Well, you research the camera market up, down, and sideways until you find exactly what you are looking for.
Over the years, I have been the proud owner of several digital cameras. I still remember when I got my first one. It was just a basic Kodak Easyshare. It didn't even capture video with sound. But it sparked my interest in taking pictures of just about everything I could ever want to remember. My second digital camera was another Kodak Easyshare, but quite a bit of a step up. My third, and favorite until now, was a Sony. It was my husband's and my first top of the line pro-photographer recommended camera. We fell in love at first snap. Pictures were just so clear, so crisp! And they always came out beautifully. We were so happy with that camera... until something inside it stopped working properly during my college graduation of all days!
It was May 15, 2011, and I was walking across the stage to receive my Psychology degree. I was seven months pregnant with Alex and beaming with the glow of impending motherhood and the pride that came from graduating with the highest honors. And so many of the best memories of the day were lost, at least in picture form, because our camera chose that moment to go on the blink.
When Alex was born, we had planned to buy a new camera, but Sony kept working in some settings. Low light just wasn't cutting it anymore. So we kept on using the Sony until this January when I started researching cameras again, and everyone kept telling me to try Canon.
I bought a simple yet advanced Canon Powershot ELPH and at first, I loved it. But my love affair with cameras has been a rollercoaster of love and hate moments, and once I had a walking, talking toddler again, Canon just didn't make the grade. A few weeks ago, once again I was on the hunt for THE PERFECT POINT AND SHOOT.
I am excited to share the giddiness that comes with having found it! I looked at many models, read at least a thousand reviews on Amazon, read more reviews on Best Buy, and Walmart, and Target. I read professional reviews on C-NET and PC Magazine. And it all came down to three brands: Nikon, Panasonic, and... Sony.
Now before I tell you what I ended up ordering, let me just tell you that there are A LOT of awesome cameras out there. Today point and shoot cameras have huge megapixel limits, HD video capabilities, more modes than you could ever want, fun effects, you name it. For me it was about three things:
1. Strong low light capabilities.
2. Fast shutter speed.
3. Crisp, clear pictures. (I honestly always felt my Canon had a soft blurring effect more often than not.)
Panasonic Lumix was the first one I seriously looked at. And let me tell you, Panasonic makes a great camera. I played around with one at Target and discovered what crisp, clear pictures it took even when Ryan was moving around. I was impressed. Target, however, got me to like a camera that was on sale and that they were currently sold-out of both in the store and online. I had no choice but to move on. Although I did look at many, many Lumix models online and liked them, but in the end it just didn't have that extra "oomph" for me.
I have never personally owned a Nikon, but have always heard good things about them. However, after playing around with a few, I honestly didn't find anything I really loved about them. Maybe you need to go higher end Nikon to get the best pictures possible- I don't know. I had set myself a spending limit for a new camera and it was less than $250. The only Nikon I did find impressive was over $300 and I couldn't bring myself to spring for it because I wanted to follow my budget. Besides, if I was willing to spend over $300 I might as well have just invested in a DSLR which at a good deal, can be had for just over $400.
In the end, Nikon didn't arrive at my home this week, either.
So that brings us to one. And now you know- I went back to my tried and true. After poring over hundreds of reviews on one of Sony's 2012 cameras, I somehow just knew. I actually had goosebumps reading all the positive comments from both pros and amateurs. It had more than I could have hoped for as far as capabilities. Even the ability to do background defocus which is something I do long for and one of the reasons why I will own a DSLR within a year.
It also had a ton of fun picture effect modes, an almost imperceptible shutter lag, and awesome low light ratings. One by one I went down both my MUST HAVE checklist and my mental "like to have" checklist and crossed things off. I waited a day after deciding just to be sure. I even went back to reading reviews on other cameras. But for what I wanted, and for the price, nothing measured up. I ordered my new camera on Monday of this week and by Friday it was already here. I bought it through Walmart's website because they had the best deal, and I was also able to tack on a 3 year accidental protection plan. I HIGHLY recommend doing that when you buy higher end electronics by the way. Some people think that they are just meant to make companies money, but if you've ever used one (and I have, several times) you know they are worth the extra cost. Walmart's price is very good on both 2 and 3 year plans as well. I paid a little over $220 shipped for the camera and the 3 year plan.
So which Sony did I end up with?
The Sony DSC WX150. It comes in red, blue, silver, and black. It retails for around $250, but can be had for as low as $188 right now at Amazon and Walmart's website. It has a massive 18.2 megapixel capability, 10x optical zoom, and 20x clear image zoom. It has lots of cool effects like painting, watercolor, pop, and part where the camera extracts certain colors in the picture and focuses on them. As I mentioned before, it does do background defocus.
I've played around with it a bit since it arrived yesterday and I cannot find anything I am unhappy with. I've been able to capture my fast moving 15-month-old and some great close-ups of my goofy 6-year-old. I've gotten some pretty pictures of our Christmas tree and some defocused pictures of our sparkly ornaments. I particularly love using the part special effect and seeing the red pop out in the resulting pictures.
All in all, I know I made a good choice. So if you are looking for a great point and shoot, you cannot go wrong with this camera. My second Sony- looks like the status quo was best for me!
To order the Sony DSC WX150:
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX150-Digital-3-0-inch/dp/B006K553LU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1355017915&sr=8-2&keywords=sony+dsc+wx150
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sony-18.2-MP-DSCWX150-R/20682195
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