Last night heading out to take pictures of the sunset at Vernal Equinox from a nearby park (Solstice Park in West Seattle), I noticed a tiny spot on my lens. I couldn’t brush it off or clean it off.  It appears to be a very tiny chip. Since I use a bridge camera I can’t replace the lens.

Since I see so many gorgeous pictures in blog posts I am wondering if you might share your experiences and wisdom with me. Here are some of the questions I have:

• What kind of camera do you use? Why?
• What features would you look for?
• Have you tried a mirror-less camera? What are the benefits/drawbacks?
• How heavy and difficult to use is a DSLR?
• What kind of lens do you prefer? Why?

While most people would say that after 3 years I am due for a new camera and be excited about the possibilities with the new technologies, I am filled with trepidation. I’ve finally gotten used to the one I have and how to use it to best advantage, along with how to post process the images taken with it. Since I’ve taken over 30,000 photos with it, I’ve tried out pretty much every feature and have set things the way I like them. The spot doesn’t seem to show, the photo above and the two below were taken after I noticed it.

However, I might want to get a new camera before I take a couple of trips this spring/summer. There are so many choices that I get a headache just starting to look at them. Mirror-less, DSLR, and various “bridge” options, including getting the current version of the camera I have now (I have a Nikon P610 and they now have a P900, which has a longer zoom but sounds otherwise quite similar, for example the sensor, which is the one thing I’d most like to upgrade, is the same).

I shy away from the more expensive options. I travel and don’t want to have something so valuable that it attracts attention or that I have to stress about, or hassle with changing lenses on the fly.

Also, I felt like I didn’t have the knowledge and skill to warrant the cost. But now, after using bridge cameras for several years in a wide variety of circumstances, along with having taken some classes at the community college, and gaining a lot of knowledge from the blogging community in lessons and challenges, maybe I’m ready to move up. I also noticed that some of the DSLR packages aren’t a whole lot more expensive than the current replacement for the camera I use now. I know that what I want probably doesn’t exist and I will need to compromise somewhere. I’m just not sure where.

I’d Rather Be…