Attached Link: http://http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=552453&Start=1&Artist=ShadowWind&ByArtist=Yes

I really enjoyed the F210 as a point and shoot, but I realized that it wasn't going to be good for some things like long zooms, sports, and night things (though the new one isn't either really), so I gave my father the Fuji F210 and got an Olympus C-740UZ. It has all the bells and whistles, which now I'm kinda overwhelmed by. Spent about 6 hours yesterday trying to learn the settings to see what I could and couldn't do. The manual is kinda vague in some spots on how it works. I do like the 10x zoom and the shutter/aperature settings which seem to help in getting much better shots. The color is amazing, as much as it was on the F210. In darker areas though it could use stabilization in the zoom, as it becomes an exercise in stillness, which my hand isn't that good at, but I'm learning. The flash seems to work fine to help that, but there are places I wanted to take it where they don't really allow for flash photography. So it might have some issues there when zooming. Anywho, probably more information than you wanted to know. I got it mainly to make my own textures and some photographic backgrounds for 2D and 3D work and it seems to do pretty well at that. Enclosed is a pic that I took and then used as a background for the 2D image in the link. Thanks, I'm sure I'll have many questions about it now that I got all these new settings to play with. ShadowWind

Perfect. More controle is importent. Try a good breathing controle, like in gunshooting. Breath in deep, then let 3/4 go and hold youre breath. At that point in a breathing cycle youre able to stand perfecty still for a few seconds. If you feel to weak, for big lenses, you should do exercise. It will show result in weeks. Just buy some handweights and excersise during television for 15 to 30 minutes a day. It works, realy ;) Happy shooting

Feel free to ask away..... Manuel controls are really very important... sounds like you got yourself a great camera....

Good for you! now go have Fun!!!

I never got the ebots to tell me that there was new messages here. Unfortunately I have neuropathy, so even though I do physical therapy, getting the hand fairly steady enough is going to be quite a challenge, but I hope to do okay. I have found ways of bracing my arm against my body which does seem to help, or by using the viewfinder, can steady the camera against my head which also helps. Hope to get some good shots of something besides the cat... :) ShadowWind

Eh, you could try little tripods. I have a little manfrotto, steel, about 15 cm. It works very well, you can almost everywhere shoot from a trip and not shake. I shake because I am old ;)

Thanks for the advice Kropot. I got a little tripod with the accessory kit, will give it a try...