Giving In

                                          
                                       

I like getting the most out of the least. I don't like being told I cant do something and that I "must do this" to "be successful in that". I have taken beautiful, clear astrophotographs with a very minimalist CMOS Cam, that shouldn't have been so capable. I tweaked and tuned a "too heavy" Jet Ski that normally ran 57 MPH...so that it would run 62 MPH...full throttle, for hours...winning some tough races in the process, much to the surprise of a few competitors. I have also taken some wonderful photographs over the years, with the often looked down on, "consumer grade"...compact camera.

The compact camera has come so far, so fast, that it is mind boggling how capable they have become. I have told many, many people to enjoy, get to know and use their little compact digital cameras and not worry about the fancy, "cool looking" DSLR's that have that fashionable shutter release sound that just "sounds so professional". In fact, I believe that 90 percent of people dont NEED a DSLR...90 percent of the time.  Big, heavy, non-portable glass anchors...I laugh in your general direction!!!

I bought a damn DSLR.

The 10 percent of the time that most of us need a DSLR...and I need a DSLR, is portrait work. Sure you can take a good portrait with a compact camera. But what you cannot do, is obtain the shallow depth of field that throws the foreground and background out of focus immediately in front of and behind your subject. Thats it! The only thing I cannot do with my compact camera. THE ONLY THING!!

I tried every trick I knew...using macro modes to trick my camera...skewing the aperture and tweaking settings...shooting at the maximum telephoto range of the camera...it simply is not doable.

So, I bought a damn DSLR.

I needed to do some real portraiture work and after borrowing a friends simple Nikon D40x to shoot a few simple, "one light setup" portraits, I simply gave in. I just could not get the portrait of my daughter above (Taken with the D40x) with a compact camera.

I decided it was time to buy a damn DSLR, so I set about finding a reasonably priced, quality camera. Now, I am used to the 200-300 dollar price range of high quality "prosumer" compact digital cameras. Well, I was in for some sticker shock. (remember..."getting the most out of the least")

To make a long story very short, after reading a ton of serious reviews, pouring over hundreds of test photos and shopping the internet for the best possible price...I picked up the rather "old" (introduced 2+ years ago) Canon EOS Rebel XS for 399.00 dollars, shipped and with no tax. It was a factory (Canon) refurbished camera from Adorama. I was still not happy I had to spend so much for a camera! (It is less than half the price of any current DSLR capable of the same image quality)

It is a beautiful and very capable camera that will surely find a place in my photographic journeys...as a portrait camera. As I get used to it and get comfortable with its operation, I will be sure to post a few portrait shots to show off its capabilities. But, I will still be taking my Lumix ZS1 with me the other 90 percent of the time!