The pictures on my site were taken by three different cameras: My first digital camera, a Kodak DX3700, my boyfriend's Nikon D70, and my second digital camera, my Olympus C-7000.
I had many point and shoot film cameras, and with the price of film and development, one must be very careful when taking photos. Good light and color, interesting subject, then pray for steady hands and hope that no one blinks! Then find a place to develop the stuff and wait an hour...needless to say, I was almost always disappointed with my film results.
Then came the digital camera age, and what could be better than have the opportunity to take all the shots you want, see the results immediately, and delete the unacceptable shots, ALL AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER? An absolute must have when putting together a website. So, I took the photography plunge and purchased a Kodak DX3700 online.
Since my knowledge of photography was limited to point-and-shoot, and seduced by the fact that I could now immediately delete any photo I didn't like, for several years I thought my lightweight Kodak was IT. I couldn't be happier with it.
Then my boyfriend, a Nikon SLR film enthusiast, went and bought a Nikon D70. My little Kodak was blown away! WOW... the sky, which was almost always white in my pictures, was so BLUE in his. The colors were incredible. And optical zoom...What's that? I knew nothing of shutter speeds, aperature, white balance, noise, focal lengths, depth of field, etc. (As a matter of fact, still learning a lot of that).
I thought about going with a Nikon SLR digital. I played with the D70 a bit, but just found it too bulky to work with, it took too long to set up a shot. It weighed too much and would be inconvenient to tote around everywhere. Besides that, I'd practically have to take a photography class before I'd be able to figure out how to use the thing, and that was definitely out. One thing I am NOT and that is patient. That and the $1,000+ pricetag, and I decided I had to have something a little more user friendly, another point and shoot type, but with more features and better technology. I was a cowgirl on the hunt!
I visited many camera shops, computer shops, electronics shops, department stores, any place that had a digital
camera to sell. I finally found an Olympus I liked, 5.something MP with 3x optical zoom, but it had a $300 price tag and I
thought I could find a better deal online. So to the internet I went. Searched for the desired Olympus,
and stumbled across THIS.
7.1 mp? 5x optical zoom? Titanium body? Video with sound capability? Fully automatic, but with options to play with some settings like an SLR? Everything I could possibly want and more! But... $699??
Still, after further research and reading various reviews, I decided that this was the camera I had to have. I had all kinds of excuses for needing this particular camera. It would be years before I'd have to upgrade, it was a camera that could help me to learn about alot of those SLR features. I could make posters with my shots if I wanted! It looked tough, something I could throw in a backpack and take into the wilderness with me.
After further searching, I found a place on the net that sold a refurbished model for $329.00 Now, that's well
within my price range, actually less money than I paid for my Kodak. It came with a warranty from Olympus,
and the seller, Beach Camera, had excellent customer reviews, so I felt safe in purchasing it. I took yet
another photography plunge and placed my order. 5 days later I had my new little camera in my possession, and
the photography fun began!
NEXT: Sample photos taken by my Olympus C7000 ~~~~~>