In a couple of weeks I turn 40, and I am going back home to Sweden for my birthday. It will be the first time I celebrate my birthday in Sweden since 1997. My sister asked me a couple of weeks ago if there was anything special I wanted for my birthday. I could not think about anything back then. Honestly, birthdays are not a big thing anymore. The last few years I been baking myself a birthday cake and pretty much celebrated it by myself. A couple of years I been going out with friends, but rarely on my actual birthday. I am not even used at getting any big gifts, usually I get a card and something small from my son. One year I got a miniature multi-tool than fit my keychain.
The last "big" birthday gift I got was 5 years ago, the first one after my divorce. My two best friends (one living in Sweden and one in England) bought me the Special Collectors Platinum Edition of The Fellowship of the Ring on DVD. However, the delivery man left it on the front porch, since I was at work, when I came home it was stolen (but the thieves left the box) and the house had also been broken into. Amazon sent a new one without extra cost, though…
So the other day I was thinking, what would I wish for if I did not have to limit myself to what I know my sister’s budget is limited to? I have a pretty nice digital camera, a Sony Cybershot DSC-H2, but it would be nice to take the next step and go for a DSLR. So I started doing some research, and even went to a camera store the other day after work. Also, my best friends boyfriend is a big photo enthusiast, and I asked him a few questions. So now I think I know what I would like. :-)
My choice would be a Nikon D90 body ($899)with a Tamron AF18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 lens ($599). The lens equals 15x optical zoom and seems to be a great all-in-one lens for me. Later I can get more/other lenses, depending on what I end up taking pictures of.
One of the features I liked, and which made me choose the D90 instead of the older but less expensive D80 or D60 is the LiveView, that you can use the LCD display on the back as viewfinder. On my current camera I use this about 30-50% of the time, and it is a very nice feature. I am sure I would have missed that.
Of course, I know this is way more than my sister is going to buy me. She thought the $379 I paid for my Sony H2 (or equal amount for the Casio Exilim I got her for her 35th birthday two years ago) was expensive… Or rather, she does not like to spend money on things like that that she consider not necessary. Of course, I knew she wanted a camera, and she was very happy with it. Her previous camera took about 2 seconds to take a picture, and by then the motive was usuallylong gone.
But at least I can dream.And in a year or sothe price should have dropped, and I might be able to afford it. Or I might meet and marry a rich girl. :-)