Little Camera - Big Fun

I don't typically get excited about gear. In fact, I usually have to turn to others to figure out the cameras and stuff needed to accomplish something I have imagined. But last year I traveled to northern Italy to do some cycling in the Dolomites and wanted to photograph the adventure (having missed some of the year before in the French Pyrenees). Having something little in my jersey pocket was flexible, spontaneous and freeing. The other thing is no one thinks you are a professional.

Trying to marry small and control has been the struggle. The first of the "little cameras" I tried a few years ago was a total disappointment - response time toooo slow. After years of "big cameras" with 6-10 frames per sec. - and on film no buffer download time - waiting wasn't going to work. The other issue is lens range. As you can see from many of the examples I post here I love wides, super wides even better!

My newest little camera photographer-friend Joni Kabana turned me on to, it's the Canon G10 - and I love this little thing. It's got enough weight to feel serious. G10 is the first G-series camera to offer wide-angle imaging via a 5x (28mm) zoom with optical Image Stabilizer. The addition of a 14.7 Megapixel sensor and Canon’s new DIGIC 4 image processor ensures exacting image quality. And from a serious creative perspective it has all the critical controls available in traditional top locations - exposure, ISO, shooting mode, and a actual optical viewfinder! as well as a 3.0” PureColor LCD II (461k dots resolution) with wide viewing angle. AND just to really make life fun it packs a sweet little 30fps VGA video. There are reviews all over the web - far better than this non-techie could provide, but from a image-making POV the Canon G10 is really awesome.

I now carry the G10 everywhere - literally! It fits in a pocket, a bag, my cycling pocket. I'm shooting a ton with this "LITTLE" camera - over the coming weeks I'll post some portfolios - still and video. PS - Canon if you are listening (knock, knock!) - make the G11 with a 20mm wide and you have a brilliant camera!