Got a Digicam

Finally, I got a digicam. I will not be able to forget the date and manner in which I got it. I have been wishing to lay my hands on one for 2 years now. It started with some some information I got for Canon Powershot S1 while I was browsing. Then I landed on dcresource.com and dpreview.com both excellent sites for camera review. I read a lot about the S1 and I was willing to buy it. But it was selling for 25k (if got in US) and a staggering 40k here. I was not prepared for it mentally or financially.
Then my attention turned to Panasonic FZ3 one of the best ultra zoom cameras ever made. I decided that I will buy it come what may. But then to spend 20k on a camera seemed a bit “too much” especially because Kayar was carrying Smitha then and we need to be ready for any emergency. But one good thing about my research on FZ3 is that it helped my friend to get one. But I remember that during those days I bring in print outs of the reviews and read, re-read them many times. Even reading the reviews gave me a satisfaction of owning the camera. Then I decided that I was not going to spend anywhere close to 20k any sooner.
So I decided to shorten the budget and look for a camera close to 10k mark. That is when Canon Powershot A510 was released. It was the second cheapest Canon Camera but one of the best in terms of picture quality and manual features. But soon Canon released S2 (successor of S1) and again I started yearning for it. But the reality stuck me. I was not going to spend 30k on the S2. So I made up my mind and asked my friend to get it for me from US. But fate would have it that the camera was not to be found anywhere in the stores and the few pieces that arrived were sold off quickly. So my friend tried his best to get one for me and finally he had to return to India. I really didn’t want to wait any more. So I thought of asking him to get some Sony make instead. But I can never digest the fact that I will miss the beauty called A510. So desperately I started searcing in google for some information on the A510 sale when my eyes rested on Canon India.
Till then I had dismissed the fact that I might purchase in India because the price is almost double here and it would be foolish to get something at twice its price. But Canon had put an offer price of 12.5k on the camera (It was selling for 8.5k in the US). But what set the trigger was Canon was also offering a free 256 MB SD card which is worth Rs 2500 here (and 1500 in the US). So I did the math and concluded that the A510 would be dearer not by much if I get in India. So the same day I called my wife, got her approval (It was supposed to be my birthday gift from her. She had saved the money on a Recurring Deposit out of her salary) and I couldn’t sit in office after 4.00 PM. I went to Jayanagar, searched for the Shop (G.K Vale) and then saw the A510, fell in love with it. got Canon Charger and AA rechargeable batteries along with a pouch all for 14k. Then the rains started and they never stopped that night. I decided to venture in the rain with my camera. So I got 4 extra covers from G.K Vale and packed the camera so well that not a drop would enter even in the worst rains. I reached Bannerghatta road around 6.15 PM but was shocked to see knee high water there and a traffic jam that can take ages to clear. Fortunately it took 1.5 hours and drenching of my shoes in water to reach home. I was totally exhausted but felt like a child with a Christmas gift. My wife only knows me better that myself and so once I was dry enough she asked that I open the pack. I did and from then till atleast now, while at home I am seen with my camera. But I have to admit that my wife has taken some great pictures while I am reading the guide and probing the manual features. All in all it is one of the exciting moments of my life.