Congratulations. I won my only blue ribbon with a point and shoot (Fujifilm F31fd) and it also has earned me two Post Luminous nominations. Pickced up a blue ribbon at the San Diego County Fair (total over 3,000 entries in several categories) so you certainly can do well with them. Whatever camera you use, just learn how to get the most out of it you can. Another two of my four highest scoring shots were taken with a Konica Minolta Dimage A200. Keep it up!
My second highest score was with very basic Point and Shoot (Canon IXUS70) with no control over many functions. I wish I could retake it now with the Nikon as a couple of things could then be done better.
I carry a Fuji A920 P&S with me all the time, and some of it's images make me wonder if I really need the S3 Pro. There are situations where I am very happy to have the S3, like when I need very shallow DOF, a long lens, or lower noise in low light. In good light, and in situations that the zoom range will cover, the P&S does just about as well for me. Keeping the tiny lens clean is a big factor with the P&S cams, because a small bit of nasty on the lens will cause a lot of nasty in the image.
I would not hesitate to enter a challenge with a shot from the A920 if it was a strong image and fit the challenge. We are only seeing the images here at a couple of hundred Kb max file size anyway.
I gave yours a 7. Glad to help. Up until yesterday, my own PB was taken with a compact.
It is certainly true that the camera is not the major component behind a good photo.
You might want to check out the Pana FZ10 (mine is now defunct, alas). Bobsterlobster got some very fine 8's with it, and all my top scores were taken with it or the FZ5. I used to feel real proud until I found out that it isn't at all guaranteed that you'll do better with a dSLR.
it isn't at all guaranteed that you'll do better with a dSLR.
Many of my best scoring shots are still taken with my Powershot. My belief is that the 80/20 rule applies. 80% is the photographer and 20% is the equipment, but only if the photographer has the skill and knowledge to get the advantage from the better equipment.
I used to feel real proud until I found out that it isn't at all guaranteed that you'll do better with a dSLR.
Hello, understatement! 4 of my 5 top scorers were nailed with my old Canon Powershot S3. Only in my most recent challenge (Postcards) was I able to crack my top 5 with an image from my dSLR...that was, like, 20 some-odd challenges later!
it isn't at all guaranteed that you'll do better with a dSLR.
Many of my best scoring shots are still taken with my Powershot. My belief is that the 80/20 rule applies. 80% is the photographer and 20% is the equipment, but only if the photographer has the skill and knowledge to get the advantage from the better equipment.
My belief is that the 80/20 rule applies. 80% is the photographer and 20% is the equipment, but only if the photographer has the skill and knowledge to get the advantage from the better equipment.
it isn't at all guaranteed that you'll do better with a dSLR.
Many of my best scoring shots are still taken with my Powershot. My belief is that the 80/20 rule applies. 80% is the photographer and 20% is the equipment, but only if the photographer has the skill and knowledge to get the advantage from the better equipment.
...and maybe 1000% editing help :D
That is an interesting maybe. I do very little editing, and I am not unhappy with the results; however the suspicion lurks that if I developed a subtle clever hand with it it might help develop whatever it is I am trying to see. But since getting a dSLR the editing question has not changed a bit.
