Camera Shy

I asked E. for a new camera as a birthday gift. He loved the idea, but wanted me to pick it out. That has turned out to be a daunting task.

My iPhone camera is pretty incredible, considering it's part of a phone that can do so many other things, but even when using a photo app that has a zoom feature, I can't get the closeups I'd like. So, I want a digital camera with good zoom capability. Sounds simple, right?

I knew that digital cameras had come a long way in the past few years, but when I started researching my options online, I was amazed by all the features available these days. I'm always drawn to the models with lots of bells and whistles, but I'm trying to resist. Experience has shown that I get intimidated by too many alternatives and wind up not using most of them. Also, the cameras with lots of cool stuff tend to be bigger and heavier, not to mention more expensive. I've learned that if my camera isn't really compact, I'll leave it at home, and if I keep leaving a really expensive camera at home, I'll constantly feel guilty. So, I've decided I would be better off with an easy-to-use, compact, point-and-shoot camera. That narrows down the field somewhat. But there are still a surprising number of brands and numerous models to choose from.

While checking out cameras online, I quickly got into the camera-world lingo, but I didn't feel any clearer about what I should buy. Different expert reviewers favored different cameras, and once I started reading customer reviews, I became totally confused—they kept contradicting one another. I've asked friends for advice and a couple have recommended their cameras. One has a Sony that she likes, another uses a Canon. But in the short time since they acquired them, the model numbers have changed and some of  the features have been replaced by newer ones.

What's a girl to do? It would probably help to remind myself that this is a good problem to have. I can't wait to get my camera and start shooting the local flora and fauna, including people. If you're in my line of sight, watch out—I'll surely want to take your picture. But if I get one of the cameras that can sense you smiling, you can rest assured you'll look happy in my photos.