Sometimes we can get so caught up in the technical aspects of our gear that we forget that the most important things are the images we capture regardless of the gear we are using. Those images help to enshrine memories. They could be of family and friends, pets, events, or places that we have visited.
A Panasonic FZ28 super-zoom would never be considered as anything much more than a point-and-shoot camera by most folks. After all, its 10Mp sensor is a miniscule 1/2.33″ (6.08×4.56mm), with uninspiring dynamic range and colour depth, and very poor low light performance. But in my mind it will always be one of my favourite cameras because of the memories that it allowed me to capture. Like a sightseeing trip to Arizona and southeastern Utah.
DMC-FZ28 @ 17.4mm, ISO 100, 10/1600, f/4.0
We rented an SUV in Phoenix and toured the state for a couple of weeks with our best friends. Making a large loop from Phoenix through Sedona, over to the Grand Canyon, then east to Monument Valley, south to Canyon de Chelly and the Petrified Forest, then back through Sedona and ending back again in Phoenix.
DMC-FZ28 @ 7.1mm, ISO 100, 10/2500, f/5.6
Contrary to how a lot of people felt, my favourite parts of the trip didn’t include the Grand Canyon, and I ended up choosing Canyon de Chelly National Monument and Monument Valley instead. While the Grand Canyon had big vistas it just seemed to lack the intimacy of Canyon de Chelly.
DMC-FZ28 @ 9.9mm, ISO 100, 10/1000, f/3.2
DMC-FZ28 @ 4.8mm, ISO 100, 10/1000, f/4.0
When I looked down into the deeply carved valleys of Canyon de Chelly, they brought back childhood memories of watching those old “Western” movies on television on Saturday mornings. The gun battles and dusty chase scenes.
DMC-FZ28 @ 6mm, ISO 160, 10/2000, f/5.0
Visiting Big Hogan in Monument Valley was a special treat. Many folks don’t realize that the famous “snake pit” scene in Indiana Jones The Last Crusade was filmed there. Monument Valley has been used for numerous movies including director John Ford’s classic film Stage Coach that starred John Wayne, and Stanley Kubrick’s 2001 A Space Odyssey. Films like The Eiger Sanction, Forest Gump, Back to the Future III and National Lampoon’s Vacation all had scenes filmed in Monument Valley.
DMC-FZ28 @ 4.8mm, ISO 100, 10/2500, f/5.6
DMC-FZ28 @ 11.5mm, ISO 160, 10/500, f/3.4
For some reason I have a strong affinity for the beauty of the desert and its rugged terrain. I find the scenery truly inspiring.
DMC-FZ28 @ 8.5mm, ISO 160, 10/3200, f/5.6
If we’re going to get the most out of our gear we have to simply enjoy it to the fullest. We need to remember that whatever camera we may happen to have in our hands at any given moment, it has the potential to enshrine a memory. Sometimes we sound apologetic about our gear, and almost act as if we’re ashamed of it by saying things like, “I only have a…”. Let’s get over our gear phobia and just enjoy capturing memories!
Article, all images and video are Copyright Thomas Stirr. All rights reserved. No use, duplication or adaptation is allowed without written permission.
I am going to bryce canyon next and will take some great memories. None of my cameras have large sensors, but what they have is a large heart, always ready for when I want to take a picture.
I call many people, spec geeks. Can you imagine Picasso pixel peeping one of his paintings? Nope!
Hi Eduardo,
Bryce Canyon is quite a spectacular setting with numerous lookouts from which to take images. You’ll no doubt have a wonderful time!
Tom
For got to say (having trouble with my computer) I also have found a small camera great such as around my neck on bicycle trips. A quick grab and I have a memory. Or a quick stop and I have a shot that I would not have had time for otherwise. And they are good enough for personal viewing and 5×7 or 8 x 10’s later on.
Hi jjciii,
Sounds like your ‘bicycle camera’ is working out well for you!
Tom
Thank you for posting. I enjoyed your photos. A new look at places i have visited before
Glad you enjoyed them!
Tom
Thomas: Another demonstration that it is the imagination and skill of the artist that makes a photograph, not the pedigree of the camera. These are entirely nice images; who cares if they were or were not made with a D-810?
Have much enjoyed your presentations here of your work with the Nikon 1 system. I currently have only a glorified point-and-shoot (Canon G-10) to shoot digital with, but I concentrate on the subject, the light, and my own vision for the image. Your work here provides inspiration to keep doing same.
Hi Art,
Thanks very much for your positive comment – I’m glad you been enjoying the articles! Keep shooting with your Canon G-10 anbd having fun making memories!
