Photographer Coach

Unless you’re one of the unfortunates who summer where they winter, you’ll go on vacation this year. Simply EVERYONE takes vacation pictures to remember the good times. What kind of camera should you take and how do you ensure getting great shots?

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Review: Panasonic DMC-FZ30K / FZ30S

8 MP SLR-like Fixed-lens Digital Camera

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So you’re looking for a camera more sophisticated than a pocket-sized point-and-shoot, but don’t want to deal with the big bucks and big size of an SLR? This camera may be for you. The Panasonic DMC-FZ30 falls into the category of mid-sized, fixed-lens digital cameras—a bit more camera than a pocket point-and-shoot, yet smaller than an SLR. Price-wise, the FZ30 falls between the two: around $500 for the FZ30S (silver body) and $900 for the FZ30K (black body).
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Nikon D70S
6.1MP Digital SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera
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One of the first entry-level digital SLRs available, the D70 was Nikon’s answer to Canon’s Digital Rebel (EOS 300D), the first under-$1000 consumer-grade SLR on the market. The D70 is currently a discontinued model, but the upgraded version, the D70S is still available. The D70 seies body is based on Nikon’s early professional grade DSLRs, all of which have bodies much larger than most other brand DSLRs on the market. So if you want a no-frills, high quality DSLR (and you have big hands), the D70S may be for you!

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Olympus EVOLT E-510
10 MP Digital SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera

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The E-510 is one of several entry-level digital SLRs on the market, clocking in at under $1000 with the typical inexpensive short zoom. Olympus film SLRs have always been quirky, and their DSLRs seem to follow suit. A good analogy is driving a Subaru after years of driving other Japanese cars—the controls are oddly marked and not positioned in the standard locations. Read the rest

Holga 120CFN
Medium Format Fixed Focus Film Camera with Lens and Built-in Flash with Color Filter Wheel
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What’s a Holga?

A Holga is a cheap Chinese plastic medium format film camera. Essentially, a toy! Yes, I did say FILM camera! Why review this decidedly lo-tech dinosaur? Well, simply put, the Holga lets you express your creativity in ways that digital does not allow. Shoot a roll of color slide film and then have your photo processing people cross-process it as if it were negative film (For Kodak and similar films, that would be C-41 instead of the proper E-6). Check out my Holga shots here and see what you think!
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Pentax K100D
6.1MP Digital SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera
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The low cost competitor enters the DSLR market! The obvious question: “Are we still to consider it so?” Not really, as it costs the same as its competitors in the consumer-grade DSLR market. Pentax has never had much snob appeal or cachet. However, the lenses have always been great and the (film SLR) bodies workhorses. So let’s see how the digital version measures up! Read the rest

The cover of Consumer Reports’ November 2007 issue boasts “Best HDTVs, Digital Cameras, Laptops, and more.” For many people, Consumer Reports is their purchasing bible. They buy nothing without first consulting this magazine. And to an extent, this is good. When it comes to buying tires or toothpaste, you may want to know all the players and which performs best. However, CU has limited usefulness when it comes to recommending digital cameras. When I saw this most recent article filled with notions, half-truths and folklore, I finally decided to speak out. If you base your entire purchase decision on CU, you’ll most likely be sorry you did.

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