01-13-2015, 03:08 AM
I started out with my daughter's Kodak CX6200, a simple point-and-shoot camera rated at 2 megapixels. When I finally got my own digital camera (as a gift) it was a Kodak C330, rated at 4 megapixels. Another point-and-shoot, it had a few more features and did pretty-much whatever I required. Unfortunately, it suffered some damage when I knocked over the fully-extended tripod and the camera hit the concrete floor. It still works, but the lense needs to be aligned manually. One of this camera's main advantages was that I had an AC adaptor for it, allowing it to be set-up and left on while I did on-layout photo composition. When the adaptor failed, it was no longer worthwhile trying to use the camera.
Both of these cameras are quite small, allowing them to be placed directly on the layout for taking photos not available from normal viewing angles.
I finally replaced that one with a secondhand Kodak Z700, also rated at 4 megapixels. It has a few more features, including some manual settings, but is still a basic point-and-shoot camera. It's been a decent camera until recently when it ceased to work - I kept getting a message about the memory card requiring formatting, which the camera seemingly cannot do. Even a new card doesn't correct the problem.
Recently, my brother gave me a new Fujifilm X10, as thanks for some renovation work which I did for him. He did a fair bit of research on its capabilities as far as model photography is concerned, so it's probably best suited to that rather than railfan-type photos. While it can take decent pictures, I find it overly complicated, especially since the control buttons are multi-functional. The manual is 129 pages long and not, in my opinion, logically arranged. I use the camera, but am not particularly competent with it and don't use it frequently enough to become so.
In many instances, I revert to the CX6200, which my daughter gave to me when she bought a DSLR. I am probably more competent using her DSLR, or my brother's DSLR than the X10, as I used to use a regular (film) 35mm SLR semi-professionally (meaning I did work for others - not train-related - but made little or no money).
I did have a lot of fun, though. 
For model railroad pictures to post on-line, the little CX6200 is sufficient.
It offers acceptable resolution for normal photos:
...and not bad close-up capabilities:
...and a decent depth-of-field:
My C330 was similar in capabilities, but its extendable lense offered a little inspiration, and one day, on a whim and wanting a closer view, I placed one lense of my Optivisor over that of the camera, and shot this:
...and then subsequently discovered that a loupe fit perfectly into the external portion of the camera's lense. That allowed me to take a close-up of this caboose (seen here in a normal view taken with the CX6200):
...yielding a close-up view of the screen window. It shows detail very nicely, but also shows that what looks acceptable on the layout isn't all that pretty when seen in too much detail. :oops:
These were taken with the Fuji X10. While they're okay, I'm sure that the camera is capable of better, especially for this one, where the car is in-focus but not the immediate background:
This one is through the lense of the Optivisor:
It's okay, too, but no better than that from my now-broken C330. I'm sure that if I could understand the multi-function controls of the X10, I could get better pictures from it, but frankly, it's not all that important to me. If I had the chance, I'd rather have another C330 with an adapter.
I took this using my daughter's Canon EOS Rebel. I'd not used it before and didn't have the manual, but it turned out reasonably well. However, it's more than I require for on-line picture posting, and too big for most camera-on-layout photography:
My brother took this shot with his Pentax Km. A subject he'd not normally shoot, but a decent photo, I think, nevertheless:
I've used it in the past, too, and got decent results fairly easily, but it's too big (and too expensive) for this type of photography. Perhaps for submitting to a magazine, but its capabilities are not necessary for on-line posting.
To close, here's another from my brother. He tweaked a little after the fact. I like the smoke and steam effects, but the mist coming off Lake Erie is exactly the type of scene I wanted this area of the layout to depict:
Wayne
Both of these cameras are quite small, allowing them to be placed directly on the layout for taking photos not available from normal viewing angles.
I finally replaced that one with a secondhand Kodak Z700, also rated at 4 megapixels. It has a few more features, including some manual settings, but is still a basic point-and-shoot camera. It's been a decent camera until recently when it ceased to work - I kept getting a message about the memory card requiring formatting, which the camera seemingly cannot do. Even a new card doesn't correct the problem.
Recently, my brother gave me a new Fujifilm X10, as thanks for some renovation work which I did for him. He did a fair bit of research on its capabilities as far as model photography is concerned, so it's probably best suited to that rather than railfan-type photos. While it can take decent pictures, I find it overly complicated, especially since the control buttons are multi-functional. The manual is 129 pages long and not, in my opinion, logically arranged. I use the camera, but am not particularly competent with it and don't use it frequently enough to become so.
In many instances, I revert to the CX6200, which my daughter gave to me when she bought a DSLR. I am probably more competent using her DSLR, or my brother's DSLR than the X10, as I used to use a regular (film) 35mm SLR semi-professionally (meaning I did work for others - not train-related - but made little or no money).
I did have a lot of fun, though. For model railroad pictures to post on-line, the little CX6200 is sufficient.
It offers acceptable resolution for normal photos:
...and not bad close-up capabilities:
...and a decent depth-of-field:
My C330 was similar in capabilities, but its extendable lense offered a little inspiration, and one day, on a whim and wanting a closer view, I placed one lense of my Optivisor over that of the camera, and shot this:
...and then subsequently discovered that a loupe fit perfectly into the external portion of the camera's lense. That allowed me to take a close-up of this caboose (seen here in a normal view taken with the CX6200):
...yielding a close-up view of the screen window. It shows detail very nicely, but also shows that what looks acceptable on the layout isn't all that pretty when seen in too much detail. :oops:
These were taken with the Fuji X10. While they're okay, I'm sure that the camera is capable of better, especially for this one, where the car is in-focus but not the immediate background:
This one is through the lense of the Optivisor:
It's okay, too, but no better than that from my now-broken C330. I'm sure that if I could understand the multi-function controls of the X10, I could get better pictures from it, but frankly, it's not all that important to me. If I had the chance, I'd rather have another C330 with an adapter.
I took this using my daughter's Canon EOS Rebel. I'd not used it before and didn't have the manual, but it turned out reasonably well. However, it's more than I require for on-line picture posting, and too big for most camera-on-layout photography:
My brother took this shot with his Pentax Km. A subject he'd not normally shoot, but a decent photo, I think, nevertheless:
I've used it in the past, too, and got decent results fairly easily, but it's too big (and too expensive) for this type of photography. Perhaps for submitting to a magazine, but its capabilities are not necessary for on-line posting.
To close, here's another from my brother. He tweaked a little after the fact. I like the smoke and steam effects, but the mist coming off Lake Erie is exactly the type of scene I wanted this area of the layout to depict:
Wayne