A few weeks ago I went to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. After reading up on safety in KL (where pick-pocketing and bag-snatching is prevalent), I decided I didn't want to be carrying an expensive camera so decided to take my SX50 compact. It fits easily in my handbag and, being a lot smaller than the Mark II, allows me to sneak in some inconspicuous street photography. And I knew the zoom would come in handy.
There were so many great photo opportunities in both cities. There were times when I was snapping away that I'd wished I'd had my Mark II. I knew the quality of the images from my SX50 would not compare to those my SLR could produce and was hoping that when I returned home, I wasn't going to regret my camera choice.
There were so many great photo opportunities in both cities. There were times when I was snapping away that I'd wished I'd had my Mark II. I knew the quality of the images from my SX50 would not compare to those my SLR could produce and was hoping that when I returned home, I wasn't going to regret my camera choice.
Shot taken through glass.
I soon found out that taking my SX50 had its benefits. One afternoon in Singapore, I glanced out our window (we were on the 37th floor) and saw a drone flying nearby. I quickly grabbed my camera and started shooting. I zoomed in as it flew around our building and was able to get some close, sharp shots.
The drone headed down the road and landed on a tennis court. I was able to zoom in close enough to see four men standing around the drone. I was even able to read the insignia on one of the men's shirt (and Googled the company). My SX50 hadn't let me down – my strongest DSLR lens wouldn't have been able to get me so close.
Shot taken from 37 stories above.
I tested the zoom while videoing – it was equally as impressive. From where we were at the Swissotel, I could zoom across the river to the Marina Bay Sands hotel and see people walking around on the viewing platform.
I was able to zoom to the viewing platform on the top of this building.
Now I'm back home, I've had a close look at my images. Night shots are grainy but I'd expect that, even with my Mark II. Day shots are generally OK – some were too bright and most needed tweaking, if only a little sharpening and saturation. But for what I want to use them for (online and a photo book), the quality is fine. What do you think?
