Wolfheinrich's Imaging armory
I am a little embarrassed to show my imaging armory (more like an aging niche weapon!). But since I have just gone outside to take some photos for my dollfie daughters, I have discovered a major pit fall and "some" advantage with my current setup and would like to take this chance to seek some advise from some camera otaku here!
So here is my setup, ~ 8 years old 5 megapixels Sony DSC-F707, with a Sony VCL-M3358 close up lens and a no name wide angle lens. The camera come equipped with
Carl Zeiss
f/2.0-2.4 to f/8
38-190mm equiv.
58mm threads
6-blade iris
It's not anywhere close to a DSLR but I have always found it to be sufficient over the years since I have been doing indoor shooting most of the time and have access to my computer to download the pictures when I run out of space.... since this camera is so old, it's only compatible with first generation memory stick as shown in picture (a whopping 128 MB!), my only memory stick of that generation, it's capable of storing 99 pictures at 2560X1920 resolution with standard quality.... I am guessing most of you already realized what my problem is... without the luxury of a netbook or a notebook computer (I gave up my aging P4 notebook to my brother some months ago, now I wish I would just take it back!) with me, I am a sitting duck once I used up my 99 shots >.>; I would still be fine normally since when would I need to use up all 99 shots anyway, but I was so wrong.
As I begin to discover, the near infinite possibility of Dollfie Photography, it not some scenery (where it stays still) or people (you can take them to look at your camera). A slight turn of the head would make a world of difference in Dollfie Photography, so I had to resort into taking many shots of the same pose and hope I would at least get one or two shots with the correct angle. May be I am just not skillful enough but compounding with the space limitation, it's a huge problem for me.
However, I still believe this camera is fairly decent for what's it's capable of doing, it's just that space limitation and the thought of investing on a new "whopping" 128MB or 256MB memory stick isn't very appealing to me.
The following are some of the shots I took when I went out over the weekend...
I think the quality of the lens is still decent even though the camera is close to 8 years old.
This camera also has a rather unique feature, which is the ability to tilt the LCD preview screen.
Like this.
I never thought much of it except for occasional convenience, but as I discovered over the weekend, this tilt feature can also offer a major advantage.... which is direct view "Pantsu shots"
I never thought the tilt feature would come into play like this but it was really great!
More pantsu!
So here is my dilemma, while I still think the camera is fairly decent, the space limitation is killing me and preventing me from enjoying my day out with my Dollfie daughters. What do you all camera otaku think? Should I stick with this camera and get more aging first generation memory stick (which can be rather expensive since they don't make much of them anymore), or get a netbook to allow me to preview the image while I am on the go? Or bite the bullet and get myself a new DSLR with the ability to equip higher capacity memory media?
Any opinion would be greatly appreciated!
I've heard that the sony f707 is a pretty good camera despite its age, and judging by your pics it does put out great quality pics.
Another option for you would be to get a portable hardrive with memory stick reader built in.
It's more expensive, but you get more space rather than a hard to find 128mb stick.
But if money isn't an option, you should definately go for a dslr.
Thank you for the kind suggestion! I am out of touch with the mobile storage solution and didn't know they make a thing like that. I was 50/50 about getting a netbook with small HD so I can preview pictures in a larger screen or getting a DSLR with the ability to zoom in to look at the pictures but both solutions will put me upwards of $500 USD. This memory card reader external HD solution is definitely more economical. Thank you for your input.
I agree with Eternal_Frenzy's suggestion about the portable HD. Just keep shooting with your current camera.
When your camera does decide to take a photo for the last time(jinx? >_<), I recommend buying a DSLR, DSLR-like, or bridge-camera with a tilt/swivel-LCD screen. That way, you can keep shooting those "Pantsu shots". ^^
It's definitely a good option, would be more economical than getting multiple memory sticks and can use it for other purpose as well.
Pantsu shots ftw! I was really surprised on how much I love the tilt function out there!
My Opinion too.
If you can afford it, buy a new DSLR or a second hand one.
But don´t sell you´r Sony. It´s a good cam wich makes great photos.
You can use it for some snapshoots when the DSLR is to big for transportation or whatever.
