AAAAGGGHHHH!  I hate making decisions! I’m just a couple weeks away from being able to start the process of returning my Nikon D3100.  While this excites me, I dread trying to figure out if I should just get another D3100 or switch to a different model.  I love to research, in particular researching something I’m going to buy — but I don’t like the actual moment of decision/purchase. What have I learned?

• Canon & Nikon are nearly equal. It basically comes down to personal opinion/experience with the brand. I’m not coming from this perspective. I’ve had positive experience with several brands.

My first memories of a camera are my dad having a Nikon, and him selling it to pay for life. Shortly after (or part of the exchange) he gave me a Brownie, with black & white film. I had other 110 & 35mm’s with color film throughout high school.

I had an Olympus 21 years ago. I loved it.  I wore it out.

I had a Canon 12 years ago. I loved it.  I wore it out.

I had a Sony 7 years ago. I loved it. I wore it out.

The Olympus was my high school graduation gift from my parents. It was a 35mm film camera. I loved everything about that camera, it was never very far from me, but it developed a leak in a seal allowing light it. At that point digital had come on the scene (or at least at a price for more public to own them) & it would have cost more to fix than to buy a new camera. The Canon was my first digital point-and-shoot, again from my parents – but for Christmas. It was a great camera. I used it up too. The Sony was the first camera I bought for myself. I knew I wanted to learn more about photography. I didn’t learn anything – but I had an awesome camera! :-D. I absolutely LOVED the 18x zoom and the macro I could set on a piece of material and it would focus & take an amazing picture. I love the pictures from that camera, any pictures I’m posting from last year are most likely from the Sony.

Now, I’ve determined I want to learn photography to take “real photos”, with a “real” camera. I’ve been so disappointed with the Nikon, but everything I read I have to believe I got the fluke bad camera and all will be good next time. For sure, I will be trying it out hard & testing to make sure I like it. If I don’t, then it’ll go back. It won’t sit in the box for over 30 days before I try it….

• Supposedly Nikon’s glass is a touch better, but it isn’t by much.
• Canon & Nikon alternate one best feature for another. It really comes to how it feels in your hand – which is going to be different for each person. For me personally, the Canon makes my thumb/wrist hurt to hold it & try to push the button – I went and tried again today. It’s a pretty much obvious – I can’t expect to take lots of pictures if it hurts to take one. That hand cramp is why I bought the Nikon over the Canon last year. 
• So… do any of you have any suggestions or recommendations on whether to get another D3100 or move up to a D5100? I have felt a D7000 in my hands, but from what I read there isn’t much different between the D5000 & D7100 — except the feel in my hand. Is it worth the couple extra hundred? Ugh – decisions!

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So – what does that have to do with my lateness on posting today? I spent the time I planned to write listening to my daughter spill her heart’s burdens. Being 12 is so hard. I thought it was over 20 years ago; I can’t imagine now, in today’s society. I remember the insecurity, the struggle to figure who is really your friend. I am so hoping and praying she has a better understanding of this than I did. It’s taken me until the last few years to learn how to stand up for myself and I still don’t do it well. I figured you wouldn’t mind. You would forgive me :-).