the guy CA $0.37 as a tip.

ec·lec·ti·cism

I follow hundreds of photographers on the Flickr website. I notice that a majority fall into a unique style or genre and that most all their offerings appear very, very similar. I guess consistency might be admirable, but I'm not convinced.

I do not like falling into routines that cannot be broken. This describes my photos but also my whole outlook on life in general. Why people put themselves into such tiny boxes is beyond me.

Today, Flickr received just five images from me. They were all taken today, some by my mobile phone and others with my regular zoom camera. They prove I like 'shaking it up'.











These are things from my day. What can you show me from yours?

Candid Strangers

Day 120 - The picture above was taken a day before the full moon last month. In July 2016, I bought my camera because of its powerful zoom lens. Technically, it is just a point-and-shoot device but has an 83x zoom lens with a 35mm equivalent focal length of 24mm to 2000mm. Lots of wildlife photographers bought the Nikon P900 when they came out because they are relatively cheap and light for such optical power. Now, of course, there are newer models with additional capabilities!

I don't shoot pictures of the moon often. Neither have I even taken a photo of a deer or moose. However, I felt as though I was on the other side of the park when I took this photo. The EXE data shows I left a lot of the lens unused!


ƒ/5.0 - ISO 400 - Shutter 1/200 - Focal length 98.1 mm

Charge Me Up

I changed the battery in my old Nexus 5. Yet, I find the new replacement still does not keep me going for an entire day of heavy use.



This 3-port, solar charger is a bit too large to take along on most days out. However, I saw the picture online and had to have one. The 24000mAh unit will charge a mobile phone three or four times over. It was an easy purchase to justify because my Nikon camera also juices up via a USB port. It is fantastic knowing that I'll never run out of new, little toys to buy. The supply of new things to play with never slows!

I am sure I love you Amazon.ca.

Look Ma, One Lens Only!

Day 71 - I was starting to wonder why I carry such a heavy camera around my neck. I thought of this yesterday as we were out for the day on Langkawi island.

So just a few minutes ago, I stepped onto our balcony here in Relau, Penang. I quickly recalled why I bought my bulky, point-and-shoot Nikon Coolpix P900.


Focal Length (35mm format) - 24 mm


Focal Length (35mm format) - 85 mm


Focal Length (35mm format) - 2000 mm

It Feels a Bit LIke Cheating

It used to be that in order to make interesting images one needed to have the requisite equipment and possess specific skills. I guess those requirements really haven't changed.

However, Mt. Baker in the image above does not exist on canvas anywhere. Moments ago, I stepped out onto our balcony and zoomed on the mountain top on the southern horizon with my Nikon P900. Then, I simply copied the image to my Asus tablet and altered the image in Snapseed.



There is not a shot in existence which cannot be improved with a little photo editing. However, if one takes the time to play with the tools, creativity can run rampant. I probably should try to be less of a documenter and more of an artist.

When the Mountains Won't Come to Dennis ...

It was an absolutely clear, beautiful morning. Of course, when the sky is cloudless, we generally get cooler temperatures. It remained close to freezing today. That allowed the snow from yesterday to stay in view. It is pretty.

I found myself sticking around home as we're expecting UPS to deliver our Endy mattress. It is already 2:50 and I'm not sure when our delivery will arrive.

Oh well, I can post a few pictures shot from the balcony, again! It is times such as this when I continue to be a little awed by the lens on my Nikon P900.

A Ridge of High Pressure

I think it's funny that I keep hearing people say it's too hot. I get a kick out of the fact local media keeps telling us how to stay safe during this 'heat wave'. It is some of the hottest we've had this summer but I doubt any mercury will have topped the 32C mark, even in areas away from the sea. I love days of non-stop, clear blue skies when the weather pattern sets up like this.

It can make even running errands a great experience. I took this Fraser River picture when I drove over to Queensborough today to return a part to Lowe's. I have found the traffic is best if I try to cross that bridge at about ten in the morning.


Looking east from Queensborough Landing at the bridge.
Now add the fact, it cools down to 18C or lower every night and I'd have to consider this time of year, in this part of British Columbia, as being nearly P-E-R-F-E-C-T!


Last night's full moon from my balcony.

