A DAUNTING DECISION: WHAT CAMERA SHOULD I BUY??

In the scheme of things, does the decision of what camera to buy really matter all that much??  I have LOVED using my Samsung Galaxy 8 camera  for nearly four years, with Android technology and all my familiar apps.  Wherever we have traveled people have been fascinated by it.  "Is it a phone?  Is it a camera?" Kinda both -- you can't make a traditional phone call, but it is otherwise connectable while principally being a camera. And then there is the enormous screen size -- 4.8" -- which has been a joy.

 

It was beginning to show some wear so off to Best Buy for help as they are a big Samsung outfit.  Upon learning the distressing news that Samsung had discontinued the product (mon dieu!), apparently due to low sales, I was faced with a mind-boggling choice of what to buy next.  The decision is akin to sorting through all the wineries in Napa/Sonoma these days ... so much variety to choose from.

For me (and obviously so many others), travel and photography are intertwined. In discussing my upcoming travel plans, a well-meaning person actually urged me to bring a camera along! I really can't imagine one without the other. Yes, most of us know folks who travel but don't have any sort of record (permanent or otherwise) of their experiences. The hubby has never had to think about it, and likely wouldn't, but still nudges me if I don't have a Shutterfly album (samples below) printed in short order after our big trips.  

Typically I go to Samy's Camera, a very reputable dealer in Los Angeles, and rely on their expertise to guide me.  This time I did my own online research.  I looked at Samy's offerings and compared them to Amazon, plus read user reviews.  I don't want to be too much of a skeptic, but how does one know if a user knows what he or she is doing when they review something? Maybe the bad experience is due to "pilot error."  

Without going much deeper in the weeds, I decided on a Canon Powershot SX540 HS with 50x Optical Zoom and Built-In Wi-Fi.  So far, so good (you be the judge per below). I will still bring the Samsung with me just in case.  And I will try not to be influenced by reading all the recommendations in a WSJ column ...  seen, of course, after my purchase!

From my garden: first ripened blackberry of the season and blossoming nectarine tree.

Indoor photos from a recent event/art show at The Cellar Beverly Hills.

       Baby shower luncheon.                     Downtown LA's Last Bookstore

So what camera are you using ... and why???

Travel blogging with no immediate trips coming up?  Mon Dieu! (or "oy vey" more likely ...)  Well, one cannot be on the road all the time, as great as that sounds.   The reality is a ton of time is spent in the planning and research phase so that when the actual time comes, things go smoothly and uneventfully -- barring any acts of God, of course. 


And as thorough as I am, there are the blips.  On the recent trip to Napa, I am at the airport Avis counter when they kindly point out that yes, I do have reserved a car in Oakland ... Oakland somewhere in Michigan, that is, and not Oakland, CA.  Ooopsie.  Of course now the rate being offered is not what I had anticipated, but managed to get it to an acceptable place.  Stuff like that happens to all of us....

Notwithstanding the previous info, I am a plan-ahead person.  I don't particularly like surprises.  I want to know that the accommodations and yes, even some meals, are what I expect and want them to be.  Here are some of my go-to tips for travel planning: 

I love Excel.  That might sound like over-kill, but it's so easy to set up an Excel file and great to edit as you go.   An example of what I'm doing for the big post-tax-season trip next spring is below.   Plus with this type of file, I can give the hubby the bone-chilling costs so he can manage the foreign currency issues.  And, yes, we always arrive with the relevant currency in hand ...

 

DATE	CITY	FLIGHT INFO	HOTEL/ROOM DETAILS	TOTAL	ACTUAL
				Local	USD
				Currency	Currency
15-Apr		Cathay Flight 883
		depart LAX 11:50 p.m.
17-Apr		arr. Hong Kong 5:40 am
17,18,19,20	Hong Kong
21-Apr		Flight to next city
		Seoul or Beijing
21,22,23,24
25-Apr		Flight to next city
25,26,27,28
4/29/2012		Flight to Shanghai
29/30/1/2	Shanghai
2-May		AA #182
		depart Shanghai 9:30pm
2-May		arrive LAX 6:10pm

I immediately read Travel and Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler magazines when they arrive, and tear out articles that are relevant now or regarding my list of places to go.  Being organized when collecting info is key to actually being able to find it when you need it! 

So labelled folders are my friends (ie., mileage info, airlines, cities, etc.) I also keep another Excel file of countries where I've been and my wish list for future travel destinations.  

Lastly since taking and sharing gorgeous pix is a huge part of the travel experience -- both online and in the Shutterfly book I do after each trip -- a new camera was in order.   Off I went to my fave, Samy's Camera, where everyone behind the counter is extremely knowledgeable.  My older Nikon Coolpix S60 had a few minor issues so I am now the proud owner of the next generation -- a  Nikon Coolpix S100.  Best of all is the larger screen (for the fading eyes)!  Here are a few random shots, plus the last frame is a brief video(!) from the new acquisition ...

 Gerbera daisy popping up

Tomatoes finally ripening in my garden ...

and a Japanese cucumber "unfurling"

Pre-Star Spangled Banner