Confessions of a Toy Camera Shooter....Confess Here!

**BigMackCam** · 07-15-2019, 03:51 PM

Originally posted by EssJay

Oh boy, I've been looking for a thread like this one. Compact small sensor cameras are my secret love affair. There is no better compliment then when someone comments on your photos and says "you must have a really nice camera", and you respond with "thank you, my Canon A700 is a real work horse"

That's a great photo

The nice thing with compact cameras - especially older models, with limited features and image quality (at least by today's standards) is that it's all about the photographer's skill - their eye, composition and creativity, using limited equipment to the best possible advantage.

A great photo is a great photo, no matter the equipment used to make it - right?

**paulh** · 07-15-2019, 04:04 PM - **2 Likes**

An oldie from March 2014 - early Spring day at the dogpark. Canon SD1100 IS:

EssJay · 07-15-2019, 06:47 PM - **3 Likes**

Originally posted by BigMackCam

The nice thing with compact cameras - especially older models, with limited features and image quality (at least by today's standards) is that it's all about the photographer's skill - their eye, composition and creativity, using limited equipment to the best possible advantage.

A great photo is a great photo, no matter the equipment used to make it - right?

Amen! I have lived by these words for ages. If you are not making interesting images with a "toy camera", a full frame behemoth is not the remedy.

EssJay · 07-15-2019, 06:50 PM - **3 Likes**

Ricoh WG-4

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

Dartmoor Dave · 07-16-2019, 01:38 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by BigMackCam

The nice thing with compact cameras - especially older models, with limited features and image quality (at least by today's standards) is that it's all about the photographer's skill - their eye, composition and creativity, using limited equipment to the best possible advantage.

A great photo is a great photo, no matter the equipment used to make it - right?

Absolutely right. I've only discovered this thread quite recently, but it's a real joy to find a place on the forum where folks are happily exploring the potential of more basic gear rather than moaning about not always having the latest and greatest. Glad to see that you're enjoying the A1200 Mike, and your results with it are looking great so far.

Dartmoor Dave · 07-16-2019, 01:42 AM

Originally posted by EssJay

If you are not making interesting images with a "toy camera", a full frame behemoth is not the remedy.

True words, and you've backed them up with really beautiful photos to prove the point.

**BigMackCam** · 07-16-2019, 10:05 AM - **3 Likes**

Originally posted by Dartmoor Dave

Glad to see that you're enjoying the A1200 Mike, and your results with it are looking great so far.

Many thanks, David

...

Since it was such a warm and pleasant day (though rather overcast at times), I went for a little walk in my town's riverside park (cunningly named "Riverside Park"

) and took the A1200 with me. Snapped a few photos along the way - nothing to speak of, but a small selection below... again, captured raw using CDHK and processed in RawTherapee

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

View Picture EXIF

Last edited by BigMackCam; 07-16-2019 at 12:01 PM.

EssJay · 07-16-2019, 10:58 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by BigMackCam

Many thanks, David

...

Since it was such a warm and pleasant day (though rather overcast at times), I went for a little walk in my town's riverside park (cunningly named "Riverside Park"

) and took the A1200 with me. Snapped a few photos along the way - nothing to speak of, but a small selection below... again, captured raw using CDHK and processed in RawTherapee

Beauty! Your photo of the thistle flower clearly demonstrates an often overlooked strength of the small sensor - a surprisingly usable macro mode in a package small enough to handhold. The majority of my macro photos have come from "toy cameras" while my dedicated macro lenses (Pentax-M 100mm, Takumar 50mm) sit at home in a dark corner of my gear bag next to my dusty tripod. The compact allows for impromptu macro shots whereas the DSLR requires a degree of planning and set-up that just doesn't suit a "snap-and-go" style. Of course the dslr cannot be matched in terms of quality, but the compact gets a more than acceptable photo that would be passed by otherwise.

**BigMackCam** · 07-16-2019, 11:19 AM

Originally posted by EssJay

Beauty!

