Lindy Whitton Studio

I love my camera! It’s most important quality is the deep, shiny , cherry redness of it. Let’s face it that’s why I really choose it above all the other offerings out there. Oh … and the 60 x zoom lens which makes me go weak at the knees.

Sure I read some reviews – well actually a lot of reviews because I’m just that kind of person. Sometimes the thing I want has evolved beyond all expectations just by the time I finish the review process. And that’s good thing right? Otherwise I’d be lumbered with what used to be a top of the line , “you won’t buy better than this” thingummyjig when there’s a new generation ( or two) thingummyjig with much better features and benefits. I do know my features and benefits – I read a lot of reviews!

A typical “I really like, want, need one of those” starts with a lot of internal struggle to overcome the guilt of spending a large amount of money on something I don’t actually need. Every human needs clean air, food, water, shelter, safety, love – and there are so many of our human family who don’t have these basic needs that my “wants” start to seem pretty selfish. After the struggle I usually donate a chunk of money to the Fred Hollows Foundation and start the serious business of choosing the best thingummyjig for the amount of money I’ve determined is morally acceptable to spend.

I’m a bit emotionally exhausted at this stage and my enthusiasm starts to wane … I know I want it but the longer the review process goes on the more I think my current model is pretty OK and will I ever work out how to use all those new features anyway. All the weighing up of pros and cons starts to make me tired and grumpy and in the end I give up and make do with the one I already have. The upshot of this is that inevitably my thingummyjig stops working at a critical junction and I race into the nearest shop and buy whatever model stirs some distant memory in the review archive part of my brain. That’s how I bought my last mobile phone anyway.

I probably could have put off the whole camera buying trauma for some time if I hadn’t tripped on a hike at Zion National Park and sprained my ankle. You’re asking why I needed to buy a new camera because I sprained my ankle? Was it because I couldn’t hobble close enough to all those desert icons and needed a longer zoom lens? Actually it was a bit simpler than that-I failed to mention that my camera was enjoying an outing from it’s protective bag at the time of the fall and started faking a critical injury and refusing to work. I suspect it just wanted a holiday too.

I wasn’t looking forward to the hard slog of choosing a replacement – it was only 6 months old but that’s a long time in tech time and I knew I couldn’t just buy the same model – there was bound to be a better one out there by now.

So it was a relief to start reviewing cameras and come across a chunky little number with a stunning red exterior which set it apart from all it’s drab competitors. The other clincher ( as if I needed one) was the “moon” zoom. As soon as I saw the moon crater photos the reviewer claimed I could take with Red Velvet ( yes I named her) from the comfort of my back yard with no more than a simple tripod and a click of the zoom button I was sold. ( Actually I was so lazy I didn’t use the tripod but the moon still looked pretty fab!)