So far my favourite camera for urban (and rural) exploration has been the Panasonic digital camera. It was the second digital camera I bought myself. At the time 10X zoom was the most I could find on a simple digital camera (without going for the more expensive SLR cameras). That first Panasonic was a DMC TZ3 with various other features, like a wide angle, which I didn't really get into using. It was the zoom I wanted.

When I go out to explore an abandoned place the thing I most want is to view it closer. Between having the path physically blocked by fallen debris, cement blocks and legally blocked by no trespassing signs and my own sense of how far I should go - it can be difficult to get up close and see all the details of the old places. Often, I would find more detail when I had a look at my photos at home even. So, getting a camera which could travel the distance for me was of real importance.

I also found the Panasonic was great (exceptionally great in my opinion) for capturing everything in accurate colours and shades and for not showing camera shake and thus getting everything in sharp focus.

After a few years I decided it would be nice to have a new camera and by then I could also get more than 10X the zoom. I looked online to see which camera I could get a lot of zoom from without spending more than I had in my budget for a camera.

My next camera was (is) a Fujifilm FinePix SL300 with 30X zoom (super wide). It is nice for the extra zoom but, I don't find it as good as the old Panasonic. Maybe you do get more for your buck in the camera world. I did spend more for the Panasonic (especially counting the years between purchases) than I did for the FujiFilm. Still, I'm happy enough with it.

One problem with going up higher in zoom power was the thickness of the camera lens. I can't fit it into my purse any more. This camera requires it's own carrying case/ bag. So, I bought a small Canon camera on impulse one day. It fits in my purse and it's there for anything I want to get a snap of. (I had given my nephew my Panasonic but later gave it back to myself when he left it behind when he went to university). Mainly the Canon is good for family photos, the odd quick photo of something interesting while I'm out shopping, running errands and all that day to day ordinary stuff which doesn't require a better camera.

Anyway, next time a new camera comes up in the budget... or, to be honest, next time I decide to stretch the budget mercilessly, I will buy another Panasonic Lumix. This one I have bookmarked on Amazon (see photo above) looks absolutely marvelous and it has 60X zoom!

I just searched for red camera bags because that's what I'd like to find. It needs to be easy to deal with when you want to grab your camera and put it away again quickly. Usually I want to be quick when I have to deal with things like taking photos in the rain or being attacked by animals (usually birds and bees in my experience).