Today is a major watershed day in my photographic evolution. I bought a compact point-and-shoot digital camera, a Canon SD700. It’s not much bigger than my phone.The last point-and-shoot camera I bought was a Holga, and before that, well, there was never a before that. This is a noteworthy moment.
Since the battery is not charged up yet, I can give no report on what it’s like to come down from my professional mountaintop and join the plebian throngs. I can talk, though, about my motivation.
The impetus is a trip coming up this weekend to the Vancouver Folk Music Festival. I always take my camera, and I’m always paranoid about the dust and the bother of hauling it around. I often photograph the dancing that happens at the edge of the stages. I want to see if this is another means to work this situation, and be lighter on my feet technologically.
As it is, I take my camera wherever I go for the Daily Blog. Sometimes I get lazy. If I’ve gotten a shot in the morning I feel, hey, I don’t have to cart this big camera and lens business with me for the rest of the day. This microscopic camera means there will never be an excuse not to always have a camera on my person.
But the real reason: it’s the cats. Every time I see Elly’s two white cats doing something insufferably cute, I think, I wish I had a way to video this. Now I can.
I completely understand your need for a small digital P&S camera. I too have the Canon 700. Still, you may also find that the use of a small 35mm body like the EOS Elan (less money than your 700, btw) can provide similar freedom. No dust on the sensor and it's quite diminutive relative to digital bodies. Pop a small prime (50mm 1.4 comes to mind) and the camera is quite portable. More importantly, you can shoot with high quality transparency film. Just another alternative to the challenging issue of having a camera that allows you to fully enjoy the event and still come home with great images.
Posted by: C Midyet | July 12, 2006 at 07:22 AM