I use my old Sony Cybershot P8 with a 128 MB Stick too >,<
I can say only one thing. Fun will be with you with a DSLR wich has much space for many many photos of your daughters.
Hey Stary, thank you for your input. While money is a concern but it's not necessarily the biggest concern, I am more worried about my lack of skill and unable to use a DSLR properly, I have a SLR but I don't use it any longer.
In the event that I ended up getting a DSLR, I will still keep the 707 around, because I know it can take great pantsu shots!
Oh don´t worry about skills with using a DSLR. ^,^
The Nikon D5000 is my first DSLR too and before, i had absolutly no knowlegde how to use such a Cam. The Skills come´s in time from learning by doing. :-)
The Suggestion with the portable HD is a good and cheap option. And you can use it for other things too.
Indeed, the portable HD is a good economical option. On one hand I want to treat my daughters to a nicer camera so I can put out higher definition pictures of their gorgeous images, but on the other hand I also want to be somewhat economical. One of my other problems is the inability to get a good look at the picture and see if I am getting a good alignment with their eyes, it makes a huge difference if their head is just tilt a little bit off and you don't see the reflection on the "real pupils" otherwise it looks somewhat dark and not pretty. Which I am hoping a more modern camera will provide a zoom function in the photo viewer.
I'm looking over the camera specs from dpreview's database. It does have a 5x zoom during photo viewer mode, not sure if that's sufficient.
Have you tried using flash fill-in to put a "sparkle" in their optical eyes?
OMG, I feel so dumb right now. I thought I didn't have a zoom function because I never hit the zoom button... I thought it would be some menu option...
I haven't tried to use the flash outdoor because I am afraid it would mess up the color. If I do ended up using the flash I should adjust the exposure time I suppose?
Flash is balanced to 5500 Kelvin which is daylight color. If I recall correctly. ^^
Might have to adjust to lowest ISO and higher aperture for using flash during daylight-outdoors depending on your camera's fastest flash-sync shutter-speed.
I can't seem find the option of changing flash exposure compensation in the specs. If there was an option, I would dial down on the flash power to gently "kiss" the subject with flash, filling in shadows and giving a sparkle reflection in their eyes.
Thank you for you advise Peshmerga, I am a novice photographer and have little knowledge of fill-in flash until you mentioned it. I have been adjusting my camera's "built-in flash" to a low setting and it has been working "ok" for my indoor photographs with my existing ambient light in the room (example is like the all the indoor images I took for my girl here
http://www.figure.fm/post/en/1055/Miss+Dollfie+Summer+2009+Contest+Entry+-+Asuka.html
I am not sure about whether the built in flash has a flash exposure compensation feature though. I have to do this again for more trial and error. But your input has been very helpful to me! I am determined to improve my picture quality and skill because my dollfie daughters deserve better!
I can´t speak for the Canon DSLR Users but my with the D5000 from Nikon you can 8x zoom during photo viewer.
And a great function from the new Canon and Nikon Cams is the LiveView.
It was a silly me moment for what like 8 years now? I got to dig a hole and bury my head in it for not knowing my photo viewer has a zoom feature!
I recommend a second-hand DSLR as well. Older cameras still get the job done and at a reduced price(for example, you can get Canon's top-of-the-line camera from 2002 for under $800. Which is pretty good considering that they started at $7k in 2002)
I recommend checking http://www.keh.com They get new arrivals every week and often have some great deals.
As for the memory stick- You can get a newer Memory Stick Duo Pro and then use a "Memory Stick Duo Adaptor". I have a few Duo Pros and they come in pretty large sizes relatively cheap.
from what i've heard, the f707 does not accept newer memsticks. the only ones compatible are the 1st gen blue memsticks. i'm not exactly sure though...
I have looked into memory stick adaptor, but this camera is so old it's incapable of writing into anything beyond 128MB. There is a 256MB option but those are double sided and I have to throw some kind of switch before I can write to the other side.
>.< 7k camera in 2002?? What kind of a beast is it? But aging camera is my main problem, not because it's not good, it's incapable of storing large amount of photos ;s