"The newest camera is the best camera."
Lately, that established theory has slowly started to waver for me. When freed from the shackles of numbers like resolution and dynamic range, can photography become more liberating? With that premonition in mind, I tucked an old compact digital camera into my pocket.
It's the renowned Canon IXY DIGITAL 510 IS, born in 2009.
The "Comfort" of a Tool
The first thing that strikes you when holding this camera is its "presence." The elegant curves honed by Canon. The flowing form of its aluminum alloy exterior is cool to the touch, yet somehow possesses a warmth that fits snugly in the palm of your hand.
The slightly subdued sound of the lens engaging the moment you switch it on. It's a signal, "Let's shoot." It signals the beginning of the distinct "act of photography," different from simply tapping a smartphone screen.
The Vivid Memory of "IXY Blue"
First, I looked down at the city of Shinjuku from a high vantage point.
The world seen through the LCD screen has colors that are slightly closer to "memory" than what the naked eye perceives. The blue of the sky rendered by the 12.1-megapixel CCD sensor. It's a blue I'd call "IXY Blue," endlessly deep yet somehow nostalgic. Modern cameras might lift the shadows more, but this camera cleanly leaves "shadows as shadows." That contrast accentuates the three-dimensionality of the city.
Catching Light in the Gaps of the Season
Descending to the ground, I walked through a park lined with large trees.
Looking up, inorganic concrete walls meet cherry blossoms at the end of spring. The wide field of view of this camera captures the scenery dynamically without making the city feel cramped. What surprised me was the texture of each cherry blossom petal. It's a depiction closer to "presence" than "resolution."
People enjoying themselves on the lawn. Even in a challenging situation with strong light leaking through the trees against the sun, the 510 IS captured the "temperature of the moment" as it was. While not a high-performance lens, this "looseness" might be the spice that turns everyday scenes into works of art.
A Gaze Towards the Foot of Things
Towards the end of my walk, I happened to look down and saw a vibrant flowerbed.
The excellent color reproduction unique to CCD sensors vividly, yet elegantly, renders the yellow and pink flowers. Someone's feet happened to be slightly visible at the edge of the frame, but even that feels like a precious record, a testament to sharing that peaceful moment.
Why the IXY 510 IS Now?
When I'm shooting with this camera, I strangely forget the word "failure." Even if the focus is a little soft, or the highlights are blown out, it makes me feel like it's the "truth" of that moment. Perhaps it's because the "just right imperfection" of this camera aligns with the ambiguous shapes of our memories.
In a hyper-convenient modern age, I purposefully enjoy the inconvenience. The IXY DIGITAL 510 IS is not just an "old digital camera." It's a "magic looking glass" to depict your daily life a little more dramatically and subjectively.
This coming holiday, why don't you all take an old IXY and go search for your own "personal perspective"?
Click here for a list of IXY DIGITAL 510 IS products.
If you're looking for used cameras and lenses, please leave it to our shop, Five Star Camera! We offer a wide variety of film cameras, medium format film cameras, digital SLRs, mirrorless cameras, compact cameras, and more.
In addition to sales, we also offer purchases. We welcome appraisals if you just want to know how much your equipment is worth! You can examine items in person at both our Shinjuku and Toyama stores before purchasing, and we carefully check each item for purchase. Please feel free to contact us!
