You know what? It is downright amazing what you can do with what you have, despite shortcomings, before you decide to upgrade. For instance, my computer is on its fifth year, and still keeping up with the bigger dogs thanks to a substantial update in the summer of 2001, which updated about everything but the kitchen sink. Then of course there’s the Web Cam software, which I recently changed, the previous one which I stuck with for two years until realizing it’s not the hardware… it was the software that was horrible. I got new Web Cam software, and the thing runs like a charm. After being up against the wall with a number of things, the latest thing I’m against the wall with is the Mavica. Don’t get me wrong – it’s a GREAT camera. It stores to floppy disks, and has 10x optical zoom, which is pretty darn good. However, it has a 0.3 megapixel resolution. While that’s great for just general Web site stuff, like this picture of the Chinatown fan in Washington DC, which I photographed on a trip for some upcoming photo essays. However, as I’ve gotten more sophisticated in my techniques with the camera and with my uses of the fruits of that labor, I’ve found that I need more. Mostly in resolution. In photographing the Chinatown fan in this picture, I want you to take a look at the pink row of lights. Notice it’s a little fatter than the other rows? That’s because it’s two lights on each section of the fan instead of one. The camera can’t resolve the two lights, instead mashing the two of them together, even when zoomed WAY in on the particular lights. You may ask, what’s the solution for the Mavica? Well, I’m working on an upgrade. I’m getting a new Mavica – model CD400. Burns to mini-CDs, and has a 4.0 megapixel resolution. That ought to resolve the little lights, as well as allow me to take videos of stuff. As Tim Allen would say, “That thing should say ‘testosterone’ right on it!” Plus, since I’m keeping the old camera, this will allow for some interesting dual-person photo shoots in the future. However, such fun features have a price tag on it, and this new camera is not cheap. Still, it will be great once I get the money…
