jtyson
TPF Noob!
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
- Messages
- 76
- Reaction score
- 2
- Location
- Albuquerque, NM, USA
- Can others edit my Photos
- Photos OK to edit
I, like many, thought I'd love photography as a hobby. Turns out, I just spent a lot of money to take pictures that were only marginally better than the ones I snap with my iphone. I know it wasn't the equipment, but rather me. I'm impatient. Switching lenses, setting up shots, living for the picture just isn't something I enjoy. Carrying a big camera everywhere too is a real pain, even without all the extra lenses.
I went on a month long road trip, took probably 4000 pictures in total. When I got home this weekend and began reviewing them, I found many to be washed out, lack sharpness, and plenty completely out of focus. I didn't expect things to be of a professional quality, but at least pleasing to my eye. Some were, but the vast majority were not.
I was shooting with a Sony a55. Mostly using the kit lens because of the zoom range. Also used my 50mm 1.7 minolta, sigma 75-300mm and a couple shots with the 35-70mm w/ macro. Bottom line, I like my macro shots, but I'm unhappy with the rest overall. On a 6000 mile road trip, I wanted more oomph with my landscape photos, not just close ups of plants and birds. The 50mm wasn't producing anything more sharp than the kit lens, so I stuck with the kit lens mostly. Honestly, I didn't take the time to stop and set the camera manually for iso or the like, I just shoot in auto because that is the easiest for me to do.
So, irritated, I sold my whole set up yesterday. Got most of my money back out of it, so I'm not terribly upset, but I sort of feel empty. I want to enjoy taking pictures with a higher quality camera than my cell phone. I'm wondering if a pocketable point and shoot would fit the bill and please me, or if I will just end up angry with that too. I was reading some reviews and saw good things said about the Sony RX100. I've found a couple used locally for $300-400. I'm just not sure if it is worth dumping the money into another camera.
Anyone chime in on whether that Sony RX100 is quick and pleasing to someone who is impatient and probably has too high of standards for the amount of effort put into the shots? Or should I just stick to my cell phone and abandon the camera idea all together? I'm not looking to create photographic masterpieces. Just capture memories in a form that I can enjoy and share with others without them cringing or squinting at.
I went on a month long road trip, took probably 4000 pictures in total. When I got home this weekend and began reviewing them, I found many to be washed out, lack sharpness, and plenty completely out of focus. I didn't expect things to be of a professional quality, but at least pleasing to my eye. Some were, but the vast majority were not.
I was shooting with a Sony a55. Mostly using the kit lens because of the zoom range. Also used my 50mm 1.7 minolta, sigma 75-300mm and a couple shots with the 35-70mm w/ macro. Bottom line, I like my macro shots, but I'm unhappy with the rest overall. On a 6000 mile road trip, I wanted more oomph with my landscape photos, not just close ups of plants and birds. The 50mm wasn't producing anything more sharp than the kit lens, so I stuck with the kit lens mostly. Honestly, I didn't take the time to stop and set the camera manually for iso or the like, I just shoot in auto because that is the easiest for me to do.
So, irritated, I sold my whole set up yesterday. Got most of my money back out of it, so I'm not terribly upset, but I sort of feel empty. I want to enjoy taking pictures with a higher quality camera than my cell phone. I'm wondering if a pocketable point and shoot would fit the bill and please me, or if I will just end up angry with that too. I was reading some reviews and saw good things said about the Sony RX100. I've found a couple used locally for $300-400. I'm just not sure if it is worth dumping the money into another camera.
Anyone chime in on whether that Sony RX100 is quick and pleasing to someone who is impatient and probably has too high of standards for the amount of effort put into the shots? Or should I just stick to my cell phone and abandon the camera idea all together? I'm not looking to create photographic masterpieces. Just capture memories in a form that I can enjoy and share with others without them cringing or squinting at.