November 28 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

The clear night sky allowed me to take photos of the moon that was passing through the penumbral shadow of the earth. The change in its brightness was too subtle to be significantly observed by the human eye, but the camera sensor is more sensitive to such changes. Here are some of the lunar photographs I took on the night of November 28.

8:50 PM (Philippine Time)

9:52 PM

10:04 PM

10:22 PM

10:32 PM

10:32 PM 

10:50 PM

11:03 PM 

11:32 PM

Guide to Point-and-Shoot Camera Buyers

If you are buying your first camera, your choice probably starts with point-and-shoot cameras. The point-and-shoot market is a vast market filled with beginners and amateurs who are either interested in learning photography or just plain casual snapshooters. There is nothing wrong with both types of people. And if you fall in either category, don’t demean yourself.

By this time, various brands of point-and-shoot cameras have emerged in the market. In fact, the range of these cameras have widened since they became popular decades back. Now there are different types of P&S cameras, which can also be called compacts. All camera manufacturers have a point-and-shoot line to please the other market, which includes people who don’t have the means to buy or use a DSLR gear.

So if you are a first-time buyer, what should you buy? Since there are different types of P&S camera out there, it pays to know what the specific camera for you. It all depends on your needs.

Are you going to print large posters?

Most probably, you are not. So, it makes sense to not go after large megapixels. A lot of people looking for cameras on the stands ask how many megapixels a camera has. That’s a ridiculous question from someone who would simply post photos on Facebook or making 5x7 prints. If you like high-quality posters, you shouldn’t be on this page. You should be looking for a DSLR camera.

Most point-and-shoot cameras sport 12, 14, and 16 megapixels. These are meaningless numbers since most casual snapshooters don’t need more than 3 or 5 megapixels. Compact cameras have small sensors that it’s pointless to do a lot of cropping or make a lot of large prints, which only magnify image noise and artifacts. Also, you don’t want to shoot in maximum resolution because that would eat a lot of space on your memory card.

What kind of situations would be shooting in?

Most point-and-shooters just want simple portraits they can quickly post on the internet. If this is the case, any basic P&S camera in the market can suffice for your simple needs of snapping. Any cheap camera for major manufacturers can meet that requirement. Keep in mind that any camera less than $200 shall offer basic shooting features and acceptable image quality in bright light. None of these cameras will create impressive photos in low light; you have to use their small built-in flash units for that purpose and expect brightly lit faces against dark backgrounds.

One problem with cheap cameras is the shutter lag. All P&S cameras, even the expensive ones, have shutter lag. This is a limitation that becomes noticeable when you are taking pictures of pets and kids moving around.

Have you used a P&S camera before and you want to upgrade?

Manufacturers have improved point-and-shoot cameras, which are becoming more capable over the years. An owner of a basic P&S camera who wishes to learn more about photography will realize soon that his little tool is no longer adequate for his growing needs. There are two options here. One is to buy a DSLR camera and exploit the steep learning curve or buy an advanced point-and-shoot camera.

As you ascend through the price range of P&S cameras, you will meet the superzooms and the advanced P&S. These two types of cameras are for different types of enthusiasts. The superzoom cameras are essentially P&S cameras with 1/2.3” sensors, and they can come as pocket zooms and DSLR-type superzooms, sporting 12x-50x optical zoom power. These are for people who like close-up shots of distant subjects. Pocket or compact zooms (Canon PowerShot SX260 HS, Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20, Sony CyberShot HX20V, or Nikon Coolpix s9300) are friendlier to travelers who don’t like bulky gear. DSLR-type megazooms (Canon SX40 HS or Panasonic FZ150) offer more optical zoom though, but the images they produce are not necessarily better than their smaller brothers.

The advanced point-and-shoot cameras (Canon S100 or Olympus XZ-1) have bigger sensors and wider apertures than any P&S cameras in the market. Hence, they offer better image quality than ordinary cameras or even superzooms, especially in low light. Most professional photographers have any of these pricey P&S in their pockets, because these are more convenient and offer better image quality than most compacts.

Do you travel a lot?

A lot of travelers do not like lugging DSLRs and lenses with them. That would just spoil their tour. Travelers who seek convenience can look at various models of compact zooms or advanced compacts. However, they should bring extra batteries in case their cameras run out of juice in the middle of their tour. There are only a few cameras nowadays that use AA batteries, which is convenient for travelers. A few existing is the budget compact zoom of Canon, the Canon SX130 IS or its newer version the SX150 IS. Reviews say they offer good image quality but have awful shutter lag and flash recycling times.

GPS-enabled cameras have also become popular among travelers. These cameras can log the location where the photo was taken, but they exhaust battery power upon activating the GPS feature. Some people disregard the function though.

Do you like taking photos of concerts and shows?

Cheap point-and-shoot cameras are never built for these situations, wherein DSLR cameras would flaunt their capabilities, but there are capable P&S cameras for such difficult photographic situations. Advanced compacts have good low light capabilities for indoor concerts and events, but don’t expect DSLR-like quality. Superzoom cameras are good for outdoor daytime concerts or shows, especially if you are far away from the stage. Indoors, they will struggle for sure.

Final Thoughts

Many people look for an all-around camera, but there is no such thing. You have to trade something for something. For advanced compacts, you have to trade zoom capability for better images. For basic compacts, you have to trade image quality and performance for price. Eventually, you will buy any camera and you will have to make the most out of it. Creative photographers will figure out how to work around limitations of their gear.