i like to tell stories

The other day, I had all these on my desk at the same time, I didn’t think much of it until a friend who was visiting started laughing. It wasn’t until he pointed out the absurdity of these eight cameras sitting here that I saw his point. I then told him that there are four I no longer have at all, so really, there have been twelve since 5/9/2003 at 6:30:05. For the record, the same friend that was now laughing at me for these cameras gave me that first one, the one in the top right corner of this image. The first image I made with any of these is below. My actual first digital camera image I made in 1994 or 1995, I don’t have that image but I have one from the second time I used that camera. It is a print out I made that I taped to my dictionary now at least 14 years ago, it is still there today. The first image I made with one of these cameras, the image I made 14 years ago the first time I shot digital and the newest image I have as of writing this are all below.

I can remember thinking how cool it was if only the image quality was there. Today it has reached an interesting point and there are many good things about these cameras. My old film point and shoot was perfect but the cost to scan time ratio is just unbearable, I have yet to be able to say that about any digital point and shoot so I would still not really recommend any of the cameras pictured here. I started taping them up last year as I couldn’t stand all the branding, who needs a subject trying to read the damn logo while you take their picture, who needs yet another photographer constantly eyeballing your camera and dragging me into yet another pointless debate on digital versus film or mega pixels or whatever, who needs another camera trying to jam too many MP and features into to ever odder cameras, I just couldn’t couldn’t care less lately. Get the best camera you can afford and is the closest to the features you wish it had and go use it. I am still in “do the best with what is available” mode with these things. I have one just for videos and another just for stills. Both have very serious flaws honestly that get in the way of the very tasks they were created to perform. Someday, one of these camera makers will get it correct, I have to hold onto that hope, so close, yet still so far…

1st row left = bent lens barrel array (pulled from pocket while on).

1st row right = display stopped functioning correctly (not my fault).

2nd row left = smashed display (thanks Disney World Big Thunder Mountain Railroad).

2nd row right = flash burnout/upgrade (the flash literally smoked when fired, very cool actually).

3rd row left = dust inside lens – cheaper to buy new camera then repair.

3rd row right = display stopped functioning correctly (not my fault).

4th row left = still functioning as of this post.

4th row right = still functioning as of this post.

Not pictured camera #1 = dust on sensor.

Not pictured camera #2 = Ebay for new model, I wish I had kept it.

Not pictured camera #3 = newer model of #2, actually I returned it as it was not as good previous version.

Not pictured camera #4 = returned to manufacturer for non-working pixel under warranty, only to have that model run out of stock after new models release. New model actually now has less features, the first of many missteps taken by camera maker. Why would one remove features? Sigh.

I purposefully left out names, models and many details as 1) they are obvious if you like cameras in any way at all 2) Until I get free models to test, free models to keep or am otherwise reimbursed or sponsored for the countless $’s I spend on these things, I am content leaving out these details.

5/9/2003 at 6:30:05PM to 5/27/2009 at 10:33:41PM = approximately 6 years, 18 days, 4 hours, 1 minute, 36 seconds and these 12 cameras have made approximately 39,437 images and over 1000 short movies. Roughly 18 pictures a day for 6 years. Thinking about these numbers and what has happen in my life during all this time makes me realize these numbers are quite low and only makes me wish I had made more pictures…