A few test shots with my new Canon SX50. These are unedited. I'm VERY pleased so far.

Window light in Program mode


Tungsten light from overhead - Program mode


Tungsten light - Manual mode


Same as above

GoofyNewfie has apparently been taking pictures for a long time. He hit the nail on the head. That is exactly what those two items are for. The small strobe on front is a fill flash when using the main flash in bounce mode. Move the switch to the '1' position and only the main flash will (or should) fire. Move it to position '2' and both the main and fill flash will (or should) fire.

Thanks for all the great replies. Once again the UHH community has been very helpful and informative. I love this place!

Thanks, Frapha. I guess I should have mentioned that I'm running Windows XP. However, the Adobe specs state:

"Windows -1.6GHz or faster processor (including single-core support) Microsoft® Windows® XP with Service Pack 3, Windows Vista® with Service Pack 2, Windows 7, or Windows 8 & 8.1 (Note: Limited Camera Raw functionality on Windows XP).

So I guess I could use it with limited RAW functionality, though I'm not sure how "limited" it is. I haven't done any work in RAW yet, but that is one of the reasons I want to update my editing software. So...

Any other info you have is appreciated. Thanks again!

I've been using a v-e-r-y old version of Photoshop Elements (I don't think it even has a number) for several years and am ready to upgrade my editing software. I've been looking at PSE 12 and Corel PSP x6 Ultimate. Being relatively experienced with my antiquated version of PSE, upgrading to 12 might be easier than learning an entirely new program (but going from my current to the newer version could be the same as going to an entirely new program). BUT, if PSP x6 offers at least the same features or better, I'm willing and able to learn.

Any thoughts from users of either program (or users of both) would help. Which would YOU recommend and why?

Very nice.

Looks to me like that lens is beyond repair. Best to just package it up real nice-like and send it to me. :D

Whoa, Fellas. There is no reason to go to knuckle junction over a simple question. I appreciate ALL the input. You folks have provided all the info I needed and then some. Thank you all for your help and for taking the time to reply!

Thanks so much for the quick and informative replies!

Now... One more question (I'm basically illiterate with this digital stuff): Realizing the sensor will only record a portion of the image, will the image I see in my viewfinder be the same as the image captured on the sensor? Or will I see everything the lens sees, but the sensor will only record a portion?

Yeah... I'm pretty confused... :?

I'm a long-time 35mm shooter but relatively new to digital, and I'm still trying to figure out a few technical things. I recently bought a used Canon EOS 20D, which I assume has an APS-C sensor. While looking for a longer zoom lens for it I found the Tamron 75-300 f/4-5.6 at a good price on Amazon. The description says it will work with Canon EF mounts. My camera manual says the camera will accept ALL EF and EF-S series lenses. However, when I checked the compatibility feature on Amazon, it says this lens is NOT compatible with the 20D. Is that ONLY because the lens is for full-frame cameras, or is there some other issue? I can deal with the cropping issues, if that's the only issue. But is there some other reason this lens is not compatible with my camera? Will this lens not mount on my 20D? Are the electronics not compatible? Is the mirror going to slap against the back of the lens?

I used the search section here at UHH, as well as Google, Canon and Tamron and can't find any specifics. Hoping there are a few Canon shooters (or at least ONE) that can answer this for me.

Thanks in advance for any information!

How "interested" is she? That's the first question. Did she specifically ask for a SLR? Both the cameras you mentioned are great, but they are both bridge cameras... You get what you get. A bridge camera may be a good investment to get her started, but you may end up spending more money later on a DSLR if she wants to have the ability to grow (faster lenses, etc). Have a talk with her and go over the pros and cons of BOTH types before you spend your money. And before any others talk about a teenaged girl's level of interest, I went through this with my own many years ago. Been there, done that.

This was actually a problem before digital. I was shooting professionally (weddings, on film) back in the 80's and had to constantly compete with the "photography 101" students, who all thought they were "professional" because they were enrolled in a class at the local community college.

I always told my potential clients that you get what you pay for. I once had a couple try get me to match the $200 price quote given to them by one of these "professional" students. I informed them that hiring someone with such little experience was risky. You only get ONE chance to shoot a wedding, and the risk was too great to trust those memories to a beginner.

Long story short, they hired the student.

Ahh... But a few months after the wedding I did hear from them. They wanted to know if I could "fix" the terrible pictures that their wedding "photographer" had taken. And I mean these were BAD. There was no fixing them. And they humbly admitted that I had been right about trusting their wedding pictures to an amateur.

These days taking good pictures is almost a no-brainer (I hate that term, but it fits). But it still takes a seasoned photographer (not necessarily a professional) to get GREAT photographs.

But the old rule still rings true... You get what you pay for.

Try http://www.shutterbugstorefront.com. They have accounts for as little as $6.95 per month. I have not used them yet, but I believe it's owned by Shutterbug magazine and has been around for a few years.

Not sure if you found what you were looking for yet, but I just finished making my own diffusion panels and used white rip-stop nylon. This is the exact material used in professional softboxes. You can order it at http://www.fabric.com for about $5.50 per yard, and they ship FAST.

If you're looking for a place to just store and display your photos try flickr.com. If you want to build your own web site try webs.com. I've been using them for several years. Their site building tools are relatively easy to use and it's FREE.