2MP in the Rain – Using a 2002 Canon A40

Cleaning out at work for an office move, we happened upon an old Canon Powershot A40. Boxed in pretty mint condition, this little compact was released in 2002. Producing a by now standards, obsolete 2MP at best image quality, this little machine was heading for the rubbish bin.

For those of you who remember shooting with 35mm compact zoom cameras, the A40 is an excellent digital rendition. The grip and reach for the zoom are just right. The rear 1.5″ color screen (with live display!) function well for the vintage, and Canon’s mode select wheel, along with other controls are easy to reach and use.

Of course with 2MP, your post cropping options are slim! 1600×1200 is the best you get from it. I generally size to 1000 on my images here. That being said, back in 2002 a heck of a lot of people were still printing their images, and generally to the 4″x6″ print, which depending what you are viewing my post on, is likely smaller than the screen you are using.

The 35-105mm zoom has been the average pretty standard for some time on many standard compacts, and gives both wide enough and enough zoom to capture whats around you.

I think considering what a rotten day it was – overcast, raining, the A40 did a pretty good job for an old piece of kit. I’ll give it another run sometime when summer remembers its on its way.

Its output also reminds me a lot of the standard chemist developed films from the 90’s.

So for now the old A40 is safe from the bin. But more for the novelty value as even all but the cheapest of mobile phones carry more output power, and in much smaller packages that suck a lot less power.

All shots taken around One Tree Hill in Auckland.

October 19, 2014 2

Onehunga to Newmarket Stroll

Dropping a car off for work we sold today, I took a 2 hour ‘stroll’ to get my ride home. Aside from some rain, it was great taking ones time through a industrial – suburban – park area I don’t visit so often. Really quite different to my local area.

February 4, 2014 2

The View Out There

Olympus E-500

September 21, 2013 2

Under the Tree

A trip up One Tree Hill to see the lambs proved to be a bit of failure with the Olympus E500 this weekend. I think the combination of fast running lambs, overcast light and long zoom tested the old DSLR beyond its comfort zone. Upon opening at home, the majority were blurry. Never mind, perhaps I’ll try the Nex one weekend soon!

For today, ‘Under the Tree’, shot on the E500 and converted to B&W in Gimp.

August 25, 2013 2

City South

Following on from yesterdays image, over the next week I have a few shots to share from a trip up the Sky Tower. Featured in a number of photos I have shown, and being about 15 years since I last went up, I thought it was about time to venture up and capture some of the surrounding landscape. Sitting at 328m tall, its without doubt the place to go for a view of virtually all of Auckland City.

We had some tickets at the ready a few weeks back, but with winter on its way (technically here now we are in June) we had to wait for a clear sunny day.

Armed with my Sony,once there I found it was so bright, I really could have done with a ND filter – but then again, I try not to cart around a massive bag of kit with me, unless its an actual trip out to just take photos.

Todays shot is looking ~South over the city. In the distance we can see One Tree Hill (left) and Mt Eden (right). When up this high, nothing looks particularly hilly – even though Auckland is anything but flat!

Another shot from above tomorrow!

June 3, 2013 0

View to New Life

Todays image brings my One Tree Hill/Cornwall Park series to a close. The building in view is the local hospital, once known as National Womens. Many mothers when there back in the day to have their children. It was not always practice that the father/husband could come into the birthing area with the mum to be. With One Tree Hill just behind, some fathers to be may have taken a stroll up to this point, listening to the lambs and eagerly awaiting their own youngster!

As this post goes live, it also signals the end of my Easter break. All going well, I’ll be back tomorrow with some new images from where I went. Catch you then!

April 2, 2013 4

Tree on the Hill

Another ‘Tree on the Hill’ on One Tree Hill. Looking North, I snapped this, just enjoying the tree against the clear sky and the gradually curved mound – about 4/5’s of the way down the hill and back into Cornwall Park.

Shot on the Sony Nex, edited in Gimp.

April 1, 2013 4

The View

Moving down the hill a little, and toward the North from yesterdays image, I snapped ‘The View’

One Tree Hill is full of quite little spots where one can relax, sit and take in nature, as well as look out towards Auckland. Unless you choose one of the common trails, you will only be bothered by the local sheep and the odd runner (depending on the time of day). On the sheep note – look where you sit – these guys are not shy in fertilising the whole hillside!

Shot on the Sony Nex and edited in Gimp

March 31, 2013 4

Once was One Tree Hill

So todays image is what One Tree Hill now looks like (minus the one tree!). There have been a number of illegal replantings of trees on the summit, removed by the local council. It is said that when Treaty claims are finalised, or when local council and Iwi (loosely the Maori group of the area) come to an agreement, we may once again see a tree on the summit.

For now however, we still have the tall obelisk where Sir Campbell is buried.

Although I didn’t grab any shots from the summit on this visit, the view is spectacular from the top. 360 degree all around Auckland!

Shot on the Sony Nex and edited in Gimp.

March 30, 2013 2

Little Sheep Below

Moving up past the tree in yesterdays posting, the view down towards the southern side of Cornwall Park starts to show our elevation, with sheep turning into small ant size…sheep.

As mentioned yesterday, One tree Hill is covered in Trees. However, back in the day, it had a big tree on the summit of the hill. Visually recognisable from miles around, the tree was cut down in 1852 by the ‘white settler’ either for fire wood, or as an act of vandalism. Sir Campbell attempted to plant new native trees on the summit (Totara being the preference for its cultural value), but they did not survive, and in the 1870’s two radiata pines were planted and grew. Along came the 1960’s and again one tree was felled (but is ok, there was still one left!). We then reach the 1990’s and the surviving tree was subject to a number of attacks from Maori activists (I won’t go into great detail here, but the activists were making a point about injustices from the past). Sadly (regardless of which side of the fence one sits with the activist points), in 2000, after a second attack, the tree was deemed a danger, and a lost cause recovery wise and was felled.

(more tomorrow)

Shot on the Sony Nex and edited in Gimp.

March 29, 2013 0