We all think we need a p&s
We all think we need a p&s
Doesn't it happen to all of us eventually? We all value high quality cameras which enable us to take control, and we secretly believe that their quality will allow our undiscovered raw talent to flourish. I personally think that I should nourish my talent with T* coated optics, so I have invested in a Contax RTSIII and a Contax G1.
Not only do we need these perfect cameras really badly, we also cherish them, and we are definitely overprotective. I don't take my camera to the beach, what if the lens gets sandblasted? What if I drop it in the sea, what if...
This is usually the point where we, promising photographers, go through life without a camera in our pocket. And boy do we feel naked. Suddenly everything we see turns into the perfect subject. If only we had a camera with us! We would take pictures so spontaneous, so full of life, so true that nobody could deny their beauty.
This is were the point&shoot makes its entrance into our prefrontal cortex, eureka! Why don't I buy a small compact camera that isn't too expensive, that's small, and that enables me not to miss a single real life photo opportunity!
Next, we relentlessly track down the most technologically advanced, optically exquisite, fasionable, german engineered piece of self-indulgence within our reach. And guess what? We start cherishing it from the moment it arrives.
Please don't spend any serious money on a p&s. It is supposed to be the one camera you don't mind spilling beer on. The one that can have sand in the filter thread, the one your girlfriend can take with her without you giving it a single thought. The one that is easily replaced. The one that's only valuable because it carries your roll of tri-x.
To me, that camera is my Nikon L35AF. I paid 10 euros for it. It isn't a work of art... That's the point !