Terry Smith's Weblog: September 2005

Casio Exilim EX-Z750

I've been looking for a feature-packed, but tiny, compact camera for awhile now. I have wanted one that I can carry around everywhere. Particularly when I travel since my digital SLR and bag of lenses and equipment is with me most of time, but there are times when I want to leave the bag and still know that I can still capture decent shots if something catches my eye. There are also a lot of circumstances like being in a restaurant or airport when I want to take a few shots without garnering all the attention that a DSLR with hefty lens attached often attracts.

The answer for the time-being is going to be the Casio Exilim EX-Z750. For the longest I looked at getting the Nikon Coolpix 8400 because it has a 24mm wide-angle lens and can take Nikon RAW files. My SLRs are all Nikon, so I wanted to stick with them, but in the end that model was just too bulky for what I wanted. The Casio EX-Z750 is only 3.5 x 2.3 x 0.9 inches (89 x 59 x 22 mm), incredibly light, and still comes in at 7.2 Megapixels.

Digital Photography Review provides the most detailed camera reviews anywhere, and it's always the first place I send people when asked about one camera versus another or when asked, "What should I buy?". If you're looking for every single technical detail, check out their in-depth review. Here are a couple of other reviews that are also worth mentioning:

I've used this little camera for a few weeks now, and the jury is still out. All in all, I find it much easier to take great pictures with my DSLR because I have full controll over all the adjustments and settings that I need to make. I'll be in London, Paris, and Amsterdam next week, so that should be as good of a test ground as any. I'll be using my larger camera the majority of the time but still plan to get a few hundred shots with the Exilim EX-Z750. I'll try to post my own camera review in a few weeks.

New Images on Alamy

I have over 450 new images on Alamy. This lastest batch includes a lot of images from Italy, some of my Arkansas archives, and a little bit of everything else. Click here to view Terry Smith Images' collection on Alamy.

Advice on booking accommodations in Europe

Over the past week I've been making travel plans for my third trip to Europe. This year I'm visiting London, Paris, and Amsterdam. While I'm not an expert by any means on European travel, I thought I'd pass along some advice on booking hotels. First, I always start with Rick Steves' series of guidebooks which are updated every year. I don't always stick to his recommendations, but I always use them as a starting poinst. After you've found a candidate for your destination, neighborhood, and price, check out the hotel's website. Most of Rick's recommendations include this in the listing. If it still looks good, the next step is to go to Rick Steves' website and click on the feedback page. There you'll find reader comments on good and bad places to stay. Search for your hotel name. Then, be sure to check the archives of prior year's comments as well. In addition, I also check reviews on tripadvisor.com. In addition to the great reviews on this site, some people will also post their own pictures of the accommodations which can give you great insight into the reality of the situation versus the glossy, "too perfect" pictures you'll often find on the hotel's website.

Once you're ready to book, either email the hotel directly or fill out the reservation form on their website. Don't use online reservation sites if you want the best rate since the website will be getting a percentage of the sale. This really hurts small mom-and-pop places, and they can often give you a lower rate directly. If you email, always give your check-in and check-out dates in addition to the number of nights stay. This "double check" is standard in the industry. If you want a non-smoking room or a quiet room, be sure to ask. If you're staying in a noisy city infested with loud vespas like Florence or Rome, be sure to ask if the hotel has double-pane windows. If the hotel emails you back saying they have a room available, the next step is to email them a confirmation response with your credit card information included. Yes, this is not my favorite part since email is inherently unsafe and you can never be sure who has your number on the other side. However, it is the easiest way and avoids language difficulties over the phone. Generally, if rooms are available, one reservation request email to the hotel, a response back, and one confirmation response back from you are all that it takes and you're booked!

Rick Steves Travel Audio

Rick Steves' website has a terrific archive of his travel audio programs. The audio quality is excellent, and the content quality, as to be expected coming from Rick Steves, is equally as excellent. Check them out at:

http://ricksteves.com/radio/archive.htm

All the programs are downloadable as MP3 files. If your car stereo can play MP3 files, burn a disc full of these and have your own travel audio book.