More Zoom with our Nikon P80

While in Washington a couple months ago, we purchased a new camera from Costco. I wanted one with a better zoom, more pixels, and more bells and whistles. We had a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P200 and it's a good point and shoot digital camera with 7.2 megapixels. We still have the Sony and take it with us most everywhere. It has a quick shutter recovery time, meaning it will take the next shot fairly quickly. However, there is a known issue with the Sony P200 with the photos eventually showing what looks like a smudge. There is internal dust that accumulates on the lense inside the camera. We could have a camera shop or Sony service it, but the cost for the service is more than we could buy a new Sony.

I love the Nikon P80 and I'm glad we didn't get one that is more difficult. I thought I wanted one with changeable lenses, but the one we were looking at did not have a 'live view' LCD. Having to always look through the small viewfinder with my eye to the camera was not what I wanted. We both like to use the larger LCD screen to center the subject. The P80 is easy to pick up and use on the Auto setting and it also has many manual settings you can play with.

I love the zoom and I sometimes forget how nice it is. I had posted some fish photos a few days ago that Rick took of me across the river. I wanted to show the comparison of the shot both ways, without the zoom and with the zoom. Can you see me in the first photo?

And this one is cropped to 4x6 with no modifications.

While on the Oregon coast I played with the zoom and did some comparisons. I've had fun taking photos of the birds as we travel and hope to share more of them on our blog.