Customer Reviews

Confessions of a Compact Camera Shooter: Get Professional Quality Photos with Your Compact Camera

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"On of the things I love about my compact camera is that I can always have it with me. I never leave home without it...Always carry your compact camera. I guarantee that you will begin to see more creative picture opportunities."

That quote forms one of the main premises of Rick Sammon's new book, "Confessions of a Compact Camera Shooter: Get Professional Quality Photos with Your Compact Camera." And it's a good premise--one that I can vouch for personally.

I consider myself to be an advanced amateur photographer. I own and regularly use a high end Nikon prosumer DSLR complete with multiple lenses, filters, speedlights and various other photo accessories. My extra large sized camera bag is completely full and everything in it gets used and often. Yet if you happen to pass me on the street, more often than not you will notice not a Nikon DSLR, but a Canon PowerShot S90 compact camera with me. I carry the S90 in a leather carrying pouch attached to my belt. It goes wherever I go. You never know when that special photographic opportunity or moment will present itself--and it usually doesn't wait for you to go home and get your DSLR. As a result, I've taken many impromptu photos with the S90 that my viewers find very interesting and attractive. Sammon is right. Canon S90, I couldn't have done it without you!

Rick Sammon is a well known photographer and writer on the subject of photography. His work is so closely associated with high end DSLRs (prosumer and up) that it comes as a shock to see him write a book dedicated to using compact cameras. At least that's the intent. In "Confessions of a Compact Camera Shooter" he makes the case that a compact camera can provide much of the capabilities of a DSLR without the size, complexity and weight. However, a weakness in the book is that, early on, Sammon successfully makes his case for the value of owning and using a compact camera even for advanced DSLR users. But then, he keeps making his case over and over again throughout the book. He never "closes the sale." I wanted to scream back at the book, "Okay, okay! I get it! You can stop trying to convince me now."

In the book, Sammon compares the functionality of compact cameras and DSLRs. Sammon points out, correctly I believe, that while a photos taken with a compact camera can rival, in many case, a DSLR, there are significant differences in capabilities between a compact camera and the typical point and shoot camera. The former has enough features to make it function in a somewhat similar manner to a DSLR, but without interchangeable lenses and all the bells and whistles of a DSLR. The latter generally does not.

That said, the "compact camera" that Rick Sammon uses for most of the photos in the book is a Canon G10. While the G10 sits in the compact camera class, it is on the high end in terms of size, weight, cost and features. It is a popular compact camera, no doubt, but is not truly representative of an important class of compact cameras that cost less and are far more compact than the G10. These are compact cameras such as the Canon PowerShot S90, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 or the Ricoh CX3. These cameras have a much smaller form factor. They fit in a shirt pocket and yet have many of the features found in the G10. It would have been nice to have focused on these cameras instead of the G10.

To be fair, however, "Confessions of a Compact Camera Shooter" is not about the Canon G10. Many of the hints and tips scattered through the book can be applied to any camera--even high end DSLRS. And here lies both the strength and the weakness of the book. It's general in nature. Think of it more like a handbook than a text book and you'll get the idea. Shooting information and tips are scattered throughout in its pages and they span the gamut ranging from ISO, to shooting modes to composition to RAW to HDR to panos. Little time is spent on any one topic. That makes Sammon's book too much like the general photography books that stuff the shelves of every bookstore's Photography sections. It's not aimed at the experienced photographer. That is unfortunate because the topic of the book could have made it attractive to experienced DSLR users who have eschewed compact cameras and already know most of the tip and information that Sammon includes. In other words, it appears that Sammon has missed his target audience.

On the other hand, the tips are solid, the paper quality used in the book is good, almost all photos are in color and none are postage sized. In general, this is an attractive book. And, most importantly, it includes an index--something that is sorely missing in far too many photography books. If you accept its limitations, "Confessions of a Compact Camera Shooter" could occupy a useful place on your photography bookshelf.

