Purl Buttons: 8.16.14--CAMERAS

I couldn't possibly tell you all names of the different kinds of cameras I have had. I vaguely remember the kind with the flash cube that would advance to the next side of the cube for a new bulb. I remember one that had no flash at all. I remember making a pin-hole camera in the fifth grade in Mrs. Martin's science class.

But my most recent three cameras, aside from secondary camera features found on electronic devices intended for other purposes than picture-taking, are what I am thinking about today.

I bought the Sony Mavica soon after playing with one in a computer class. I took a class as part of continuing education for teachers. We used the cameras and were amazed at how easily the floppy disk would pop out of the camera and make the pictures instantly available on the computer. We were taught how to print the pictures and that we could even purchase PHOTGRAPHIC paper. I bought one. It was a lot of money for us, and a spur-of-the-week purchase, but they had it at the drugstore and the price was affordable with a credit card, so off I went to the band event to take pictures of my sons.

Later, I wanted a camera that was a little more sophisticated. Besides, enough time had passed that none of the computers I used had floppy drives. Except, of course, the ones I was allowed to make available to my students. If you ever want a piece of technology that has outlived its contribution to the user, look in a public school teacher's classroom. That is a post for another day.

I researched for several months and then asked Santa for the Sony H7.1080 I had thought I would be able to later add a zoom lens, but I did not research thoroughly. It will not take a lens but its wonderful Carl Zeiss lens does almost everything I could want. It is a WONDERFUL camera.

Then, a month ago, I received a Nikon D80 from my brother. It came with a AF Nikkor 28-200mm lens.
It was three days before I could figure out how to turn it on.

I have a great manual I used to learn how to remove the teeny memory disk, change and charge the batteries, and attach and detach the lens. The learning curve is pretty steep.

I am used to setting my shot using the screen. While the Nikon D80 has a screen, it is only for viewing the shot after it is taken. To make the shot you have to look through the viewer. This is a challenge since I am farsighted. Very farsighted. Glasses off while enjoying nature, glasses on while trying to take the picture. Glasses off finding a new bird or leaf or whatever, glasses on to take the picture. I found out that there are no lens settings for getting right squat onto something to take its picture. Well, there probably are, but I need to go back and study the tutorial more. This thing has bells and whistles I haven't even found yet.