I like the ease of use of a compact digital camera; the ‘thoughtless’ way you can just take a photo, and that it can be easily to hand in the back pocket of a cycling jersey. I haven’t had a dedicated digital compact camera for nearly a decade, and the market has changed a lot in the intervening years. Everything has become so expensive, and compact cameras seem to have been replaced with smartphones. I spent a few hours down the internet rabbit-hole searching for the recommendations of fellow cycle-travelling bloggers – and reminding myself “you shall not covet your fellow-blogger’s compact camera”. Eventually I stumbled upon a review of older tech, and learned the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ70 has quite a good reputation, so I was delighted to find them within my budget on eBay.
There’s only one thing to do with a new camera… head outside and start taking photographs. I went to the green-grocers to take images of the lusciously coloured vegetables:
A short walk from the village centre, out along the Huddersfield Narrow Canal towpath and I felt the urge to test the optical zoom… for a handheld photograph I’m really impressed.
I wondered what the comparison between some 35mm film and this digital camera would look like, so although it isn’t a straight-forward test due to differing conditions…
…and wow, I’m reminded how much I love the Pentax MX. In defence of the Lumix I haven’t even begun to see what I can do with the manual settings, and I remember how long I took composing these 35mm shots.
Finally the obligatory selfie. I think I’m going to have some fun with this little camera.