Visual Events and Reminders

If I take the camera when on a walk, I find life in front of me ready to be captured. The good thing about my new camera is that I needn't be close. This chance encounter took place as I was returning home through Westminster Pier Park this morning.

Even the most un-extraordinary shots become more valuable with the passage of time. You know this is true as you can laugh at your own 80's hairdo (if you had hair at the time.) Likewise, shots around one's area can become historical given but a few years. For example, I'm sure that many downtown New West residents will eventually look back on the summer that Front Street was closed due to the demolition of the west-end of the parkade. We might remember saying good riddance to a large part of that ugly structure, but recall the increased traffic on Columbia Streets for those many months and months!

Getting to Know You

I walked around a bit this morning with my new camera. Gads, it's heavy because the Nikon P900 sports an 83X zoom lens. I guess it'll be good to increase my neck muscles. (Wait, I'm not saying that my new device will be a pain in the neck, am I?)

The camera and I are in our initial stage together. This stage is the part of the relationship where we get to know each other. It is impossible to run out and shoot anything important with a camera that's too new. Today was the photographic equivalent of human small-talk.







I uploaded fourteen pictures to my Flickr account. Strangely, I found that I edited five into a square format. That was nearly one third of them. That's weird as I generally like sticking with a 16 x 9 orientation.

The Ole' Second Try

Lately, I have been feeling a bit frustrated having nothing but a smartphone camera.

I am, of course, still mad at myself for destroying my former camera in less than a year. On the bright side, the little, Nikon S9900 did get to record many experiences last winter in Egypt. I had the camera for all of last summer too. So, although I still feel angry that I smashed it on the street in Copenhagen before our recent cruise, I can now convince myself its demise provided a new opportunity.


Yesterday I went over to the Surrey Central Mall on the SkyTrain. I had scoured the Internet for information about the Nikon P900 and figured it was what matched my requirements. It went on sale at Broadway Camera on Canada Day. I haven't seen it selling for less anywhere in US or Canadian dollars. It's a point and shoot but has an incredibly immense zoom.

I brought it home but didn't unpack the box for a few hours. At around the time the shop closes on Sundays, I took out the beast. (It really is hefty compared to my recent cameras.) I put in the camera battery and unwrapped the charging cord. Just like my last one, it charges in-camera via USB which makes a lot of sense when travelling. The on/off switch lit up immediately but the camera was otherwise dead. What? How could I luck out by getting the box with a lemon in it?

I went back to Broadway Camera today and got a new replacement. It did make me a little skeptical but the sales guys said they'd never seen a similar instance. I didn't see any mention of DOA devices on the Internet either. So, I'll chalk it up as a flook. I guess, it gives me something to talk about. I had no plans for today, so I didn't mind returning to Surrey when the mall opens at 10:00 AM.

I hope I can keep this camera for a while. My goal is at least three years!

Shopping for a New One!

Damn, why'd I have to go and break my camera during the first day of our recent cruise vacation!

I can blame no one except myself for the failed juggling act which took place on a street in Copenhagen. My little pride and joy, of course, landed right on its sad little zoom. I enjoyed the Nikon S9900 during the measly single year I had it. I've not even bothered to bring the corpse to a repair shop as I don't want to spend $100 bucks for them to tell me it'd cost $200 to fix it. I humour myself by the thought I got a good deal on it. As well, I feel as though I learned a few important lessons by owning it.

First, I discovered I really like the Coolpix series of Nikon cameras. Also, I now know a GPS feature is an absolute must, but built-in WiFi a lot less so. Lastly and most importantly, I initially prided myself on my dead camera's demure size but 30X zoom. I felt a larger camera would've seemed like overkill. I've always laughed at guys who own a DSLR but leave it at home because of the inconvenience of carrying it around. However, since the accident, it's dawned on me that my former camera probably would not have ended up on the sidewalk had it been slung around my neck on a big strapping ... strap. I still want to avoid a DSLR just for the fact I'd require multiple lenses. Yet, perhaps a bit of bulk is okay. After all, I am a fairly hefty, butch guy.

Now, I so I'm drooling over the web reviews of a Nikon Coolpix P900! I can no longer live with just a smartphone as camera. I have a rather severe case of zoom envy, you see. This beauty would cure that.