Summary: I can't say enough good things about this camera.
Two years ago, I finally entered the Digital age with the 3.0 MP Sony camera. Within 3 months, the 5.0 MP came out and I haven't found anything that I have wanted to trade it in for; in fact, I have since bought 6 more of the 5.0 MP and given them as 16th Birthday, Wedding and Anniversary presents.
Why did I buy a digital camera?
Two reasons:
1) I own a SONY Viao laptop and was told that if I bought a SONY camera, I could use the same Memory Stick to download directly to my laptop. Being virtually inept at working a computer, this was a high selling point for me. I did not want cables, patches or any other gobble-de-gook to confuse me or clutter up my desk.
2) When the sales person at BEST BUY found out what I spent per MONTH on film and processing, they said that I could buy a digital camera PER MONTH!!!
Let's do the math: For my Elph camera, a roll of film would be around $3.00 at Walmart and processing around $12.00 with no extra photos printed.
That's $15.00 for film and processing.
Per week, I'd shoot between 5 and 10 rolls per DAY. Yes, folks, that's correct: 5 to 10 rolls per DAY! So, if I'm shooting 10 rolls per day @ $15.00 per roll, that's $150.00 per day, $750 per week, and a grand total of well...THREE GRAND per month.
I paid less than $400.00 for my PCS-10!
Why do I take so many photos? I'm a Landscape Architech, working on Big Buck projects of $200,00 or more. I document every single event and day for my clients, and at the end of the job, I present to them an album of the "Making of their Garden." That fact alone is the word of mouth advertising that keeps me chronically employed.
The first thing that I bought for the camera is a 128 mb Memory Stick and I now own 9 of them; 8 stored in my SONY case and one always in the camera. Instead of buying a GIANT MB stick, I intentionally stayed with the 128 mb for many reasons:
1) The price of $50.00 is pocket change: literally. I have a change jar that holds around $60.00 bucks worth of quarters and when it's full, a new Memory Stick is my prize.
2) Having 60 photos at 5.0 MB stored on each stick makes it incredibly easy to split up the job I'm working on or the vacation itinerary. This way, I can take 60 shots of a specific event, lock the stick and tuck it away.
3) I have ALL of my photowork done at Walmart and they can place 2 filled Memory sticks on ONE CD. This is cost effective and also can organize events.
I constantly hear about "slow shutter speed" from digital owners. IT DOES NOT EXIST WITH THIS CAMERA!!! I can fill up a Memory stick within 15 minutes of shooting a job with NO LAG TIME WHATSOEVER.
Yes! if you're using the flash, at night, and the zoom constantly, it will take 2.5 seconds between shots to do the next one.
Oh well.
Since I'm not shooting anything at night that I can use commercially and it's simply personal photos of concerts and parties, I can deal with the 2.5 seconds to recharge the battery.
This past weekend I was at the Chicago Celtic Fest and sat amongst 3 "serious" digital camera owners: one had a Nikon D100, another a Nikon D70 and another a Large Canon (make unknown.) They were lugging lens bags, extra batteries and continually were rubbing their necks under their camera straps.
Enough! I've had that life style with my beloved SLR Canon, back in the 70's! I carry my SONY 5.0 MP with me everywhere: 24/7. I have captured amazing events because of it's accessability and small size: epic storms rolling over the prairie; gravity defying truck accidents with semi's perched over a bridge, and beloved friends in casual moments.
I would NOT trade in this camera for ANY of the high cost, extra accessory digitals out there.
By the way: running my own business, I have to keep things cost effective. So, rather than spend money on any other camera equipment, which is sure to become obsolete before you get your bank statement, I take 100% of my work to Walmart. They now have the technology to put your "index" prints right on the CD itself and the cost per photo has dropped down to .19 cents per shot, with weekly specials.
I figure Walmart has much more money than I do and can constantly upgrade and improve their digital photo labs. Let them absorb the cost of technology; I'll keep the money in my pocket and go back to Paris!
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