True Confession: I hate my FZ30

[digcamfan]

Hi Debbie,

I am with you (and one of the minority! Ha, ha!).

I do not like to post process much either.

When I do, I use Paint Shop Pro 8 which is plenty for me.

One other accessory I did purchase was a 55-62 step ring for 62mm circular polarizer that I leave on for most outdoor, sunny photos.

It works great!!!

Maybe you cancatch one of those fabulous "amber waves of grain" with a KS sunset for us (in a few weeks when the KS winter wheat comes up)! :idea:

[videosilva]

I like you also do not like having to manipulate a picture. It should be decent out of the camera, for personall preferences I can understand wanting to tweak a picture a bit.

BUT, when you HAVE to manipulate pictures out of camera then you have a real problem.

[genece]

While I am not very experienced... I have used or manipulated photos from my previous cameras and My daughters cameras and I find I need to do much less PP on the FZ30 photos than any of the other cameras.

If you spend a little time learning the metering system I think the FZ30 turns out great photos with no processing.

But I would be willing to bet almost every photo you see on the web that grabs your attention, has been processed even the photos from the $5000.00 cameras....its really part of the digital thing.

In fact the Pros with the expensive equipment are actually very experienced with PS.

[tiger98]

Debbie, Have been following this thread and haven't seen any mention of your Image Stabilization setting, (IS). I hope your using it. I've found that IS mode 2 works best for me. Jim

[Capella]

Jim,

YES! I have image stabilzation on - LOL. And set to mode two. Sigh...it's another day and I'm still having mixed feelings about the camera - although I'm not as psychotic as I was yesterday about it.

Debbie

[pagerboy]

I'm looking at this camera as my next one, I like the manual focus ring. I've learned so much from these forums that the majority of the editing is just to spice things up. What I like is the hot shoe so that you can use a flash to bends to bounce the light instead of adjusting the intensity all the time, plus more MP than the Canon S1IS.

[TLB39]

Debbie,

I'd like to introduce an heretical suggestion if all this superb advice fails. After having read each post very carefully, I think you should consider a trial purchase of a Fuji 5200 (currently at just over $220). You will give up features others prize in the 30, but you will get far better low light, higher ISO performance and should seldom need anything more potent or complicated than Picasa for pp. Like you and several other posters, I have neither the time nor interest for the kind of pp many do. I have seen some stunning feats of pp, and have nothing but admiration those with the skill to do it. But that's as far as it's going to go with me. Bottom-line, for me at least, just imagine being able to shoot at ISO 200 and get clear crisp images, and even go to 400 without worrying about pp...

[Capella]

TLB39,

Thank you for your recommendation. I've also been tossing around the idea of the Panasonic FZ7. I think I would be happier with greater ease of us. I appreciate you stepping forward and essentially saying "this might not be the camera for me". I am willing to concede to that. Interesting that you recomended a camera I actually held in my hand over the weekend. I'm just so torn as if I want to fight the good fight and see if I canwin, or if I'll forever be on the fence about how I feel about the 30. I know, only things I can answer for myself.

It won't go away as a question in mind, in spite of all the WONDERFUL and much appreciate advise that has come out of this thread.

Debbie

[pagerboy]

The Fuji 5200looks cool but I don't know about the xD memory card?

How about the Canon S2IS?

[bmccoy]

pagerboy wrote:

The Fuji 5200looks cool but I don't know about the xD memory card?

How about the Canon S2IS?

My vote it to stay away from anything that uses xD or Memory stick. Not because they are bad, just because they have a more narrow focus of vendors supporting them. It's just my personal choice. With xD being about twice the price of SD the camera would have to be very compelling for me to consider. As for the Canon S2, well it's a great piece, but I don't think I would describe it as "less complicated" then the 30 or the 7. There is a separate button for everything, which is both a blessing and a curse. For some people it's very intimidating to hold something with that many buttons.

Of course everyone has their own preference on these things. I was very happy they added the "joystick" to my FZ7, it's much better then the old way of getting to settings and I don't have to memorize multiple locations for each feature. One place with a simple popup menu and you are good to go.

-Brett