As a photographer and owner of both a Canon G10 and a full-frame DSLR camera, I found this book to be an excellent source of information for both formats. As always, Rick writes in a manner that is easy to understand and fun to read. If you are trying to determine if you need a full-frame DSLR or if a compact camera will do the trick, this book is definitely for you. It is also the perfect book to help DSLR owners see the advantages of owning a compact camera in addition to their DSLR. As Rick points out, the most important thing is not always how great a shot you get, but that you actually do get the shot. You can take a compact camera with you anywhere and always have the ability to capture precious memories--not so with an DSLR.


Virtually all of the photos in the book were taken by Rick with his Canon G10 compact camera. Rick also includes photos taken with his SLR to demonstrate just how difficult it can be to tell the difference between the two formats. In one chapter, Rick shows photos from both cameras side-by-side and asks the reader to try and guess which photos were taken with the compact camera and which were taken with the DSLR. In this fun and educational exercise, the reader is told that the answers are on the last page of the chapter, but Rick asks that the reader not turn to the answer page...but instead to really examine the photos to see if they can guess which ones were taken with the compact camera.

Rick does a fabulous job of pointing out the differences between what a compact camera can do versus a DSLR. After reading Rick's book it will be easy for you to determine which camera will work in different situations. Rick lists the pros and cons of the compact camera, but does confess that he takes his compact camera everywhere (just as I do).

In addition to doing a superb job of helping you learn how to use both a compact and DSLR, Rick takes you all the way from the beginning of the photo process--"making the picture"--all the way through to enhancing your images with Adobe Photoshop Elements, using Plug-in's, HDR and Infrared imaging, shooting panoramas, calibrating your computer monitor and printing your images.

If you can purchase only one book to learn all of the aspects of great photography, buy "Confessions of a Compact Camera Shooter". You will not be disappointed.

Bottom line: A well written, non-threatening overview into the world of photography beyond taking snapshots.

What I liked:

- Excellent advice clearly presented in digestible chunks.

- Good organization. The photography section is broken into categories and then by specific topic. You can easily get back to a point with a quick scan of the table of contents. There are also over 20 tips aimed at Photoshop Elements.

- Clear good vs. bad examples. Too many photography books show the "bad" shot so small that you can't clearly make out what's wrong. There are even books printed so badly that you can't make out what's right. This doesn't suffer either problem.

- Rick used Photoshop Elements (PSE) as the "editor" when referring to digital editing. My sense is this is the most common editor owned by potential readers of this book.

What I didn't like (relatively minor points which do not equate to anything bad):

- Each topic/point only has a few pages and example pictures devoted to it. I understand this was done in the interest of space, cost, and keeping the book at an appropriate level of detail. I'm sure that anyone interested will also want to consider the dozens of other books by this author which take a deeper dive into these aspects of photography.

- It would have been useful to include a discussion on cataloging images (beyond the excellent recommendation to save copies).

- Rick recommends certain plug-ins as an add-on to PSE. It's a personal thing and I prefer Photo Essentials 3. (He recommends one plug-in that is a component of this suite and I say, get the whole thing!)

- He never mentions how to hold a camera. (A small but very important point.)

- He uses a Canon G10 as his compact camera. Most people reading this book would probably not be using a camera of this caliber. Also, making some of the adjustments recommended in this book is much easier with this camera than a more typical compact camera that has fewer external controls and the adjustments are buried several menu levels down. It occurs to me that the readership would have been better served if the pictures included and the accompanying recommendations had been developed using a camera more like what is pictured on the cover. That way the material would be more appropriate for more readers.

- He talks about the problems of digital noise in several places but doesn't suggest tools that can help correct for it. (My choice is Neat Image, not available through Amazon.)

- The section on infrared is inappropriate. Also, the chapter on printer calibration is not that useful since it is effectively distilled to a recommendation for purchasing another book. I would have preferred if this space could have been allocated to including some additional examples on some of the more basic issues facing a compact camera user.

Recommendation:

Buy this if you want to take your photography to the next level and want one book to introduce you the various ways to improve you images.

BTW, I feel that honest, effective reviews take the place of first-hand experiences that are lacking in online shopping. I've always appreciated the help I've gotten from other reviewers and continue to return the favor as best as I can. If you thought this review was helpful please let me know by clicking on "Yes" button where it asks. If there was anything you thought was lacking or unclear leave a comment and I'll do what I can to fix it.

