A Fresh Approach

This opportunistic little weed is coming up through a dense evergreen shrub in our backyard, which requires a longer than usual stem on its part, but provides a very secure environment in which this weed can grow!

I don't know its name, but you saw others like it last month in a French mood.

I spent some time last night researching cameras; I think I'm getting an itchy shutter finger again. The dilemma is that I want a camera with at least a one-inch sensor, an f2.8 lens ideally through 24-400mm equivalent zoom, a three-inch articulated LCD, an electronic viewfinder -- and that weighs no more than 1.3 pounds (588 grams), the weight of my Panasonic Lumix FZ200. That's as large and heavy a camera as I want to take on my travels, particularly overseas.

I had cameras with interchangeable lenses "back in the day," but don't think I want to do that again; I'd prefer to keep things simple.

There's a new version of my FZ200 just out, the FZ1000, which has a one-inch "type" sensor, an f2.8 - 4.0 lens, a 25-400mm equivalent zoom, and the LCD and EVF that I want -- but it weighs 1.83 pounds (831 grams) and measures larger than my FZ200. Oh yes, and it costs $900 (672 Euros/532 GBP)!

For now, I'll make do with what I have, but I'd welcome any advice you have on camera models.

Blip 995