New Camera Stress

We received our first digital camera as a gift about 6 years ago when Jake was a baby, and have used the same one ever since...and it has served us well. It does exactly what I need it to do, point and click. As you can imagine, however, digital cameras have come a very long way in 6 years and, admittedly, our old, faithful camera is a bit behind the times. Jay has been saying for quite some time that we need to upgrade. I have been hesitant to do so, however, for a couple of reasons. One, we really don't have the extra spending cash. Two, our camera is still fully functional and since we don't have the extra cash, I didn't want to waste it on that. BUT...the ONE thing about our camera that drives me insane, and that I could finally no longer live with, is that it takes FOREVER between shots. I'm sure that 6 years ago, everybody's camera probably took that long between shots. Now though, everybody around me is snapping 20 shots in the time that it takes for my camera to be ready to take 2. Quick snapping is, of course, a huge bonus when trying to take pictures of kids. If you wait even a second too long, the moment has passed.

So, for that one reason alone, I decided that I was ready to break down and get a new camera. I did a little research and found an inexpensive point and shoot digitial camera that's supposed to take good pictures, and ordered it. It arrived yesterday and I was so excited to try it out. It came with the "Quick Start" guide in the box, which I thought was all there was to it at first, and that was perfect for me. But, little did I know, the full 165 page guide had to be downloaded...and we just bought a "basic" point and shoot camera! Let me just say that I wish there was no 165 page guide. I wish that the Quick Start guide was all there was to it because then I would not have to feel so overwhelmed by all of its features.Truly, I wish I didn't even know everything that it could do. It stresses me out that it has all these great features that are just going to go to waste. I know me, and I know that the only thing I will ever do is put it in Auto mode, zoom in or out, and point and click.

Jay and I decided to spend the evening last night "playing" with our new camera. And for him, it is playing. He has this ridiculous, amazing ability to figure out how ANYTHING works, and then to be able to use it appropriately, taking advantage of its many features, immediately. He's no photographer, and yet he was figuring out the different modes, the ISO speed, the shutter speed (is that the same thing?), and on and on and on. He kept showing me how different things worked and ended up staying up long past me playing with it. This morning he was telling me about even more cool features that he had figured out...features that I will never use!

I don't know what it is about this stuff  but I just don't have any interest in messing with the different modes to try to get the most perfect shot. I'm lucky if I remember to just pull the camera out and snap a picture. That's kind of how I am with all of technology. I want to use things for their most basic functions and nothing more. I couldn't live without my cell phone, but will use it for nothing more than to talk on. I will never be pulling out my phone to schedule an appointment, look up directions, and e-mail someone a photo. It irritates me to death that I can't upgrade my phone without having to add a data plan to our package. I don't want a data plan, I just want a phone that's not an antique! I would never survive without my computer and the internet and e-mail, but I use my computer for nothing else, other than the occasional Word document. I like my paper calendar that sits on my desk and I don't need to have access to my e-mail everywhere I go. I'm sure I would find these other advances convenient, if I just took the time to fugure them out...but I have no desire to do so.

So, now I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by this new camera and wondering if I should have just stuck with my 6 year old camera that was meeting my needs just fine. I am excited though, to be able to take a shot and then take another one a second later. That's probably the most I will ever get out of this new camera!

So, here's the first picture taken with the new camera. It actually looked nothing like this when I snapped the picture. But, it was the one picture on the camera while Jay was playing with it, and he has done all kinds of fancy things with it. Enjoy, because there will be no "fanciness" in the future!

(actually posted by Kinzi)