WiseAcre Gardens

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 – Assorted Images

Posted by WiseAcre on Sep 6th, 2008

2008

Sep 6

WOW. That’s the impression I have of my new camera no matter how many times I utter my motto. I’m just past the ‘out of the box’ stage and I really love the quality of the images this camera has already delivered. Sure there are plenty I need to delete before anyone else sees them but that’s the norm for any ‘Pro”. I’m not saying I’m a pro – just that I delete like one. After all my motto is “OOPS”

And now for some random photos from my new Lumix FZ28.

Chainsaw Cat Carving
Now doesn’t that sound a bit inhumane? I absolutly love that cat. I’m not a big fan of chainsaw carvings – see one bear or dog and you pretty much seen them all. But this is something else. I don’t know quite what it is but I do feel something magical about that cat. Maybe it’s the sheer size of the thing. It must stand at least 6 feet tall.

Chainsaw Cat Carving

I took the photo from about 150 feet away using the zoom. I could have zoomed in closer but remembered I’d just have to shrink the image even more if I did.

Standing Tall
Driving down the road this lone corn plant easily caught my attention. I wonder what it’s thinking standing in that field of soybeans? To bean or not to bean. That is the question.

Nothing special to note about the camera except that it was in full auto mode. Not bad.

WiseAcre Wallpaper - the photo will open to a desktop wallpaper / background size image

Kiss Me You Fool
I can’t believe how many frogs my girls kissed and still ended up with a turkey.

The camera did another great job with the zoom lens. I was about 20 feet away yet you would have thought I was close enough to sneak a kiss.

AWW – Another WiseAcre Wallpaper.

Oh and I was just kidding about my son-in-laws. They must be smart – they picked my daughters out of all the fish in the sea after all.

Beardtongue? NO WAY
Another Roadside Attraction. Ya got me on this one. I could swear this is a Penstemon but it’s not really like anything in my wildflower field guides. I figure it must be a garden escapee but that’s at best a semi-educated guess.

Blackswampgirl Kim rang my bell. All she had to do is say Obedient plant. False Dragonhead physostegia virginiana Flowers and leaves match and all I need to do to confirm the ID is to check the stem. This is a mint and the stem will be square.

Beardtongue - Penstemon

Bottom line: one great camera that makes the user look like they know what they’re doing even if I am clueless. It’s probably more camera than I need but I figure I can work up to it’s capabilities. I’d recommend it to anyone who can afford to spend 400 clams.

Now if I was just as happy with the redesign of my blog theme. I like the room to post larger images but am afraid i overdid it a bit. But then anyone on dialup would already have had a problem waiting for them to download. I just hope I didn’t overdo it for broadband users. If you feel like you’re waiting too long for the pages to load I would like to know.

11 Responses

rosemary Says:
September 7th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
love your pics ,

rosemary,
Thank you. It’s always a pleasure to hear.
kml Says:
September 7th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
That is a big kitty – and he is in the same pose as yours in your sidebar.

Your new design loads fine on broadband – I like it – shows the images off really well.

I thank you for stopping by my site and leaving your kind words. You made my day!

Take Care,
Kathy

Kathy,
LOL, Itty Bitty Kitty grows up

Dial-up users are less than 4% of my overall traffic but I still hate to snub them.

Well you did say anyone who made a comment would get a visit. Same as me. So does this mean were now caught is a never ending cycle? Besides I did like your photos.
Aiyana Says:
September 7th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Great photos. I used to worry about my photos being too large–something about using up bandwidth, but I decided I would just post them all at around 500/665 and let the chips fall.
Aiyana

Aiyana,
I remember the days when you wanted to keep page sizes under 65kb. I don’t have a problem waiting so we’re good
Blackswampgirl Kim Says:
September 7th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Okay, I like your camera just as well as (or better than, when you factor in price considerations) I like the digital SLR from work! And your captions are funny, too, of course.

