Photography Quest with Panasonic FZ18

If you want to compare reference images from 2 digital cameras side-by-side, Image Resource is offering this tool:

Comparometer

Select the first camera from the dropdown list on the left and the second camera on the right.

With hundreds of digital cameras of all size and shapes in the market, we need all the help we could get at choosing what best suits us. Here, I tried to compile the sites I visited while researching for a digital camera and finally decided to get the Panasonic FZ18. Hope you may also find these useful for your own digital camera research.

1. DPreview.com – Acquired by Amazon.com in 2007, the site has established itself as being the authority in digital camera reviews. DPreview.com provides extensive reviews of all digital cameras ever manufactured by camera companies. Suffice it to say that they rule the digital camera review world. You’ll find all the info you’ll need with comparisons between the FZ18’s competitors.

Panasonic FZ18 Review
Panasonic FZ18 Forum Threads


2. Steves-Digicams.com – A bunch of really nice people are always willing to help in the forums. Thanks Sarah Joyce (mtclimber)! If you’re a bit confused about which camera you’ll choose, search the forums if it hasn’t been discussed or ask the experts. They’ll steer you on the right direction and provide suggestions on the models you may want to consider.

Steve's-Digicams Forums
Steve's Digicams Panasonic FZ18 Review


3. Flickr.com – The best way to check the photo quality of the camera you’re planning to buy is to browse through photos upload by hundreds of members using that model. Not only is Flickr for uploading and sharing photos, members can also discuss about their cameras, too. If you’d join in the groups, you may also participate in different contests that members are setting up for their group.

Panasonic FZ18 Group
Panasonic FZ18 Photo Pool


4. Digicamhelp.com - This site is created and owned by Gail Bjork (I don’t know if she’s a distant cousin of Bjork, heheh). She owns a Panasonic FZ18 as well and I’m learning lots from her blog. She writes some tips, guides and features about Panasonic FZ18 in a simple, easy to understand manner.

Gail's Panasonic FZ18 blog


5. Amazon.com – I find the product reviews provided by buyers a rich source of information about the product and in fact I often base my purchase on the stars rating. Like everything else, read buyers' reviews before actually buying your camera. As the saying says, it is good to learn from our experiences but wise to learn from the experiences of others.

Panasonic FZ18 Product Page
Panasonic FZ18 Customers' Reviews


6. CNet.com – Cnet.com also has very rich information and reviews on tech and gadgets, including digital cameras. One feature I like in their reviews of digital cameras, Panasonic FZ18 in particular, is the shooting speed comparison chart between cameras of the same level. Really insightful.

Panasonic FZ18 Review from CNet.com


7. Youtube.com – Search for video tours of the digital camera model you’re planning to buy. You may see for yourself the camera in action and how it would fit into the hands. Sitting back and watching the video tour surely beats the crap out of reading long pages of text on screen.

Panasonic FZ18 Video tours

We have our own reasons and criterias for choosing the digital camera that best fits us. Here, I'm trying to compile a buyer profile on who should buy a Panasonic FZ18. :)

The Panasonic FZ18 is perfect to those:

• Who have had a digital camera before and felt they have graduated from point and shoot cameras and are interested to step up to the next level.
• Who are wanting to learn the basics of photography first before jumping on the DSLR big gun.
• Who found DSLRs cumbersome and heavy and/or looking for a DSLR substitute.
• Who are looking for a versatile digital camera that gives a near DSLR photo quality specially in good light.
• Who needs more zoom and doesn't want to pay extra for conversion lenses.
• Who are planning to shoot mostly outdoors, and wild life that most of the time needs long zooms and fast shutter speeds.
• Who are looking for budget cameras which have all the bells and whistle.
  

If you're all of the above, you better add the Panasonic FZ18 on the top of your list. :)

I've just learned tonight that there's more to setting the date and time of the digital camera just for the sake of setting the date and time. Everytime we take a picture with our digital camera, a some sort of digital photo storage media or "metadata" is stored. Metadata is just a fancy term that means data or information about the picture. These data (including the date and time, ISO speed, exposure setting, etc.) are written in EXIF format and are stamped into the picture. Now the fancy part is that softwares like ACDSee and others can read this metadata and is possible for us to review the settings we used. We'll also be able to sort our photos by date and other stuff. :) So there.

Yay!! I finally bought my Panasonic FZ-18 and I love it! Nahh, I didn't wait for Adsense earnings. Paid it with my hard-earned savings and my salary, hehe.

Thanks to Todd for buying it for me and acting as my mail man! :D

If you're contemplating on buying this camera and is still uncertain, these sites might convince you to put the dot on your decision:

• Canon S5 IS vs Panasonic FZ-18
• Canon S5 IS vs Panasonic FZ-18 at Steve's Digicam
  
• Flickr Panasonic FZ-18 Group
• Panasonic FZ-18 Discussions at Flickr
  
• Gail's Panasonic FZ-18 Blog

I will post photos with my Panny-Potpot here soon. Hehe.

I've changed the blog template. I've found lots of very beautiful templates at eblogtemplates.com and I'm trying out some of them. The Aspire template is the one I like best at the moment but I'm thinking of changing to WP-Polaroid soon. We'll see.

I would like to share this really motivating article I found at blogs.photopreneur.com.. 3 photographers tell their story about the first photo they sold.

The Day I Sold My First Photo

This is the first photograph that Diego Lema (one of the featured photographers) sold:



Powerful isn't it? It's a self portrait, Diego Lema is the model, photographer and digital re-toucher. Yep, he's handsome and talented. There are just people who have it all. Sometimes, God really do play favorites. Hehe.

If the day comes that I have sold a photo, I could finally die happy. LOL. Got to buy the gear first. But with the rate I'm earning online right now ($0.55 from Adsense!), I think I could buy the LCD screen protector first after a year. Haha..

Photography's rule of thirds is and should be the first principle that a photographer should know about photography. This can be considered as a photographer's staple as rice is to Filipinos.

So what exactly is the Rule of Thirds?

No, I wouldn't even attempt at explaining what or how it is because for sure I would sound like a blundering idiot (which I really am). I will let the pros tell you what it is. So click here: The Rule of Thirds.

Here's my attempt at practicing the rule of thirds.

Here are samples of the photos I'm having. These basically are few of the reasons why I'm wanting a better digital camera. :)

As I've said, I am a photography newbie and am learning how to get better pictures. I currently own an obsolete Olympus IR-300. Nothing against Olympus, but I think my cam doesn't give me good quality pictures (but a better photographer could probably get away with breathtaking pictures using my cam). That is why I am wanting to upgrade to a better camera. I recognize that I'm not ready for a DSLR yet and I don't want to carry that heavy luggage. But most importantly, I cannot afford the big guns. :) So, I decided I should settle for an advanced point and shoot first and learn everything I can about the technical part of photography.

Here's my photography wish list:

1. Panasonic FZ18
2. Pemaraal PA62E FZ18 lens adapter
3. Lens filters
4. 4 Gig SDHC
5. Extra Battery
6. Camera bag
7. Tripod, Monopod
8. Conversion Lenses Kit

That's what I want for now until I see better options. :)

In the meantime, here's a picture I took a year ago with my IR-300 during our trip to Boracay. We are off to a snorkel site here. :) (I know the picture's not so good but the snorkel site was great!).