For a full zoom shot (and probably not that bright a day?) that's turned out pretty sharp.

The Nikon has the longer zoom - how important is this to you?
The Canon has only 5X zoom and starts at a wider angle. Which will be more useful, wide or long?
I've just ordered a P7700 because I think it comes closest to being a good all-rounder.

I've not tried this, but my guess is that when you're using the rule of thirds on people, is it going to work better if the person is looking towards (or across) the centre?

Variety is the spice of life. But the rule of thirds is probably difficult for a novice to get right. Personally I can live without the rule of thirds - I prefer symmetry and balance.

Especially if you were seeing a long dark tunnel with a light at the end...

Having recently spent some time trawling through various reviews, I can tell you that a fairly common problem with Canon compacts has been dust inside the lens mechanism. I know that reviews are not 100% reliable, but I saw the same problem being reported from more than one source.

I think the moral of the story is that no brand is above criticism. Having said that, I'm glad I've not just shelled out for a new DSLR only to find that it has what appears to be inexcusable faults. Let's hope that Nikon aren't going to go into denial about it.

[quote=haroldross]

The circle would appear in the rainclouds in front of you (and slightly below you) with the sun directly behind you.

My guess would be circular, and if the plane cast a shadow, it would be exactly at the centre.

Just a quick update to say I think I got the answer from the link provided by DaveMM.

If my calculations are correct, the maximum focal length that you could use to capture an entire rainbow in one shot is....

19.9 mm (35 mm equiv.).

If you wanted some clear space at either end of the rainbow, a shorter focal length would be required - say 15 to 16 mm.

So a lens that only went as low as 20 mm would not be quite wide enough (that rules out all the compacts that I know of).

Fuji have always gone for a very natural look, and it's a look that's not going to go out of fashion any time soon. I suspect that that is the reason why a fairly old camera still has the ability to surprise.

I think it's the old story of a company being very quick to classify it's products as premium grade, then charging us accordingly, but not being so quick to apply its own high standards. The Japanese do believe in doing things well, but they are probably feeling the pinch like most of the rest of us, and I suspect that their mind-set isn't so good when it comes to acknowledging their own shortcomings.
Just MHO.

Not much wrong with the original. The way it is, the trees do a good job of framing the memorial. I would agree about losing the flagpole and centering the memorial. Silhouetted observers would add atmosphere and intimacy, and a little illumination on them from the front would probably work, but too much would probably result in the observers becoming too attention-grabbing.
All-in-all a very atmospheric and poignant scene.

Despite the fact that it's easy and free to take multiple shots, I still think it's a good idea to put a lot of thought into each picture - then take a few slightly different shots of the same subject.

It's very true that things have changed in photography - for example one of the very few criticisms of the camera that I've just ordered (Nikon P7700) is that it is relatively slow between shots (2-3 seconds typically). I think that that compares favourably to the time taken to wind on the film in a film camera (oops, I'm showing my age now, aren't I?).

A bully would have you believe that life is all about how good you are at throwing your weight about, but most civilised people would say different. Likewise, most people would say that communicating is not all about using immaculate grammar, spelling etc., and if you think that it is, you are missing the point. People that place an excessive importance on such things can sound extremely pretentious and can come over as patronising (do you like to be on the receiving end of someone else's patronising attitude?).
While I can sympathise with your desire to see better spelling etc, I would have to say that your comments reflect a misguided set of priorities.

Thanks everyone - I've downloaded the stitched rainbows (You can't see the join - awesome). :thumbup:

I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got an early shift tomorrow, so it's off to bed (there's no denying I need my beauty sleep). Thanks for the info - I'll check out the links when time permits.

Note to waterbug49307:- The person that you are complementing won't know unless you name names!!