Thank you, SJ

Originally posted by EssJay

Your photo of the thistle flower clearly demonstrates an often overlooked strength of the small sensor - a surprisingly usable macro mode in a package small enough to handhold. The majority of my macro photos have come from "toy cameras" while my dedicated macro lenses (Pentax-M 100mm, Takumar 50mm) sit at home in a dark corner of my gear bag next to my dusty tripod. The compact allows for impromptu macro shots whereas the DSLR requires a degree of planning and set-up that just doesn't suit a "snap-and-go" style. Of course the dslr cannot be matched in terms of quality, but the compact gets a more than acceptable photo that would be passed by otherwise.

Agreed.

One of the frustrations of the Pentax Q-series cameras (of which I'm a huge fan) is that the long-hoped-for macro lens never materialised. Coupled with the small sensor and decent resolution, that would have been an awesome combo for macro work. In fact, the 04 Toy Lens Wide 6.3mm f/7.1 can be pressed into good service for pseudo-macro, with a close focusing distance of 7cm...

But, as you point out, a decent compact camera can be awfully handy for close focusing work, especially hand-held - and, often, all that is needed

EssJay · 07-16-2019, 04:24 PM - **3 Likes**

Butterfly eggs.

**BigMackCam** · 07-16-2019, 04:55 PM

Originally posted by EssJay

Butterfly eggs.

Nice! I've never even seen such things before

Great subject separation... How did you achieve that? In post? It looks too shallow for the focal length, aperture and distance (though I'm just guessing

)...

EssJay · 07-16-2019, 05:39 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by BigMackCam

Great subject separation... How did you achieve that? In post? It looks too shallow for the focal length, aperture and distance

Thanks BigMack

That is a hand held shot using the macro mode on the Canon A700. The exposure mode was set to auto...EXIF says f2.8. At that close a distance f2.8 has the depth of field of a razor. The image was a little washed out looking straight from the camera so the post processing that I have done is a bump up in contrast and saturation in Lightroom.
....the macro mode on this old dinosaur more than gets the job done.

**paulh** · 07-17-2019, 12:01 AM - **3 Likes**

Great to see all the activity here recently - yay

Just a driveway shot taken one evening - Panasonic LX3:

EssJay · 07-20-2019, 02:38 PM - **4 Likes**

Rogers Pass, B.C. Fuji X20.

**BigMackCam** · 07-21-2019, 09:11 AM - **3 Likes**

Another image from the Canon PowerShot A1200, taken during my Sunday afternoon walk... Shot raw using CHDK, processed in RawTherapee with an "HDR" feel

07-16-2019, 11:19 AM	#2169
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,670	Originally posted by EssJay Beauty! Thank you, SJ Originally posted by EssJay Your photo of the thistle flower clearly demonstrates an often overlooked strength of the small sensor - a surprisingly usable macro mode in a package small enough to handhold. The majority of my macro photos have come from "toy cameras" while my dedicated macro lenses (Pentax-M 100mm, Takumar 50mm) sit at home in a dark corner of my gear bag next to my dusty tripod. The compact allows for impromptu macro shots whereas the DSLR requires a degree of planning and set-up that just doesn't suit a "snap-and-go" style. Of course the dslr cannot be matched in terms of quality, but the compact gets a more than acceptable photo that would be passed by otherwise. Agreed. One of the frustrations of the Pentax Q-series cameras (of which I'm a huge fan) is that the long-hoped-for macro lens never materialised. Coupled with the small sensor and decent resolution, that would have been an awesome combo for macro work. In fact, the 04 Toy Lens Wide 6.3mm f/7.1 can be pressed into good service for pseudo-macro, with a close focusing distance of 7cm... But, as you point out, a decent compact camera can be awfully handy for close focusing work, especially hand-held - and, often, all that is needed Last edited by BigMackCam; 07-16-2019 at 12:13 PM.

07-17-2019, 12:01 AM - 3 Likes	#2173
paulh Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: DFW Texas/Ventura County, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 33,262	Great to see all the activity here recently - yay Just a driveway shot taken one evening - Panasonic LX3: Last edited by paulh; 07-17-2019 at 12:26 PM.

