The "New Toy" Story

It was an ordinary day. Trying to talk my wife into letting me buy a new camera. Taking photos is my hobby and kinda a small business and my current camera is getting old. Well, maybe not old, but technologically behind. Need something with more megapixels, faster processor, and the works. We went to Costco shopping a few weeks ago and I showed her the really neat Nikon and Canon cameras they had. Told her how my photos would improve with a camera like one of them. "They look fine," she said. Well, two weeks ago, after three days home from having back surgery and feelin' kinda lousy, she hit me with it. Oh, I guess it was about 12:01 AM when she shook my arm. Fell asleep maybe a half hour before, but I awoke and asked what was wrong. "Look at the camera that is the "Special of the Day" on QVC, "shesaid as she was pointing to the tiny TV we have next to our bed. A Canon EOS Rebel T3 DSLR (digital single lens reflex) with 12 MP, 2 lens kit and a bag. Oh yeah, it also had an SD cardwith it. "That's just what you want, isn't it?"I think I was awake when I said, "Yes!" Well, she ordered it immediately. They had already sold 3,000 of them by that time!!! I just can't believe the magnitude of sales that they make on HSN and QVC. But, I guess I should. We have a package arrive about every 6 days on average. My camera came 5 days later and I was excited. Opened it, put the lens on and started taking photos outside. Tried a few of the features and downloaded them onto my computer. Wasn't impressed at all. Camera had a stabilization feature pressed built into the lens to help keep your photos from getting blurry. One of the lenses did not have that feature. My present camera has the feature built into the body of the camera so no matter what lens I put on it, it will help. A few other features I didn't like so I packaged it back up and when Carol came home from work I asked her if she would be mad if I returned it. "Don't like it?" she said. "Nah," I replied. Day later I dropped it off at the huge QVC warehouse we have near our house. Just like that it was gone. I have done some research and have finally purchased another camera body that I will use with all my existing lenses. Really new technology. In a DSLR (digital single lens reflex), you look through a viewfinder window. The image you see comes through the lens, strikes a mirror that is on a 45 degree angle, and then strikes another mirror on the same angle above it so that you can see the image in the viewfinder. When you push the shutter release, the mirror raises and the image comes straight through the camera to the rear of the camera where it iselectronically stored. The new technology had the 45 degree mirror made of translucent material so it will reflect the light toward the viewfinder, but will also allow the image to go through it to the rear of the camera. No moving of the mirror. Less time consumed and less noise. Camera body was made by Sony and was the Popular Photography camera of the year for 2010. The Alpha A55 body is remarkable. Ordered it 2 days after returning the Canon. And, I just opened it. REALLY NEAT! Slightly smaller design so it will be easier to pack for vacation. Can take HD movies with it, but I doubt I will use that feature very much. Also has a panoramic feature different than any I have ever seen. I do have a small Kodak point and shoot digital that I can take three photos with the aid of the camera, and the camera will stitch them together for me. The Sony A55 has a panoramic feature where you start on the left, depress the shutter release and move the camera to the right at the speed that the arrow moves in the viewfinder window. I can hear it taking photo after photo as fast as can be. When the arrow reaches the right side, it stops taking photos and stitches all of the frames together in less that 3 seconds. The result is amazing!! The camera features kinda scare me, since there are so many things you can do with the camera. The technology has advanced far beyond my camera body which is 3 or 4 years old. Anxious to take vacation shots and post a few. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - bottom photo is using the panorama mode on my back deck. For those who are truly into cameras, watch the attached video!