When I set up the menus for this blog I included a category called ‘Animals’. This seemed like a good idea at the time but looking back on it a see that I’ve actually posted very little related to animals. Browsing through my past pictures on a snowy day I discovered that I did have some pictures of dogs – so here are a few of them.

This post also provides an interesting comparison of two quite different cameras. The first three pictures were taken with a Panasonic ZS3 (at the time my carry everywhere camera, but since given to one of my grandchildren and replaced with a Sony RX-100). The Panasonic has, typically for a compact camera, a small sensor. It also has a ‘Leica’ branded lens with a considerable zoom range (25-300mm equivalent). The problem with having such a long zoom lens is that you tend to use it. Unfortunately it becomes hard to focus and lens shake can become a real problem. This, combined with the small sensor, can lead to less than stellar image quality. You don’t see it so much in these scaled down, internet ready images, but it’s much more apparent if you look at 100% crops of the orginals.

The last two were taken with a Sony NEX 5n and its 18-55mm kit lens. This uses a much larger (APS-C) sensor, which provides much better image quality. Of course, the NEX also offers interchangeable lenses.

The RX100 lies between the two and is a good (if much more expensive) replacement for the ZS3.

The first three pictures were taken at the Hammond Museum and Stroll Garden annual blessing of the animals.

Do you think there’s anything to owners coming to look like their dogs?

I’ve had enough of this snow!!!

Taken outside a Peruvian restaurant in Port Chester, NY

And finally our very own ‘Jackson’ seen here with my wife, Eirah