Camera Talk

Though I've had a digital camera for quite a while, an Olympus C4000z which gives excellent results, I haven't got enthusiastic about digital. For a number of reasons, including an eventual move out of our house, I've decided that I need to explore digital before I make any big decisions about what camera equipment I can keep. Earlier this week I took the C4000 with us on a short trip to a couple of smaller towns, 50 or 60 miles away, that we like to visit. There were some frustrations but after taking 70+ photos I started to feel more enthusiastic about it; it probably helped that I didn't have a film camera with me. It helped, too, that I sent 19 of them to Walgreen's to print and I like the looks of them. Another help is getting this post together, so here are a few photos from my project.
Bill Delehanty

Nice, Bill. Just be happy you weren't on the side of the hotel that faced the town dump.

PF

Nice old windows in that street, with the soft colors.

I am not familiar with the C4000, is it close to the early Canon G series? Good point is that the camera used rechargeable AA size.

Bill, I have a similar feeling about digital. I have been using digital more and more the past year or so. With film I always have the feeling that I am in control, that I am making the picture. That feeling has been slow in coming with digital and I still have the feeling that the camera is in control and that *it* is making the shot, rather than me.

Your pictures are lovely. And I *really* like the shot of the storage sheds with the red doors. Beautiful counterpoint of bright red, bright green and shadows.

Thanks for the comments. Phil, you're right, though around here the word "dump" isn't used as much as it used to be-- a landfill is more likely to be something like "Fox Hollow Ridge and Recycling". Julio, I think that the Olympus C-4000 is somewhat comparable to the G2 which is also 4mp, though it was quite a bit more expensive as I remember; the Olympus C-4040 was maybe somewhat more in the G2 league--Olympus often put out a cheaper version of a high-end introduction and that's how the C-4000 relates to the C-4040. Philip, I, too, think we're in a similar place; I don't like to be in the dark about what's happening with the camera and the C-4000 full manual (on a cd) must be close to 200 pages-- whew! But I think that after these recent outings with it I'm going to be a little more comfortable.

Bill D.

Getting Used to Digital-------
Some really nice pictures Bill.
I'm in the same boat Bill, the 1 hour photo labs are gone here in town, and I don't think mailing for developing is practical. I'll send out my medium format stiill but that is about it.
I bought my wife a $200.00 P&S digi new, but all the rest have came from thrift stores. Except for the Canon XTi, a lady got it at a yard sale for nothing and gave it to me, it had been dropped and the lens was crushed and had a lot of dirt on it. Cleaned it up {lemon pledge does wonders} , put a battery in & lens on it and all was fine. And it uses EF lenses. My other Digi SLR is a Canon D60 6.1mp, they both do well, I bought it at a thrift store for 50 bucks, it came with a Sigma 28-105mm lens. The Sigma lens won't work on the XTi out of doors but does well indoors?
But I still like the results from 2.1 and up small P&Sers, I also have an Oly 720 3.0mp that has done well, but my favorite is the Oly D-490 2.1mp.
Like I said before , I have a drawer full of clam shell Olys. In fact I gave my 4 year old G-Granddaughter one today. She likes to take pictures and learning how to frame through the eye finder, and she even closes one eye.

Ron B

Ron, thanks for your comments. I've seen some of the photos you've posted from your digitals and I can see why you like them-- results are really good. I've bought some film cameras at my local Goodwill store, but I've held back from buying digital; you've surely had good luck. I can still get good developing and scans from a local camera shop; I figure that every little bit helps to keep their processing work going and I rely on them for darkroom chemicals too. I'll use my Oly C-4000 at a wedding and family gathering this coming weekend.

Bill D.

I guess I am too set in my ways. I only use a P&S Digital for some play dates with the grand kids. Other than that I and the grandkids enjoy film. They love waiting for me to develop and scan the rolls. I then cut them their own little CD of the pictures.

That's what Grandpas are for Larry.

Ron B

Bill, indeed some nice pictures here from that Oly.
As a matter of fact the C4000Zoom was also my first digital P&S, and I still have that camera. Although it's 'only' 4MP, I think it is a very capable and well made camera, with a great lens. Olympus cameras have always been known for putting out very good jpg files (they still are).
I remember having seen excellent pictures of mushrooms in the German magazine 'Naturfoto', shortly after I purchased the Oly. These pics were made with the same C4000z and blew me away.
There are still some nice websites on line, featuring this camera (as well as other Oly's from the same era) which I kept in my favourites on my home PC. There is still some very useful information available there about using flash, doing macro, etc. - if you are interested I can post the links here.
There is also the very nice Plonsky website on close-up photography with similar modest cameras (Canon G1) equipped with reversed SLR lenses : http://www.mplonsky.com.
I think the Oly C4000z is a keeper. Even if it is only 'for old time's sake'. Nowadays nobody will give you a dollar for it anyway...