As a homeschooling mami, I have a lot of roles. I'm a teacher, cafeteria worker, coach, bus (van) driver, and even the yearbook photographer. The latter job requires me taking a LOT of pictures to document our school year and their unique learning experiences, which I later layout in a yearbook.
So one of my most valued tools is my camera. I've had a dSLR camera ever since I can remember. But it has always been a difficult beast because it's so big and requires me to use a camera bag to tote around. After I got a smartphone, I started using that one a lot more. The pictures were great, but maybe not quite as great as my dSLR.
And then the Sony QX10 entered my life.
Wow! I love this little camera. Mamas, this little lens-style camera attaches to most iOS and Android phones. I used it with my Samsung Galaxy. It just slides right onto the phone and then works with the PlayMemories Mobile app.
I just turn on the camera and run the app and I can then take the most amazing pictures. You can use the screen to zoom in or out and snap the picture, or you can use the buttons on the camera attachment itself. (See picture at the bottom of this post) Oh, and the zoom! It is unbelievable. I decided to take a picture outside my dirty kitchen window of a beautiful Summer Tanager bathing in the birdbath in my hummingbird garden, and I couldn't believe how sharp the picture came out! This is not only zoomed 20 feet or more, but cropped and enlarged. Isn't that crazy?
And you know what? You don't even have to attach the camera to your phone! If you are trying to take a photo of something in a hard-to-reach place, you can just start the camera and the app by waving the phone over the camera and it turns on. Then you simply place the camera wherever you want and snap the picture using your phone. Maybe you want to take a pic of your kids riding a mechanical bull (I did this weekend) but there is someone standing in front of you. No problem! Just turn on your camera & app, then raise the camera above your head while looking down at your smartphone screen, from which you can control the lens and snap the picture.
The images I love stay stored in my phone's gallery, too And I can also email them to myself, or share them via social media.
I thought the Samsung phone took great pictures, but they don't compare to the ones taken by the QX10. The colors are vivid and sharp, even in low light. I actually prefer to use this camera inside when low-light conditions exist so that I can get the best picture without washing the colors out with a flash. (See my Instagram acct for examples.) The Optical SteadyShot helps reduce blur from unsteady hands and low light situations. In fact, it is because of this camera that I finally opened an Instagram account. I couldn't resist storing and sharing pictures on the spur of the moment.
Everywhere I go, people are asking me about this camera. They've never seen anything like it and knowing it attaches to your smartphone seems to intrigue them.
So if you are considering a new camera to help you document all of your homeschooling adventures - from science experiments to field trips - and you want a step up from a point-and-shoot without the bulk of a dSLR, then THIS is totally worth considering.
If you need a little more motivation, check out this video, and this one featuring their Quick Start Guide.
You can read more about this awesome little camera here on Best Buy's website. It's currently on sale for $199.99 (you save $50), plus you get free shipping!
Disclosure: I'm a Best Buy brand ambassador and received the Sony QX10 for review purposes. No other compensation was received. All thoughts and opinions are my own. If I don't like a product, I won't write a review to promote it.