BTW, I feel that honest, effective reviews can take the place of first-hand experiences that are lacking in online shopping. I've always appreciated the help I've received from other reviewers and work hard to return the favor as best as I can. I hope you found this review helpful and if there was anything you thought was lacking or unclear leave a comment and I'll do what I can to fix it.

My love of photography goes all the way back to the Kodak pocket camera. Yet I have never really liked books on photography. They always seem too technical or just too dull. This book was neither, because the author basically just deals with one technical aspect or one photography tip per page...complete with photos to demonstrate what he's trying to get across. He also gets the reader to think about the differences between compact digital cameras and digital SLR cameras. This was of interest to me, because I am debating what I'm going to buy when my one and only digital camera--the Kodak DX6490--dies. Since I mostly shoot nature shots, I had seriously thought of getting a DSLR. But now I think I might just get another "compact" Kodak with the best optical lens available. I don't want the weight and fear of theft that goes along with the heavier and more expensive DSLR. Besides, as Mr. Sammon clearly shows, you can get fabulous shots from a compact digital camera...something I've seen for myself for over five years now.

The book has some nice photography tips and some of the excellent pictures show that you really can get great pictures from a compact camera. However, I didn't find it a treasure trove of tips that helped me for compact cameras. Not sure there is so much that can be offered.. but it could have had a list of common problems and solutions.

Even where there were obvious points to be made, the author doesn't make them. For example, as the author points out, shutter lag is one of the most significant problems with compact cameras. He tells you what it is but doesn't give you tips for minimizing this problem such as prefocusing before an important shot. There is no excuse for this.
Some problems I have weren't addressed.. Every compact camera I have had has had flash that is too bright. There are lots of solutions for this (adjusting ev/flash, tape, paper over flash etc) but this doesn't give those. It doesn't give tips on getting inexpensive accessories (like getting extra batteries on Ebay or amazon - no opinions whether non OEM batteries work well (in my experience they do and can be much less expensive.. same goes for chargers etc)).

Tips are very general, usually not particular to compact cameras....and not helpful to any frequent camera user much less an avid amateur photographer.

I have broken two cameras due to sand in the gears from use on the beach. There was no info on this and how to avoid.

Overall, this is a teaser...without real "meat"

This book was informative and enlightening. An easy and at times humorous read. Also good to keep as a reference. It encouraged me to continue using my compact camera to take great pictures and also showed me how with many tips and recommendations. It was positive and affirming to hear a professional such as Rick say that he got great pictures using both a compact and a DSLR. And to hardly be able to see the difference in the pictures in the book was pleasantly surprising. Great illustrations and suggestions.
I will definitely take my compact camera with me to Italy next year and hopefully capture some winning pictures. This Book is a Winner!, for an amateur like me and also for more advanced photographers as well. You can always learn something new as Rick Sammon points out in this book.

I ordered this book because I'd been getting more serious about photography as a hobby over the past two years, but I didn't want to invest the money required (often a thousand dollars or more) to buy a dSLR camera. My first rude awakening was on the second page of the foreword, where I'm told there is a big difference between a "compact camera" and a "point and shoot camera" (I thought they were one and the same). Um, gee thanks...I wish the book description had said that.

So, from there on out, it appeared I was reading about a lot of controls that my camera (a 7.2 megapixel Sony Cybershot) did not have...which, obviously, was disappointing (I've since looked more at my camera's menu in more depth and see that it has some of these controls).

Still, there is a lot of great advice here for fledgling photographers. Not only properly lighting the shot but composing it (not putting your subject in the center of the frame, etc.); when to use an automatic setting and when a custom setting is better; how to reduce noise (graininess) in your photos; how to shoot various kinds of pictures (portrait, action shots, landscape, etc.); when to use a flash or zoom; and how to use ISO to capture or freeze motion. Additionally there is a good bit of time devoted to manipulating photos through the use of software such as Photoshop Elements.

