I did it

After much deliberation and research for like 3 years, I did it! I bought a swanky nice camera. That's right. My trip to Greece was my inspiration...that and Jeff Allred, good friend and photographer extraordinaire.

So, I went camera shopping after much deliberation and prayer ;) Buying a new camera was super hard for me. I've noticed that when I am going to pay a lot of moola for something that it takes me MORE than a while to actually decide on something. This might be normal....but I think for some reason that I am a 'special case.'

You see, I normally get the sweats and the shakes when a sales person is telling me about all the perks. For some reason, I feel like I can't buy it. I generally view the whole 'purchase of an expensive item' very exhausting. Even if I am only at a place for less than 30 minutes, I get anxious and end up hating the process. I am not generally one that succombs to pressure, which is why I generally get nervous. It is almost like I have the thought process, "YOU are not the reason I am buying this item. I have actually done my research and I know what I like. Just because you are trying to sell me, doesn't mean I am going to buy it because you said so."

Case and point-buying my car: I knew what I wanted a high-up, not necessarily high-end vehicle. I like vehicles that ride off the ground, like my sweet 1994 Grand Jeep Cherokee, Shera. I also wanted a non-gas guzzler, reliable vehicle...unlike Shera. So, I was in the line for a Toyota or a Honda. I went to buy the car, having done months of research on pricing, what make and model, etc. So, I knew what I wanted. Well, when all was said and done, I went to 3-4 dealerships, talked about what I wanted and what I could afford. The last dealer made me a killer offer, one that I would have done right away. I wanted it and knew I wanted it right then. For some reason, I didn't want the dealer to know that I was an 'easy-buy' so I left knowing that I would probably go back at the end of the day and buy the car and maybe see if he could lower the price a little more :) Why? I don't know. I didn't have to do any checking. I had been looking for months and found exactly what I wanted. But I didn't buy it on the spot. What...like other checking would help me decide? Uh, no. I just happened to get the shakes and started to sweat. So, I left to calm down a bit. I think I had some ice cream or something...and went back and bought my beautiful 2002 Toyota Highlander, Xena.

I was also this way when I bought my entertainment center, couch, tickets to Greece...whatever.

So, day of the camera buy - Before I went shopping, I read all these articles and reviews about the difference between the Nikon D80 and the Canon Rebel XTI and XSI, I still weighed very heavily on the Canon side, even though the 'boxing review aka CNET prizefight' gave the Nikon a stellar review as it knocked Canon out of the charts...well at least by 2-4 points ;) I had the idea in my head that because Canon is developed by a 'larger organization' that somehow that made the Canon a more reliable camera. I also think that the lens options are better because the company develops new lenses almost everyday and let's not forget the fact that I have a Canon and am familiar with how it functions. I also have two Nikons (one film and my point and shoot) and am also very familiar with the technology.

Canon Rebel XTI Article: Photo.net
Camera Labs Article comparing different cameras by showing different photo shots. Here is the article with the verdict from CameraLabs.com.
Digital Photography Notes Article.

All in all, the Nikon outranked the Canon, but both are very superior cameras. The reviews also said that anyone in the market will be satisfied with either, as stated on DCviews.com. So, why not choose the least expensive option...right? I went into the shop thinking I would leave with one brand...

After experimenting with both, the fit of the Canon Rebel XTI and XSI was just not for me. I always considered myself a Canon girl, but I could not bend back once I had gone to the Nikon side of the deal. I was standing at Inkley's with some friends who were totally sold on the Nikon D40. I also fell in love with the user-ability of the camera, but felt like I could find a better price elsewhere, so I didn't purchase right away. That and I just had to go and do more research on the camera before I made the commitment. Again, I had gone into the shop thinking I would come out with a Canon. So, I got the shakes....I just couldn't fold...not yet.

So, I went home and looked at a couple more websites, including steals through Amazon, etc. just to make sure I was getting a stellar deal. I was given this awesome website: KenRockwell.com. Sure enough, the first thing he says on his site is: "If you don't have the time to read the rest of this page, you want a Nikon D40." I just had to laugh...and so I did... and then I laughed at myself for laughing at myself.

I ended up going back to Inckley's and buying the camera like 1 hour later. The fact that Inkley's offers free classes probably had something to do with my purchase too. I ended up getting the camera on sale...and it came with some pretty sweet freebies. I charged the battery and experimented with it as soon as it was charged!

Here is my beauty...I haven't named her yet. Any suggestions?