I like to go into the “Big Box” stores from time to time and look at electronic gadgets and gizmos. I guess I have never quite gotten over wanting to admire and handle new “Toys.” I think I am like a lot of other guys in that respect.
Cameras have always fascinated me although I do not really take all that many pictures anymore. I do like the digital cameras though because they are usually small, light weight, compact and fairly easy to use— and there is no film to hassle with! There is no waiting for the prints to come back from the developer either if you know how to work one of those instant print things in some stores.
There are some good choices out there. But there are probably too many choices for some people. I had developed a trick for shopping after I had spent almost a year reading camera magazines and taking to people about my proposed purchase.
I went online and looked at a few cameras that interested me and then I settled on a store that I wanted to visit to look at my possibilities.
I told the guy in the Camera Department, “I want to look at three different cameras that have these features in different price ranges.
Since my picture-shooting is not really professional, all that was needed was a simple “Point And Shoot” camera. But, in order for me to be satisfied, there had to be a “View Finder.”
You might be surprised to find out how many small digital cameras no longer have view finders but give you a screen to look at instead. This might seem to be a good idea until you try to take a picture in bright sunlight. Sometimes you simply will not be able to “Frame” your subject because you will not be able to see the subject on the “Screen.” In this instance, a view finder is worth it’s weight in gold–virtually!
Simplicity of operation is another necessary feature for me and so the Camera Guy was asked to walk me through how to use the thing before I plunked down a nickle for it.
Actually, he even went so far as to take a picture for me and show it to me and that was very helpful and I would never hesitate to ask the sales person for this kind of service. It pays in the end.
The final choice was a camera that could be purchased for from $150 to about $300 and my choice was mid-price-range and I have never been sorry for the choice that was made.
If I had it to do over again, I would go into the store and say to the sales person, “I am looking for a small digital camera, in the price range of $100 to $300 that is simple to operate, can point and shoot and definitely has a viewfinder that can be looked though.” That would be my criteria if I was looking for another camera right now…which I am not.
But this might be of some help to someone.
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