While I am not a fan of substantial manipulation of photographs (especial nature photographs) because it can lead to a beautiful but very fake-looking photographs, I did appreciate the author explaining which software edits will yield a fake-looking photo and which will give you more realism.

There were some things about the book that really bugged me, so when I had to pick a rating for this review, it was tough. I ended up giving more weight to the outstanding tips and content of the book and less on the weaknesses of organization and repetition, so I settled on 4 stars. Some of those things that bugged me:

1. The author repeats himself to the point that it became annoying (to me, anyway). I understand his point that repetition helps us learn, but it was way overdone for me. It led to a pronounced sense of deja vu for me--I felt like I was constantly reading the same page over and over due to this repetition.

2. It appears that someone else wrote the foreword as well as the final chapter on making a better print, but this is not nearly as clear as it should be. The foreword begins with a quote that is attributed to Rob Sheppard. Does this mean that the entire forword is written by him? I don't know. The pictures that appear in the foreword are copyrighted by Rob Sheppard, so I would assume so. Page xxiii of the foreword lists Rob's website and blog URLs, but then there are a couple of more pages in that numbering system before we get to page 1. Were THOSE written by Rob Sheppard or by Rick Sammon? I don't know. On the first page of the final Chapter (XVI), it says the chapter is written by Rob Sheppard, but it's embedded in the text (i.e., there is no byline) so, if you missed that one little paragraph, you'd never know. I did miss it the first time and only knew it wasn't written by Rick because whoever wrote it was referring TO Rick.

3. I found the organization of the book--especially the beginning and ending--confusing at times and perhaps not as effective as it could have been. Some topics (like Handing Over Your Camera on p. xxiv) come out of nowhere. There were several times in reading this book when it felt like someone had dropped the manuscript on the floor and randomly put the pages back together before sending it to the printer.

4. It should have been made clearer in the description of the book that appears on Amazon.com what kinds of cameras are being discussed; i.e., if I'd known it was not for point and shoot cameras, I may have chosen another book.

In summary--while, at times, poor organization and repetition can make for frustrating reading, the content of the book is well worth reading.

This is a book long overdue on the market. There are many great "how to" books on using a DSLR (which by the way, Rick Sammon has written many of them), but finally there is a book to help the compact camera users in making better pictures without using a DSLR. The book is written is Rick's chatty, very clear and concise, "how to" method, which allows the most novice of a user to feel comfortable and confident with their compact camera to begin shooting the pictures they were always hoping to capture. Rick, suffice to say, another winner from a prolific author on photography.

It is always interesting to read other reviews, including negative reviews to understand why someone is critical of aspects of a book. However, for the life of me, I could not correlate the D. Boucher's critique, with Rick's book. D. Boucher either was reading a different book or perhaps has not read the entire book, because if D. Boucher has completed the book, and was objective, I can not imagine this type of critique.

If you own a compact camera, your picture taking will definitely improve once you read the book.

I had great hopes for this book, as I'd just switched from film (and darkroom) photography and purchased myself a fairly advanced point-and-shoot camera (but with complete manual controls). (A Panasonic Lumix.) But I was quite disappointed to find that the book appears to be essentially only a collection of (quite excellent) photographs with chatty captions of fairly skimpy, somewhat basic information, padded out to book length. If the text of the book alone were printed separately, it wouldn't amount to many words. Much more useful and detailed information is available to anyone these days on the internet. I would fault the book publisher in this regard as striving to market to point-and-shooters(through mis-characterization) a book out of a minor collection of admittedly attractive photographs.

Do not be misled- this book is NOT for your standard pocket sized point and shoot camera. It's for cameras that are more of a cross between a digital SLR and a point and shoot.

That being said- the book is interesting and gives some good advice. My major issue is that it doesn't go indeptly enough for me to get all the effects that the author shows in the book. It is however, if nothing else a great place for inspiration if nothing else. The photos in this book are gorgeous. There were times, particularly in the part about image noise that I struggled to find noise in the photos because I was struck by the subject matter.

This book is for the beginning to intermediate photographer. I do recommend.