decisions decisions

I have spent the last three nights doing camera homework.  Kathy is off to New York (again) later this week, my camera was stolen with my handbag and she has offered to bring one back for me.  Amazing how much cheaper they are there and for the R2 500 that I am prepared to spend, I can really get a much better camera.  However, this does entail some work and has made me realise what a bad consumer I am.  If I walked into a camera shop, I would tell them what I was looking for and end up taking the salesman's word for which is the best.  It would take me 20 minutes and I would walk out and be satisfied.  Now I am having to be my own salesman and boy is it a hard job.  I have shortened the list to two makes Canon and Sony (I have had both and was very happy with both of them) - there are so many (too many) options.  Different sites compare models and prices and I have printed out lists and lists of the different features.  I now have to make up my mind and have cut the list to 5 models - 2 are the compact "point and shoots" and the others are the slightly larger bridge cameras which look more like cameras than cellphones.  Do I want a small camera that I can keep in my bag at all times or a bigger camera (that I will keep in my bag at all times)?  The pixel story also confuses me as apparently you don't need to have 1000's of mega pixels to take better pictures and in fact too many pixels affects the colour and light of the pictures.   Which one would you choose?

 

Canon SD4000IS

 

Sony Cyber-Shot WX10

Canon PowerShot SX230 HS

Canon PowerShot ELPH310 HS

Sony CyberShot DSC HX9V

Anyone have any suggestions and advice?  (But please don't throw another make or model into the pot!!)

This morning I really needed a camera.  It is the most stunning day in Cape Town.  All my plants are blooming and everything looked so crisp and green (even my new birthday mug).  I had to capture the beauty so took some pictures with the Blackberry.

So chuffed that the white Plectranthus has finally bloomed

What is a morning in the garden without a cup of tea? (in the big green birthday mug)

Not everything is perfect though (can it ever be?)

Some bald spots on the lawn

 Autumn leaves starting to fall

when i look up at my beautiful plane tree

so tall, strong and proud

providing relief from

the summer sun 

and shade for my table where i can

relax and read and

drink icy wine

on with friends

(or on my own)

but the ides of march are here (beware)

and the days are getting shorter 

and i see the leaves starting to change colour

and brown and curl

and when i look up at my beautiful tree

i know that every single leaf on my tree

will shrivel and dry and fall

to the ground

and need to be raked and picked up and bagged

(by me)

 

Every pleasure requires some effort.