experimenting with a new (to me) pocket camera

Groby Pool, Evening Light. phographs by Vivien Blackburn

My much loved Fuji camera is big and fairly heavy, like an SLR, and for ages I've toyed with the idea of a pocket camera for times when I wouldn't carry the Fuji.

Last week I bought a little Panasonic Lumix from a friend who had upgraded and this is it's first outing - some very very quickly snatched photos on the way back from a family visit.

I have to say I'm really pleased with it. There was a scary bit when my computer wouldn't talk to its HDSC disk - but that was solved when I dug out the card reader that I don't normally need. Phew! relief.


The light was very low, subtle colours in the sunset and I haven't had time to absorb all of its possibilities. These were taken with aperture priority and a wide aperture, flash switched off. No tripod, just hand held - so I'm quite pleased with how they came out. The speed would have been lower than ideal for hand held in that light. The sheen of the water was beautiful.

This is an old flooded slate quarry with a very very old manor house on the other side which belonged to the Grey family (the family of Lady Jane Grey, the 9 day queen). There are deep still-working quarries on the other side of the road too, hidden by the woods.

Considering it was having a lot asked of it in low light, I was really happy :>)