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07-15-2019, 03:51 PM	#2161
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,670	Originally posted by EssJay Oh boy, I've been looking for a thread like this one. Compact small sensor cameras are my secret love affair. There is no better compliment then when someone comments on your photos and says "you must have a really nice camera", and you respond with "thank you, my Canon A700 is a real work horse" That's a great photo The nice thing with compact cameras - especially older models, with limited features and image quality (at least by today's standards) is that it's all about the photographer's skill - their eye, composition and creativity, using limited equipment to the best possible advantage. A great photo is a great photo, no matter the equipment used to make it - right?

07-15-2019, 04:04 PM - 2 Likes	#2162
paulh Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: DFW Texas/Ventura County, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 33,262	An oldie from March 2014 - early Spring day at the dogpark. Canon SD1100 IS:

07-15-2019, 06:47 PM - 3 Likes	#2163
EssJay Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Kamloops B.C Photos: Gallery Posts: 83	Originally posted by BigMackCam The nice thing with compact cameras - especially older models, with limited features and image quality (at least by today's standards) is that it's all about the photographer's skill - their eye, composition and creativity, using limited equipment to the best possible advantage. A great photo is a great photo, no matter the equipment used to make it - right? Amen! I have lived by these words for ages. If you are not making interesting images with a "toy camera", a full frame behemoth is not the remedy.

07-16-2019, 01:38 AM - 1 Like	#2165
Dartmoor Dave Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Dartmoor, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,882	Originally posted by BigMackCam The nice thing with compact cameras - especially older models, with limited features and image quality (at least by today's standards) is that it's all about the photographer's skill - their eye, composition and creativity, using limited equipment to the best possible advantage. A great photo is a great photo, no matter the equipment used to make it - right? Absolutely right. I've only discovered this thread quite recently, but it's a real joy to find a place on the forum where folks are happily exploring the potential of more basic gear rather than moaning about not always having the latest and greatest. Glad to see that you're enjoying the A1200 Mike, and your results with it are looking great so far.

07-16-2019, 01:42 AM	#2166
Dartmoor Dave Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Dartmoor, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,882	Originally posted by EssJay If you are not making interesting images with a "toy camera", a full frame behemoth is not the remedy. True words, and you've backed them up with really beautiful photos to prove the point.

07-16-2019, 10:58 AM - 1 Like	#2168
EssJay Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Kamloops B.C Photos: Gallery Posts: 83	Originally posted by BigMackCam Many thanks, David ... Since it was such a warm and pleasant day (though rather overcast at times), I went for a little walk in my town's riverside park (cunningly named "Riverside Park" ) and took the A1200 with me. Snapped a few photos along the way - nothing to speak of, but a small selection below... again, captured raw using CDHK and processed in RawTherapee Beauty! Your photo of the thistle flower clearly demonstrates an often overlooked strength of the small sensor - a surprisingly usable macro mode in a package small enough to handhold. The majority of my macro photos have come from "toy cameras" while my dedicated macro lenses (Pentax-M 100mm, Takumar 50mm) sit at home in a dark corner of my gear bag next to my dusty tripod. The compact allows for impromptu macro shots whereas the DSLR requires a degree of planning and set-up that just doesn't suit a "snap-and-go" style. Of course the dslr cannot be matched in terms of quality, but the compact gets a more than acceptable photo that would be passed by otherwise.

07-16-2019, 04:55 PM	#2171
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,670	Originally posted by EssJay Butterfly eggs. Nice! I've never even seen such things before Great subject separation... How did you achieve that? In post? It looks too shallow for the focal length, aperture and distance (though I'm just guessing )...

07-16-2019, 05:39 PM - 1 Like	#2172
EssJay Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Kamloops B.C Photos: Gallery Posts: 83	Originally posted by BigMackCam Great subject separation... How did you achieve that? In post? It looks too shallow for the focal length, aperture and distance Thanks BigMack That is a hand held shot using the macro mode on the Canon A700. The exposure mode was set to auto...EXIF says f2.8. At that close a distance f2.8 has the depth of field of a razor. The image was a little washed out looking straight from the camera so the post processing that I have done is a bump up in contrast and saturation in Lightroom. ....the macro mode on this old dinosaur more than gets the job done.