Tom
Great article Thomas that I could write myself but I may not have such stunning photos. My weapon of choice these days is a Lumix FZ200 while the recently serviced (AU$550) 5D11 sits idly in the cupboard. I’m happy to forgo file quality for the convenience of a 24-600 mm lens that has F2.8 throughout the zoom length although F4.5 is by far the best. I don’t have any need for big wall photos and if I do see a special scene I can always photograph a panorama set of files; yep, the beauty of digital photography.I feel so many put pixels before photographY quality
Hi Ian,
No question that super zoom cameras like your Lumix FZ200 are really convenient. I also had a Panasonic 1.7X teleconverter for my FZ-28 which gave the camera even more capability.I really had a lot of fun shooting with it!
Tom
I like so much the FZ200, I also bought one for my wife, a delight! Or a full-day light. :)
Hi, you have nice photos over there!
I really like the fuji xs1 and pana fz1000. They are as awesome as you described here, maybe even better.
Thanks for the comment refillable!
Tom
I have the FZ28 sitting in my car. I have seen the photos taken by acquaintances who have spent as much as $3,000 for their gear. Honestly I do not appreciate the improved photo quality they obtained versus the job of lugging all that gear.
On my trip to London and Paris went to all the tourist spots but I saw just one person struggling with changing lenses and no one carrying a large camera. For amateurs Photography should be fun! Maybe that is the reason more people are taking their photos with a smart phone.
Hi Don,
My FZ-28 continues to capture great memories…but now is in the hands of my youngest son. I had a similar experience as you during a trip to Greece last fall. In almost 2 weeks of touring the sites on the mainland and also on Mikonos and Satorini I don’t think I saw more than a 2 or 3 people a day with large, DSLR rigs.
Tom
Wonderful shots Thomas, makes me want to travel !
Hi Anders, Glad you enjoyed the images! There’s a lot of remarkable scenery in the southwest USA.
Tom
Yes so I’ve gathered, hope to be able to go one day !
We’ve been to Canada and the States, me with my Panasonic FZ5, my boyfriend with his heavy Nikon. I enjoyed walking around with my camera more, it was easier to use on things like fast moving boats, plus my eyes catch interesting things more often, so guess who came home with lots of nice memories…:-)
I have one from the Statue of Liberty with a helicopter hanging next to it that I really like, and just a week ago I used another shot made with the FZ5 for a calender for my mom and it turned out great in print.
Btw, the Nikon 1 with the Nikon 18- 300 lens now funtions as my walk around set up. It’s great!
Sounds like an interesting and flexible solution!
Tom
You should try it! Depending on the weather the lens can be soft at 300 mm, but certainly up to 200 I find it better than the 55- 200 and it sure is versatile! Just the AF can hunt quite a bit when trying to shoot a bird in flight.
Here’s a goose from a few days back, at 260mm. It’s very sharp, I’m just not that adept at photoshop as you are, nore do I have the right equipment.
Great capture! Thanks for sharing.
Tom
Thanks. It’s nothing special, just from my daily dog walk. You can see there’s noise, but that’s mostly because I didn’t remove it:-) Nobody notices it on Facebook;-) Weird sentence I made there: it’s soft depending on the weather, but I think you get it:-) It would be great if you could compare the 70- 300 with this lens at some time. I’m very curious if that one locks on to flying birds better. Nothing beats this as a take everywhere lens though.
I also like to pack light when travelling.
Tom
Yes, if only my underwear didn’t take up so much space i would be able to go on vacation with a handbag;-)
I’ve been taking serious photos since the 70’s, and I learned shortly into this hobby to separate vacations from photo outings. I found that trying to combine the two detracted from the overall enjoyment of the holiday, or vacation. I usually have a camera of some sort on vacations, but the SLR types only come out when I’m concentrating on the hobby. On my 2014 tour from Denver to the Grand Canyon I used an FZ-150, with an FZ6 as a backup. I shot raw with the FZ-150 and I’m thrilled with the pictures. Except for a Grand Canyon sunrise, I didn’t modify my plans around the camera and just enjoyed the trip and the sites. Used a rock wall for a tripod, self timer for shutter release; and had a lot of fun. I didn’t worry about dust in Monument valley, or a bit of iffy weather in the canyons.
It helps that I also have a special interest in doing more with less. We now give it the name ‘Lomography’, but for most of my hobby it meant seriously used old and toy cameras that I could afford at the time.
Mike C.
So true. Same goes for outings with the boyfriend. It sometimes sucks that I miss excellent photo opportunities, and those seem to be always better at those times or when you didn’t bring a camera at all:-), but it can distract from having a good time with someone else so for that I leave it be.
Some shots with my Coolpix from Europe.
You have some beautiful captures Ravi!
Tom
Thank you, Thomas!