Menotestery; Hisstix's First Figures

Before I go to my first impressions with the new camera, let me drop in a bit of self-promo for Om YAM-yum at RedBubble. It has to be admitted that it got a bit left behind since last summer. Life events and other distractions. The approach of February kickstarted me again. The latest non-photo-based design produced this... (click the link below if it interests you.)

"Flutter My Heart's Ease"

Right. The Hisstix. By the time you read this (a week after writing), it will have been put through a good deal more testing. However, this is about first impressions.

FEEL; it doesn't have the contour the PandS had, though it does have a non-slip grip pad on the front right and a textured panel behind for the thumb. It is taking a bit of getting used to. Mainly because there is actually more weight in the Hisstix compared to the PandS. It is a metal body and very well built - as would be hoped with a Canon. It is a little ironic that I bought this for lighter use than the Fudge, but find that I am wary of using it one-handed, which was easily achieved with the PandS. No doubt confidence of handling will grow. One word - sleek.

LENS; the range of the lens is amazing for the price. I spent a lot of time researching the market and I realised I had definite 'needs'; 1) cost v photographic quality - i.e. how many megapixels could I get for my budget, 2) decent focal range - i.e. macro to zoom, and 3) at least some photographic control beyond automation. This was the only camera which met all three criteria. To get the 25x means this model hits every other comparable camera out of the park. (Canon are now doing a superzoom - 40x - on a compact body but it costs more than some bridge cameras or even some DSLRs!)

IMAGING; the ability to override the auto function was important for me. I like to play with exposures and colourings myself, rather than in post-camera software. Not that I don't play with images on the computer - but I want my photography to be just that and not some computer-generated thing. A first run-through with the Hisstix, then...

The very first shot was through the kitchen window. I was unpacking the box on the counter when happened to look out and see this, so got that battery in - which, amazingly, came with some charge in it - aimed and pressed. No looking to fiddle with settings. Now, the 25x will never compete with Fudge's 40x, but this is not a horrid shot, is it?! (Especially given the state of my window glass...**cough**) For interest, I trimmed the sides of the image but that is the only alteration here.

By comparison, much later in the night, I gave it a go through the lounge window. Not only was it fighting the double-glazing, but also a significant cold haze between me and the moon. The 'soft focus' effect is not unpleasing, but not really what I am looking for. Am eagerly awaiting a clear night. It could be a while.

Okay. What about inside?

Having not had a flash available on the Fudge for over two years, I have learned to compensate with different exposures and ISO and such like. However, the benefit of a point and shoot is that one can simply whip it out and away you go - and for indoors a flash can be handy. There is certainly a strength on this little model.

My lounge is long (6m/19ft) and wide (4.5m/15ft). The flash flooded the space (had only the one side lamp on as seen at left of image.) However, taking it into user-control and altering the settings with no flash used, produced reasonable results, if somewhat 'flatter' colouration.

This could be compensated for with the use of the 'vivid colour' function. (Below left, no flash, brightened exposure and higher ISO; below right, use of vivid colour - which, strangely, dulled the yellow!)

For the most part, I tend to not favour flash usage, but do think it can be very artistic if used well so am looking forward to trying it out in different scenarios. To demonstrate, here is one of my wall pieces ("Ornamental Facade").

The first is taken without the flash, the contours being brought out by the floor lamp at the side though the overall effect is a little flat, and the second is taken with the flash, which results in brighter contrast on this object - which I rather like. Do you prefer one over the other?

To finish, I took one of the lounge from the door end of things, no flash and lowered exposure. The colour is, perhaps, a little to the blue side of the spectrum, the red actually being more forceful than the 'pucey' quality this shows, but overall I am very happy with this image - for the reason that it shows the lens at 'rest' has a pretty decent wide-angle without exaggeration.

That's it for today. Expect more in the Me-Now-Views and other posts!!!