Need a new pocket shooter? Check out this camera….

Contrary to popular belief, I don’t lug a lot of camera equipment around.  Not that I don’t want to, but casual camera work does not always require a DSLR and a bag or two of “must carry” equipment, like lights, backdrops, extra lenses, etc. etc.

My first pocket camera was a Nikon, and it was small (a big plus) but lacked resolution and zoom features.  It served me well until I gave it to my grandson, and he got a lot of use out of it.

Even though I have a great camera in my Google Pixel XL smartphone, I find the lenses and sensors on a small camera make for great pictures.  especially if you want to blow them up, or make extensive editing/cropping.

After the Nikon, I got a Canon SX600.  compact, fits in a shirt pocket, and decent battery life.  It did have wifi, but no bluetooth.  18x zoom, 3″ LCD screen, and 16MP resolution.  While it still is one of my favorites, I felt it was time for Bluetooth and more zoom.  (I love more Zoom)!

So I got myself a new SX730HS, like this:

The Canon SX 730 HS (specifications), Available on Amazon and eBay

The 40x optical zoom is awesome, especially for a camera of it’s size. With image stabilization (tip: use a tripod or rest it on a railing for steadying it at maximum zoom) it gets in really close.  With a 20.3 mega pixel image, Bluetooth, and wifi, you have a lot of bases covered.  It also has a feature called “image assist”, to keep your subject in focus as you zoom.  (Did I mention I like to zoom)?

The Unforgettable Photograph: 228 Ideas, Tips, and Secrets for Taking the Best Pictures of Your Life, from Amazon Books

The camera is a little bit larger than what I would have liked, it’s big for my pocket and I keep it in a LowePro Tahoe case from Amazon.  I also use a carabiner to clip it to my belt loop.  It fits nicely in a suit  jacket pocket or a coat.  I like to keep it handy, but don’t like it to be exposed to the elements or potential crooks.  The LowePro case has a pocket for spare batteries and an SD card or two.  This comes in real handy when your battery dies and you are taking some really promising shots.

I also strongly suggest you get a set of spare batteries and an extra charger so that you always have a fresh battery on hand, especially if you shoot movies.

SX730 batteries and chargers on Amazon

SX730 batteries and chargers on eBay

The Canon SX730 HS is a comfortable and efficient camera for all around snapshots, with the capability to wirelessly transmit your pictures to your smartphone, which will send them to the cloud.

I would feel very comfortable taking this camera on vacation, because of it’s size and features.  You can shoot on full automatic or use the shutter/aperture, and scene settings to your best advantage.  Not to mention movies.

Here is hoping you enjoy all the pictures you take!