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May 19, 2008
The Long Shot
As you might have read in earlier blogs, I had the amazing opportunity of going on safari the week before last. One of the many things I was very grateful for about the whole experience was being offered the loan of a new digital camera, the LUMIX TZ5 with a Leica DC lens ($349; panasonic.com), from Panasonic a week before I left. It couldn’t have happened at a better time and turned out to be the perfect camera for this (and I imagine any) type of adventure holiday or honeymoon you might have planned that involves extraordinary landscapes, scenery—or dangerous animals.
Up to now pretty much everyone I know (well maybe just my husband) would have called me a luddite when it comes to all things camera-technical. And I would have no argument. I had an Elf Canon for years, and I loved it because it weighed nothing and took really good pictures. My second one, that I purchased second hand on Ebay, finally died a couple of months back. It used film. Please stop laughing. Not ringing a bell? Film comes in these little plastic tubes that hold cellulose film that you pop in and out of a camera. When the roll was finished you’d take it to a photo developing shop and then you go back and get the pictures. And in the past when I was at events or at markets and I’d reach the end of the roll and it automatically started to rewind, people would do a double take and say, “Is that film rewinding?” as if they’d uncovered a prehistoric species. Your aunt Fanny might still do this. If she can still find film for the camera she owns.
The Panasonic LUMIX TZ5 digital still camera (and the impending trip of a lifetime) was my inspiration to get photographically techno-savvy up to speed quick. The features that blew me away about this super compact and lightweight camera were the powerful 10x Optical Zoom, which allowed me to get up close and personal with animals that you really don’t want to cozy up to. Like the female lions, for example. When we came upon the pride of lions, I hadn’t realized we’d found them as I was taking my turn in the third back seat. I was able to safely adjust the zoom and get shots of the lionesses' surprisingly large heads poking out of the grass.
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What’s amazing about this camera is the double whammy of 28mm wide lens angle plus a 10x optical zoom, which lets you take wider-framed shots. It meant that when we came upon an amazing animal, we didn’t have to get dangerously close (not that trusty head ranger Steve Fly would ever put us in danger), but we could all sit back and shoot photos and observe from a safe distance. With its 3-inch LCD screen in the back, even at the delirious hour of pre-coffee 6 a.m. for the morning game drives, I could make out images on the screen.
Some cool features that helped me come home with some pretty impressive shots (if I do say so myself) were:
- The LEICA DC lens unit which has an EA (extra-high refractive index aspherical) lens and four lenses with five aspherical surfaces. Did I lose you? Just means that this advanced lens design ensures your images are high in resolution, low in distortion, and clear from corner to corner.
- The intelligent Auto Mode, adjusting itself to different photo situations, like our evening game drives where we were often driving back to the lodge in pitch darkness.
- The MEGA O.I.S. feature meant that gyrosensors detect hand shake (which you might get as an elephant comes right at you—for example) and the lens system automatically shifts to compensate, helping to keep you from getting blurry shots.
- Intelligent Exposure meant that photos wouldn’t turn out under- or over-exposed. The camera instantly analyzes the framed image and adjusts the brightness in areas that are too dark because of dim lighting, backlighting or the use of the flash.
Oh, and FYI, it does also shoot 720p HD video.
Plus, it’s small, lightweight and tucks into a wee 4” x 6 1/2” camera case, which meant I didn’t look like some of the other guests at the hotel packin’ huge cameras with mega-zoom lenses. (Same guests wore ruched khaki pants and pith helmets—I kid you not—not to be a little catty or cheetah-ey).
And I have to give hubby Kerry mucho credit for walking me through the Panasonic manual, charging the two batteries the Panasonic comes with (brilliant!), going and buying me two HUGE space-capacity memory cards and going through some of the you’re-going-to-be-using-this features. He’s simply the best…
Officially loving the digital age.
Posted by Monica (former luddite) at 2:33 p.m.
Home Design Editor
Hi Joe, I will try to post a few more shots of animals (I took a LOT!) on maybe the travel blog this week! I did post a few more on my May 7th blog, if you want to scroll back a bit. http://www.bridalguide.com/community/blogs/welcome-home/on-safari/
Posted By: Monica
2008-07-21 9:21 AM
Safari!
Can you post up some of the pictures you took in the Safari? Sounds like it was a fun trip!
Posted By: Joe
2008-06-05 12:00 AM
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