Thursday 28 April 2011

8

Was gutted, got gadget, made glove.

We've had our Canon Powershot for approaching five years now and although it's a decent camera and mostly does the trick, I've become increasingly frustrated with its inability to cope with taking pictures in anything less than heavenly sunshine. Ummm, Canon? I live in Scotland. This camera is obsessed with it's own flash. Outdoor pictures when overcast- flash goes off.

Those things are called 'clouds', camera. You don't need a flash.

Indoor pictures even in glorious natural light- flash goes off. Obviously, my fingers are manually dexterous enough to turn off the flash but then everyone must stay perfectly still. Or you get hands like Pan's Labyrinth:

Those things are called 'windows', camera. They let light in. You don't need a flash.

Due to the rain all of our pictures from the wedding were taken indoors and I was gutted to find shot after shot after shot of blurry people, over-exposed auto flashes, or over-dark muddy messes. Quick and Dirty photo editing can only do so much when the light is totally off.


So in my sadness over having a bunch of sub-standard pictures of a super-standard day, I've upgraded my Canon to a model that is equipped to handle lots of tricky lighting conditions and moving targets. Obviously, above picture of new camera has been taken with now defunct camera which explains why the light balance is off. I cannot take pictures of new camera using new camera, that is too post-modern. But I can take a picture of the same camera cozy:


Isn't that much better? Startling, I know. Joking aside, I've had a tinker and it is 600% better and has lots of nifty features for me to have fun with.


For those of you who are like, 'Dammit, Amanda, just tell me about this camera case', it's a Japanese canvas from the stash, lined with my magic-match-everything-fabric, a neoprene inner lining for protection and a velcro closure. I chose the robots because geeky gadgets get geeky coverings, and I may also let Steven use the camera and my gender enforcing friends assure me that robots are for boys.

8 comments:

  1. ooooh - I have old those problems with my old IXUS, i'd love to know how you get on. Mine flashed on the beach last weekend, blue sky, dazzlingly bright sunlight, naughty camera.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It has a million different light settings, including one for the beach! Although it's supposed to be clever enough to figure it out on auto. I'll keep you posted!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have the same camera---I feel your pain...what is with that FLASH???? I swear my goes off on the beach, if the sun is behind a cloud! Anyhow, what did you upgrade to?
    michelletripper(at)yahoo(dot)ca

    ReplyDelete
  4. It's a Canon IXUS 220 HS, Michelle. All of the ones that have 'HS' in the name have the special light software.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I too had an ixus which did me well for many years then gave up on me. Hope you enjoy your new one it sounds great. I have a sony cybershot now and as a complete novice where photography is concerned it really is almost idiotproof.

    ReplyDelete
  6. We have the same powershot and the same annoying constant flashing. Hello? I live in ARIZONA. It's literally 95% sunny here and the flash still goes off constantly. Like it's on flash commission or something.

    I've been wanting something smaller, too, so maybe I'll check that one out. It looks more purse sized than the power shot.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love the camera case, wish I ould make one, but no way can I sew on velcro by hand, (I don't mix with sewing machines very well). Maybe I should get Little Grandma on the case...
    By the way, nominated you for the Kreativ Blog Award... http://ourhandmadejourney.blogspot.com/2011/04/kreativ-blog-award.html

    ReplyDelete
  8. My Scottish grandfather must have missed the overcast skies of Edinburgh when he decided to settle in the Pacific Northwest. Clouds hang above us almost everyday of the year. If your new camera proves useful, I might be upgrading mine. My fingers are crossed you take many beautiful pictures!

    ReplyDelete