Well I finally got my new camera I have wanted for almost a year now. The Panasonic Lumix FZ200. I am not one to relate all the specs and details if you want all the info and review go to this link.
Camera Lab review on the FZ200
I picked this camera because I was looking for something with more zoom and good video capabilities. I didn’t want a DSLR camera that required more lenses to buy and lug around. I wanted something I could grab and walk out the door on hike, vacations and social get together, but have a camera that I could expand my photography capabilities with. I think I have found just that my new Panasonic Lumix FZ200.
Some of the things I love about this camera. All photos taken handheld.
I do applogize for all the collages again as they don’t do the photos justice and seem to come out blurred sometimes, but I can never decide just what to share to really tell the story. That’s what happens when you only find time to blog once a month.
Zoom
On a recent trip to the Oregon Coast I was able to really give the camera a work out and try the zoom. In this collage the photo on the left and the upper right photo were taken from the same spot. The surfers were brought right into focus at such a distance even in action. The bottom left photo of the light house I could barely make out with my eyes, yet in focusing a bird was even caught in the distance.
When driving home we came through a terrible lightening storm as we were driving I spotted smoke come from the hills in the far distance.(upper right photo). I was able to zoom into the fire that had just started and even catch the flames. The camera had trouble focusing on this as the hills and smoke were all so much the same color. It was when a bird flew by that suddenly the camera could focus on the scene. I also love how even a simple flower in the distance I can zoom in on.
But it is mostly the simple things like people or animals or a sunset that I love to zoom in on. Especially people, finally can take photos without them being aware.
The moon I have always wanted to capture these were also taken handheld.
Effects or fun stuff
I love all fun stuff I can do with the camera without using the computer. I remember when I once tried to stitch photos together for panoramas. Now just a quick pan of the scene and instantly a perfect panorama. Quiet the learning trying to remember how I got somewhere to change settings. It is slowing coming on a few things I have used over and over again. I have soooo much to learn on this camera.
Social and More
While at the Oregon Coast I attended a Nieces wedding where I loved how I could zoom in on details and catch those special moments without being right in some ones face.
The details outside that my new camera can now focus on from a distance.
I used to sit behind my window with a tripod with my old camera to catch the hummingbirds as they came to the feeder 4 feet away, now I can be outside up to 20ft away without a tripod to get these photos.
Flowers have always been a favourite for me to take photos of and my old camera always did a pretty good job on the macros. But now I am able to focus better at distance and get those blurred backgrounds if I choose or not.
Sheaba my new dog is very photogenic now that I can keep my distance when taking photos of her. She is now putting weight on, but is still very fearful of being out around our yard. When we are out on our walks, she is completely relaxed and carefree running through the forests.
My iPod and Instagram
So that was all life with my new big camera, but I have also been having fun with my iPod camera as I have joined instagram. I just love the apps for doing fun stuff with your photos. As many of you who have known me from years past in the blogging world know I love creating stuff with my photos, so at instagram I can produce quick creations and post them. Not out to get followers or do much following just love having fun with photos. It also spurs my creativity in visiting quickly what others are posting with hash tags and what they are doing with their iPhones or iPods as well. Here is my link if you want to have a look there. Here I Am Carrie at Instagram
Well one Sunday hubby and I decided to go exploring a bit up the hill, what was suppose to be just a short hike around 1 hour turned into 5 hours and a climb to the top out of our valley. Most the way up we had no trail or just followed animals trails. Sometimes crawling through areas so thick with saplings and fallen trees. But finally made to the top to our favourite rock bluff lookout that we can see high above us from our yard. We could see for almost 50 miles away in one directions. Our return trip down we took the old mining road that made it much easier a route we normally take to go up.
Tis the season for invading cows coming down from the high country. We had one bull visited us a few times in our yard and he was a sweet visitor, but then one day he returned with the whole herd. Now major destruction could happen so I had to chase them all out the gate and close it. I hate when we have to keep our gates closed as coming and going with vehicles is a pain to open them all.
So life this past month has not been all play. There was a period I was picking berries everyday. We had a bumper crop this year. But mostly the Saskatoon's which we rarely get. So I picked and picked them so now have a wonderful supply for the year. Our sour cherries I left almost full on the tree as I had spent so much time picking the others the cherries began to rot on the tree. I did get 4 big bags for canning. Hated to leave so much on the tree, but just was getting so tired of picking.
Gardening
My garden is growing this year like never before. We have had such mild nights all summer and still haven’t even had a slight frost yet. Never in 20 years here have we gone this long without a frost in late August or early September. None expected for even another week or so in the forecast. What I love most is stuff is ready for harvest so much earlier. Garlic has all been harvested and next years crop planted. All but a few onions all harvest as well as a few rows of Yukon gold potatoes. Still lots more potatoes to keep me digging for a while. I am even getting zucchinis in the past few days. Something I have always lost to early frost before getting any. Have some other squash I hope makes it for another couple of weeks if the weather holds. Grew cucumbers in a container near the house and got some for the 1st time. I am enjoying a very slight slowdown in work as we have had some rains so I am not having to water our yard and flowers everyday. But soon some serious harvesting in the garden as well a fruit will be starting again.
Enjoying our next deck extension with new patio furniture. You know how is goes you start making improvements then something else has to be improve on. Now because of the new patio furniture I want a roof over the deck extension. But for now finally the bugs have died down and warm evening have allowed us to sit out and enjoy it. No the old part of the deck is not finished yet. But all our roof repairs are done.
Well time to wrap it up for another month. You will be seeing my new profile picture of me at all my sites surrounded with flowers and my new camera in front of me. It’s been almost 5 years with the old profile photo. Out with the old and in with the new.
So wishing everyone something new to come
into your life to add a feeling of excitement again
and have a
Good Morning… Good Afternoon… Good Night…
What ever it is to you
Photos & Words
by
Here I Am Carrie
