Whenever I talk about the merits of this or that camera, I rarely get very interested in the number of pixels, frame rate, or other detailed stuff. What I get hung up on are what I consider to be the basics, the aspects that makes a camera a device to do photography with, rather than some lump of consumer electronics. And one of these basic features is the viewfinder. The photo below was taken without a viewfinder. And therefore it was pure luck that it worked out.

Massed cormorants over Lake Lugano

This photo was taken with my Lumix LX1. I was walking along the Lugano lakefront last week, and I noticed a large flock of birds in the far distance. As I watched, they came closer, and I realised I had an opportunity for an interesting shot. So I quickly pulled out the Lumix and switched it on, and tried to compose using the LCD. Unfortunately, it was impossible to see the birds on the screen! Whilst perfectly clear to the naked eye, the screen just did not have the resolution to show them. Any camera prior to digital age, and indeed any DSLR, would have no problem with this. A cardboard throwaway film point & shoot would cope fine. But an expensive high end compact digital with no optical (or even electronic) viewfinder ? Forget it. The photo is quite pleasing to me, at least. But there were other better shots I lost whilst I was coming to terms with the fact that I was going to have to point & hope. I've frequently been frustrated by the LX1's lack of an optical viewfinder, but this is the first time it has really gone from difficult to impossible to use. It really takes away much of the pleasure and satisfaction in photography. So, the LX1, by my criteria, is an interesting lump of consumer electronics, but it is not a camera.

Over at DPReview, Bob Kaune attempted a joke.... The responses are pretty hilarious (unintentionally), especially the most earnest ones. Just goes to show how far removed from photography most contributors to these forums actually are. It also demonstrates that the ongoing difficulty people have with detecting irony on the internet hasn't improved. Then again maybe DPreview is populated in main by the bizarre geek programmer type who appear to think it is cool to be autistic.

Well, I'm back in more than one way. Back from vacation. Back from house moving. Back on-line. Back in Ticino, and incidentally back in a job worth getting out of bed for in the morning. To celebrate, here is a picture from last week, taken at one of my favourite locations, valle Verzasca, which is once again just down the road...

For the next four weeks, service is going to be a bit limited here. First, I'm going to be travelling in Spain & Portugal for two weeks, then I will be moving house to Lugano. So, probably no photo uploads, and little if any blog activity. I'm sure the world will keep turning, regardless...