Camera Talk

Lots of times I'm slow to get it; the fact that I'm posting for the 3rd time on "getting used to digital" seems to prove that. But a recent experience may be worth writing up for those like me who have had trouble getting comfortable with digital photography. I really liked the photos I got from my Olympus C4000Z in about 2004 (I still do), but the menus, choices, and very long online manual (245pp.) set me back. The Sony Alpha 100 is a fine machine; it uses any of my Minota Maxxum lenses I've put on it to produce really good image quality. But it seems "overqualified for the position" when I'm doing casual photography. Then a few weeks ago my Hudson Valley brother sent me a big box of camera equipment that people had given to him (I suspect that some of it followed him home). Rattling around the bottom was a Canon 2 megapixel Digital Ixus Elph S200 about the size of a pack of king size cigarettes but quite a bit heavier. Further digging in the box turned up a plastic bag of batteries and charger for the Elph: if the camera worked I was ready to go back to 2002 and see what happened. It worked. I hadn't spent any money on it and its appearance didn't demand stern seriousness: I could just fool around with it-- I found that it was a lot of fun to try out lots of subjects just to see what the Elph would do with them. Well, many people found that out long ago and many more found it out more recently with a smart phone ( I don't have one yet). But I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only person who has gone through the steps I described above, so to that group I report that there is fun to be had with digital. It's like having a camera with darkroom attached that you can freely fiddle with, have fun doing so, and turn up some interesting results. That's what I found and, though I have much to learn and I still like film, I think that my free Elph has really got me used to the digital idea.

Here are a couple photos made with the process described above.

Early a.m. medical appointment at Bandana Square Clinic
1st Snow of 2017-18 Winter from apt. window
Bill Delehanty

minoly wrote:It's like having a camera with darkroom attached that you can freely fiddle with, have fun doing so, and turn up some interesting results. That's what I found and, though I have much to learn and I still like film, I think that my free Elph has really got me used to the digital idea.

You got it, Bill. The almost instant feedback is not only addictive but it also makes learning easier and encourages focus on taking pictures. Two MP is plenty for that.

James: Thanks for the comment. I believe that there were other "Elphs"--the early years of digital photography seem to have turned out some nifty cameras.
Bill Delehanty

Canon started using the "Elph" name on their APS film cameras, and transferred it to the digital P&S line. Both had very compact designs, and a wide variety of models to choose from.

PF

Phil- Thanks for pointing out Canon's use of the Elph name; since your post I've seen it in the fine print on several Canon P&S. Yesterday I was walking East on a path by I35E, taking some photos with a TLR; when I turned around to go West to my car I saw a large patch of "Mackerel" clouds and caught them with the Elph. I'll post a result.