Norway Maple vase photo test

[Hayes Rutherford]

A cut off Segrams bottle fits down inside this vase perfectly so it can safely hold water for flowers. Vase is 7" tall about 6" wide. Finished with blond shellac. This is a new camera for me (Canon sx130is) and I am having trouble using the manual aspect of it. The manual focus is not like that of a SLR and half the time I can't make it work right and the other half I just cant tell on my monitor. Is this picture in focus?

My light is a single 5000K bulb obviously in front. My enclosure is white satin formica back, posterboard sides and top. What I have on hand isn't large enough to place the light inside as per J.Donaldson phrugal photo enclosure and had nothing on hand to diffuse the light, but I will work on that. First I just have to figure this battery hungry camera out so any feedback would be appreciated.

[Jamie Donaldson]

Focus is fine Hayes, and you have mentioned the hard light from a directional source will be corrected. The color balance is fine, and exposure is very close to being a bit overexposed. Most cameras now have a video(NTSB) out cable that can be plugged into a TV, and I have a 19" monitor right beside my light enclosure that allows enlarged viewing on the screen, much better for our old eyes than the tiny screen on the camera!