I was lucky enough to pick up a used Olympus XZ-1 yesterday. I wanted to get a little camera I can keep on my belt all the time. Since I got it used, I picked up something with higher quality than if I bought new at the same price.

One little thing I learned a while ago about point and shoots is not to disrespect them! Especially for macro shooting. Due to the size of the sensor and lens they can obtain magnifications and high quality output that surprises many. I read a lot about this in Bryan Peterson's book "Understanding Close Up Photography." He showed how you can make great images with point and shoots, close up lenses and dedicated gear.

It is not the gear, it is the creativity and technical knowledge of the photographer that will make the keeper. So no matter who we are, we all have no excuse if we have something to capture an image in our hands. Grab a tool and make an image happen!

ehw