Saving on Older Models - Canon S110 vs S120

Not every snapshooter needs the latest camera. And price reductions for last year's gear can be substantial.

A perfect example is the beautiful little Canon PowerShot S110 that's currently available for $219 vs $399 for the newer S120. That's a big difference. So I decided to compare the specs.

Bottom line is that you get 922,000 dots on the touchscreen LCD for the S120 vs about half as many on the S110 (which still has a touchscreen). Other improvements include a faster burst mode, a wider variety or resolution choices, f/1.8 vs f/2 max aperture, and a little faster performance. And to be honest, that's about it. Both have WiFi, RAW, and terrific image quality.

If I were to buy a top notch compact camera for an enthusiast photographer as a gift, I could swing $219. But $399? Probably not.

I enjoy covering the latest and greatest technology. As far as jobs go, I have a great one. But when it comes to spending my own money. Last year's models are often the true bargains.

-Derrick

Free Shipping

Prior to launching the Nimble Store, I've never had a shop before. So this is my first Black Friday as a seller. It feels a little odd.

I've had friends ask me, "So what are you going to offer for Black Friday?"
"I don't know," I replied. "I hadn't thought much about it."

But the more I kicked it around, the more I wanted to do something.

One of the things that I learned during my stint with O'Reilly Media was that people love free shipping. So I decided that's what I'm going to do for Black Friday running through Cyber Monday.

If you visit the Nimble Store and add at least $49 to the cart, then you can use coupon code: blackfriday2013
By doing so, you'll get free shipping Priority Mail USPS for any deliverable address in the US -- on everything in your cart.

It's not Macy's or Amazon. But I do feel like I'm doing my part as an online retailer... even if I am more of a neighborhood shop.

-Derrick

Hotel WiFi

One of the scariest aspects of travel for a writing photographer is hotel WiFi.

The drama often unfolds along familiar plot lines. When I first log-on, everything seems OK. I might even remark, "Oh, this isn't too bad." A few web pages load, I check email, and the world seems right.

Then it's time to get some work done. Suddenly the pipes are clogged, and I can't get anything through. Things are particularly grim if I have to upload something, like a few photographs... or heaven for bid, a podcast.

This is what happened to me yesterday morning. I had a 17MB TDS Podcast to share with the world, and no way to get it on the server. I tried Plan A, Plan B, and was searching to figure out my Plan C, which became me leaving the room and brainstorming with personal at the front desk.

"How about one of the conference room networks?" one offered.

"Hmmm, a whole network with no one using it?"

This was too good to be true. I logged on and my podcast was on the server within a minute. The morning was saved.

When it comes to working online while traveling, it pays to be creative. Otherwise, we'll never hear from you.

Santa Monica Pier

After we settled in to our hotel room yesterday afternoon, Theresa and I ventured out for a walk. We were just minutes from the Santa Monica Pier, so we headed west.

November is a great time of year in Southern California, especially on the coast. The sky is blue and the air is clear (at least by S. Cal standards). The late afternoon sun cast a warm glow on the buildings around us.

I packed the Sigma DP2 Merrill compact camera in my Walking Man Shoulder Bag, plus a windbreaker. The jacket didn't stay in the bag long... as soon as we hit the beach I needed it.

After a bit of exploration, the sun began to set. Theresa and I were heading to the Del Frisco Grille for a cocktail and flatbread with roasted tomato. The sky was lighting up behind us. I noticed that the ferris wheel on the pier had its lights on. I knew there was a good shot there somewhere.

"Do you want to go back and take a picture?" she asked.

"No. I'm good."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

We crossed Ocean Street and seated ourselves at a wonderful table facing the sunset. Our cocktails tasted so good, and the warm flatbread was the perfect compliment. We stayed longer than we had planned, in part because we were enjoying the moment so much. It's already a great memory.

I definitely made the right decision.

-Derrick

Road Trip

My family is spread over Southern California. I'm the only one who lives in the northern part of the state. So at least once a year we pack up the car and pilgrimage south for a visit with the clan.

That's right, the family road trip.

Normally on these adventures, I don't get to engage in much photography beyond snapshots.  Except when we're actually on the road.  

My good news is that Theresa loves to be behind the wheel. Fine with me. I get to play navigator/window seat photographer.

I'm the shutterbug version of a dog riding shotgun: head out the window with a big smile on my face and a camera in my hand. If it's cold, I have to shoot through the glass. (An ardent request from the backseat inhabitants.) That's OK, I clean my window before we leave. This is much better than those messy airplane portholes that are rarely up to my optical standards.

Road trips are my opportunities to play with new cameras I'm testing, try out those built-in creative filters that never seem appropriate during "serious" photography, and experiment with slow shutter speeds and special effects. The longer the trip, the wilder I get.

In my opinion, if you always insist on driving during family vacations, you're missing out. Let someone else be in charge. Riding shotgun with a camera case at your feet is where the real action is.

-Derrick