Missed Photo Opportunities

[Western SMT]

Walking back to the car just after 2200hrs and a police escorted lorry passed with what I since discovered was a 5 metre diameter steel tube destined to be part of a base for a wind tower in the sea. After that I have always carried the camera.
Any stories?

[Mr-Tomcat]

N12 Volvo parked up opposite side of the road to me I pulled up in the opposite layby, and the batteries in the camera chose then to go flat.

Andy.

[G6 UXU]

This happened yesterday, I was resetting my camera and I thought I had tripped it out, so I was sat there pressing buttons and decided to change the batteries which I did and it still did`nt work and all I could think of was pound notes leaving my wallet. It was`nt till I had got home that I realised I had put the spent batteries that I took out in the first place back in the camera. Anyway fresh ones in now and all is well.

[Mr-Tomcat]

Oop's I bet your not the first and wont be the last to do that Chris.

Andy.

[Ian]

To do what Andy?

Ian

[redd9]

Driving Back from Norfolk towards the Midlands, I was passed by at least 10 Vintage Buses going the other way, Camera was in the back of the car and as the wife pointed out when I aked my son to pass it to Me "you're Driving!!!"
Women!

[Fazer9553]

Not having a camera is the usual reason for missed opportunities. This is why I have given up on SLRs and moved to a small(ish) pocket camera - albeit with full manual controls when you want them.

During 35mm days I had SLRs with multiple lenses and carried the whole lot up mountains, on cycling trips, on expeditions, backpacking trips etc. Eventually I thought about the weight and started thinking about what else I could take instead. When you have to carry all of this on your back up a mountain or in cycle panniers up Glenshee together with camping gear and food to eat the weight really matters. Even if you're just going for a short walk here and there the bulk can be offputting. Result? I ended up not taking the camera everywhere. Missed opportunities.

On conversion to digital I was well aware of the trade-off in quality by using a pocket camera but thought it would be OK as long as I took it to more places. These days I do more motorcycle touring than anything else so one of the weather proof, shock proof compacts is ideal. It can sit in a pocket in the bike's fairing - doesn't matter if it rains and gets wet and it can rattle around/ tolerate vibration without getting damaged. When I get off the bike it will easily slide into a jeans front pocket. Result? I usually have my camera with me when I want it.

The only downside to me of these cameras is the lack of manual override so I have also purchased one of the few compacts available with ful manual override. A little bigger but still very small and is not something that you tend to think "Oh it's too big and heavy, I'll not take it".

Personal compromise: I'm not trying to produce mega-sized blow-ups, I just want reasonable photos I can look at and share with family & friends and I'd rather have more than less even if a small price is paid in the quality department.

Sorry for the rant but the thread title interested me

[G-CPTN]

Will you share with us what camera make and model you have chosen?

[Fazer9553]

The shock proof is Olympus 720SW. One of the earlier shock & waterproof cameras. The range is vastly expanded and improved now. Handy & practical.

The other is Canon SX110IS - very nice to have full manual and quite a fast lens at f2.8 - better than most compacts. Lately has been 'upspecced' to SX130 with longer zoom but carries the penalty that the best aperture is now about f3.4 or something like that.

If both of these were lost or stolen I would look at the new Canon S95 - very tasty - extremely fast (for compact) f2.0, full manual and very small. However, can't justify the expense if I still have working cameras in my pocket.

[huppypuppy]

Yesterday was a missed opportunity for me! Spotted one of three brand new Kenworth K200's out on the road now - Rodney's Transport Service of Wagga, NSW Australia's one! See http://www.rodneystransport.com.au/ to learn more about Rodney's Transport!