But your penstemon… hmm… I don’t know, it looks more like an obedient plant to me. Try to google image “Obedient Plant,” or go back to the plant and see if you can move its individual flowers in different directions on the stalk… that would give you a clue as to whether I might be onto something there…

Kim,
I think you nailed it. I’ll have to go back and check the stem to make sure. False Dragonhead or Obedient-plant is a mint and will have a square stem. And while I’m there I’ll push the flowers around for giving me a hard time. What a DOH! moment.
Ratty Says:
September 7th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
I have the same feeling about my camera. It’s my very first one. I was never one to take pictures before, but now I’m camera crazy.

These are great pictures. I love the cat carving, and I need to get a picture like yours with the frog.

And I actually love the the new blog design. It loads just as fast as anything else for me.

Ratty,
I hear ya. I’m going to have to find another subject soon. Flower season is in it’s last throes and I won’t be able to go cold turkey.

Camera is working out better than my expectations. I can believe all the nice comments now

I might fiddle with the layout but I doubt I’d ever go back to a 3 column format. So far so good – no one has had a problem with waiting yet.
Carol Says:
September 7th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
You’re doing great things with that new camera! Keep up the good work.
That is one amazing cat!!
I decide on a place for “le Rock.” Now to recruit someone to help me move it! Hopefully it will be in place and on my blog son!
Carol

Carol,
I think a chimp could take good photos with the new camera.

And to think it was a tree before the carver arrived. I’ve wanted to get his name and do a piece about him for a long time now but never have the time. Maybe this winter if I can manage to wade through all the photos I’ve been taking.

Sorry about that – I let it put on weight just sitting in the yard all summer. I’m looking forward to seeing where you put it. I never could decide a spot.
Carol Says:
September 7th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
oops….. make that “on my blog soooooon!”

Don’t you wish it was possible to edit your own comments.
bamapat Says:
September 8th, 2008 at 7:36 am
Great photos — glad you got a camera you like and is proving to be helpful.

Now ya gotta start helping us fools with winterizing our gardens, flower beds and all that other good stuff. I’m thinking of putting chickenwire over my tulip bulbs to keep the critters from feasting. Have no idea if that will work but hey, worth a try.

Have a good one.

bamapat,
My preferred method of winterizing the garden is to do nothing. I’m too lazy to make the effort. Besides I like the stalks to collect debris and snow to help prevent winter heaving. I don’t grow Tulips since the winters and varmints are so tough on them. The chicken wire will keep animals from digging them up but as soon as they grow through the wire they are put on the menu. You can use a repellent but I have no recommendations.
No Sitting Says:
September 8th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
thats a cool frog pic i like frogs

No Sitting,
Thanks. And I won’t sit on the fence
Digital Flower Says:
September 8th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
That is the compact camera I would have bought (been eying it for awhile). With your sense of composition and good eye I think this camera is going to help you. Don’t be afraid to explore the menus and dig a little bit into the controls. Good luck and happy shooting!

Digital Flower,
Knowing you were considering the Lumix makes me feel even better about getting it.

It may take some time but I will be digging into the controls as I get familiar with the camera. It’s time for a new hobby that’s not so hard on my back. Moving 1000 lb. rocks is starting to get old.
Joy Says:
September 9th, 2008 at 7:33 am
Dear Mr. WiseA** … I am totally , utterly in LOVE ……….. with that gorgeous huge cat !! who owns that beauty ??
I love what your camera is doing for you too !
Awesome .. and I do mean that .. awesome pictures .. BIG sigh .. I’ll have to live through your photography, and read my manual more intently ?
Seriously .. the pictures are beautiful .. love the thoughts the cows had via your fuzzy ? brain linking attempts ? haha .. LOVE the frog !
PS .. I said this all over at my blog for you .. now how lazy is that I ask ?? LOL

Joy,
That cat is just down the road from me and I see it nearly everyday. I’ll have to get a photo of the dog they have too. It’s larger than live size but you would have to look twice to make sure. Who ever the carver is has some real talent.

The camera is doing itself justice. Having the zoom lens is far more ‘rewarding’ than I expected. Now I don’t have to walk as far. It wasn’t fair to the cows – they usually have deeper thoughts than I.

You commented twice – once here and once at your blog. How is that lazy?