Camera – Panasonic LUMIX ZS99

In early 2020, we upgraded to the Sony RX100 VII, but it was stolen from the truck in October 2023.

Because the RV100 VII has been discontinued, well at least no updated version for years, we looked for a new camera.

My previous camera, the Nikon Cool Pix – a gift from the Best Buy video production team – is still onboard. I prefer its slightly more powerful zoom while birding and it’s important to have a good secondary camera.

This is a pocket-sized powerhouse measuring 4.41″ x 1.7″ x 2.67″ inches and weighs less than 12 ounces. After so long with the big Nikon it took a while to adapt my fingers and hands to the tiny scale of the Lumix. Its superior smallness finally won me over and now I could not manage without it.

For landscapes it’s the best. The wide angle and zoom seem miraculous for a camera that can fit in most coffee mugs. While holding it – arms fully extended – above my head, I can capture crystal clear, perfectly focused wide-angle shots at roadside viewpoints. What’s that tiny speck of red in the distance? I zoom in and voila, I have a beautiful barn pic (God, I love barns …) Occasionally, we use a tripod for stability – especially, for dark-night shots.

The big surprise is how this lil’ explorer has such a big appetite! The Lumix taught me to love food photography. I’m a bit shy and the downsized dimensions of the Lumix does not make a scene by drawing attention to our table at restaurants and breweries. Now, there are never too many shots of beers and the Lumix must love sushi as much as we do – seems it’s always focused on a salmon roll. Since I began using this camera, my brewery and restaurant photos on Yelp are almost always tagged as favorites. That’s helpful affirmation for an amateur photographer. Taking beautiful shots of great food and drink and posting on social media is perfect for promoting our blog.

The Lumix is always in my pocket or handbag. When I’m out walking Stella it’s a cinch to capture that bee on a clover bloom. Ah, bees on flowers … I can’t get enough!

I’ll be honest. I take a CABOODLE of shots of EVERYTHING, but even the shots I delete are usually in focus because the Lumix is loaded with most of the features professionals use on their high-end digital cameras, and it’s all automatic …!!!

So, when I’m out walking Stella and I see something I’d like to shoot, the lens adjusts, popping up an icon to let me know it’s on the job 🌼 … and if the wind picks up and a bee drops into the frame, then an icon signals an adjustment to movement 🏃🏼‍♀️… That’s a huge help when I’m shooting a bee on a clover blossom in the wind while wrangling a dog and a bag of poop. All I have to do is frame the shot and the camera does the rest.

Because the iPhone is water resistant, I use my iPhone 17 pro max while kayaking. This floatation cover. keeps me from losing it when I accidentally drop it in the water.

While cycling I keep the iPhone on the floatation cover’s lanyard so I don’t drop it on the ground while taking pics in motion – you know you should never take pics while in motion, right 😉 – and we take the iPhone tripod along in case we find a great place to take a dual selfie.