With this camera you can take underwater pictures.
The part that throws me off a bit is the use of the particle なら. It seems to be being used in a similar fashion as when one uses the particle で for using a tool. As in はさみで紙を切りました。
Am I understanding this correctly? Is this usage of ならcommon?
I think it’s more of just smoothing out the translation with なら as a conditional.
Being more literal, the translation would be “If it’s this camera, (you) can take underwater photographs.” It makes sense, but it’s not exactly normal phrasing for English.
Waiting for the grammar gurus to rip me a new one.
I think I’m just weirded out by starting out a sentence with a conditional, but no surrounding context. Like you guys mentioned it would make a lot of sense to say that in environment where one is asking questions or making a comparison.
eg: “Do any of these work underwater?” “If it’s this camera, you can (take underwater photographs).”
On the other hand, without that context I feel more comfortable with a more explicitly worded statement and/or repositioning the clauses. Since this establishes the main subject more clearly.
eg: “I can take underwater photographs, if I’m using this camera.” <—> “If I’m using this camera (then) I can take underwater photographs.”
The original translation using with accomplishes the same goal with the least number of alterations to the source statement. Only an “if” is being replaced by a “with” that still serves to establish the condition.
“With this camera I can take underwater photographs.”
I would probably start with “with” myself - however that’s not a literal translation of the OP’s sentence.
Ex: “This camera’s got a really good zoom, but the battery life isn’t very long.” next camera “This one here takes great low-light pictures.” next camera “With this camera, you can take pictures underwater.”
EDIT: That said, if the customer was already considering it, or had expressed interest between two cameras, and had already mentioned going snorkeling or something “If it’s this camera, you can take pictures underwater” would be 100% appropriate.
tbh, as soon as I was introduced to the particle も I quit grammar and went “screw it, I can’t even afford to pay for WaniKani, I’ll learn grammar when I feel like it”
This use of なら is kind of like expressing your confidence in something. You’ll often see sentences like 誠さんなら、できるよ! Which means you have faith in Makoto’s abilities. It’s not so romantic in your sentence but it’s more or less the same meaning. You are emphasising the fact that this camera can do it just like you were emphasising that Makoto could do it, with the added implication that you’re not so sure that other cameras will have the same functionality.