Digital Wonders

By Jane Greiner
Sun staff writer
Sometimes I am startled by the advances in technology that have become available to ordinary folk like us. My new digital camera is an example. I am in awe of the power this moderately priced piece of equipment has put into my hands.

Take a look at the Rose Breasted Grosbeak photo above: That picture was taken out of my open window as I sat at my desk with the bird about 15 feet away. I had no tripod, but held the camera in my hands. Look at the sharp picture the camera produced on automatic settings. You can see the heavy beak (hence the name grosbeak), his individual feathers, color patterns, his eye and even the small spots on his breast.
The reason I could get such a beautiful picture is the 10-power optical zoom on the new camera (equal or stronger than a typical pair of binoculars) combined with its internal image stabilizing circuitry. The stabilizer compensates for the natural shakiness of your hands which when magnified 10-fold would otherwise translate into fuzzy images.
This new camera has already allowed me to get bird close-ups, a raccoon in our tree, a ship out near the South Manitou, wildflower close-ups without me getting down on the ground and some nice candid photos of friends.
Why am I so enamored of this new gadget? Because, unlike most new technology, it brings the natural world closer. I love being able to capture and share the images of wild things without disturbing them in any way. What a boon to the amateur naturalist.
I hope in future issues of the Sun to share many more outdoor photos, which I would never have been able to capture with my old camera. I am looking forward to a summer of “shooting and sharing.”
For those interested, the camera is a Canon Super Shot S1 IS. The “IS” stands for image stabilization.