h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've never been happy with the digital camera we had, it always caused a lot of trouble: either because it 'hacked' the photos, or because you couldn't upload them to the Pc. This is exactly what happened after I came back from my parents now. Fortunately, son #2 has the new PC, so he inserted the memory card directly, and 'bingo' - he could upload the photos. So when I now find a 5 megapixel camera on offer for just € 45.00 I spent the money.
It's the DPix 5200 here, in case you're interested:

http://www.praktica.de/index.php?id=20&L=1

It's a camera for idiots like me (I think they politely call this: for beginners ), the instruction manual has one or more pictures for every function explained, I can even use it as a webcam and so on. Only trouble is: I manage to blur all pictures. It does not really focus, so unless I position the camera on a table or manage NOT to move at all (which proves surprisingly difficult) the photos aren't really clear. Still, I took the camera with me on my walk yesterday and tested all the features like 'continuous' shoots (three photos with one click), landscape, bright sunshine ...
The result was interesting. All the wonderful photos of the autumn-coloured forest (which I had zoomed in) were just for the bin. Apart from the fact that if you choose the 'three for one option' you get three tiny pics (just a few kb each), it looked completely artificial - very odd. I can't describe it, really. Fortunately, it doesn't matter, as I took the photos merely for testing. However, I think I'll not use the 'landscape' function again, and the 'continuous' shooting didn't convince me, either.
But it's a small camera with hardly any weight so it fits in my coat pocket, and I hope I'll get used to taking it with me at all times.
It is nice to be able to just go and make a photo without having to search for the camera, or having to ask for the usb cable to connect to the PC (especially since that didn't really work anyway and I always had to ask my son to upload to his PC) etc. I may try AV next.

So we should see lots of pictures soon?

I can wait

(but not too long)

Depends on whether I'll ind something worth taking photos of. I can upload those I made yesterday, but I'm sure they're boring.

Well, for heavens sake - you live in a foreign country from the point of view of everyone else that doesn't live there - which is the majority of the world's population. You would have to take a close-up of a sidewalk for it to be boring.

I'm just uploading a few photos, be patient.

Yes, photos of Germany would never be boring for me, that's for sure!

Sounds nice a nice camera, Bel. I prefer them without too many bells and whistles, too, because I can never get all of the fancy stuff to work for me.

Yes, I think it has enough features. I have yet to find out some of the functions, but the main ones are quite clear.
The album is here, but I'm still adding captions.

http://picasaweb.google.com/TheBelana/Misccellaneous

I had problems with my Canon camera when I upgraded my PC to Windows Vista. WV wouldn't recoginse the Canon Software. However, someone said I could buy an adaptor, into which to insert the memory card from the camera, and which fits into a USB port of the PC.

This worked

However, I still can't understand why the PC won't recognise the camera when I coonect direct from the camera to the USB port, i.e. without using the special adaptor.

I don't know, either. Sometimes, it worked, then again, it didn't. The PC recognised the camera - it even showed photos in the preview - just not the ones I took (and a few others, either).

A fig tree?

I wasn't sure at first what the Multimar Wadden was, but a quick google turned up this: A12736677

Very

Hmmm. Some nice ones there, B'el - but I like the look of that menu most of all.

(So much so that I got a terrible urge for a baguette with herring and onion in it, and am now going out to get herrings.

Wow, Paily, did my entry really came up on google?

KB, depending on how much info I'll find, I might write a GE about Labskaus. That really would require a photo, though, cause it looks absolutely disgusting - but it tastes nice.

Bel,

I don't know why you thought the photos would be boring. I loved the grandfather clock, it reminded me of my childhood too. The thatched cottage made me feel right at home, and I was very interested in the wind farm.

Those are good photos for a small camera and first attempt. You should take a look at some of my early ones!! http://www.flickr.com/photos/websailor/ if you want to see some bad photos. I have kept them because they are once in a lifetime shots with memories, but I am getting very 'picky' now. Thankfully my camera and computer like each other.

Mine is a 7.2mp which is lovely for landscape and really close, close ups, it just doesn't cope too will with little birds who are close, but not close enough.I need a better zoom. As it was a much loved present, I don't feel I can upgrade yet, but I will.

I shall look forward to some more from you

Websailor

Forgot to say I loved the windmill - shame about the sails, but at least you still have it, they dynamited ours

Webbie, those are still made with the 'old' (it's only two years old) camera. I'll add the ones I made yesterday in a moment.

The zoom is up to 8x with the new camera, and it has a 'macro' button for close-ups (about 20cm).

There used to be the 'Mühlenbäckerei' next to it. As it is directly at the railway station, we often went there as kids - if only for the delicious smells - we hardly ever had money to buy something. I don't recall the windmill having sails, although I guess it stll had them at the beginning of the 20th Century.

BTW, while we talking 'cameras' and 'photos', des anyone know how to send photos to the Edited Guide Editors directly? Or would they have to collect a photo from a flickr site . I want to send 'em a photo of TYhe Boot Public House to go with A25323527.

Send to h2g2.editorial at bbc.co.uk

Oh, well, I shall have something to compare with then

I must dig out my photo of our old windmill. I still miss it. I would almost be able to see it from my office window. They should bring them back!

Websailor

The ones I took yesterday are the small ones, because I had set the camera to 'continuous shooting'.