Sony Alpha 7
If I'm out there doing fun and interesting things this summer, I need a way to record it (this is 2017 after all), and if it's not recorded did it happen? This reminds me of the adage, "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" So, I am an adapter of the Facebook-Instagram generation and while the iPhone takes solid pictures and is magically strapped to me wherever/whenever, there are better pictures to be had. An iPhone is sufficient for most spontaneous occasions. You need a real camera when you aren't moving around much (such as a sports event, a graduation, or even the camp buses leaving). Your iPhone camera won't suffice when the object is scurrying, like a herd of elephants on safari, or a pack of girl's greeting each other at the camp bus stop doing group cheers. When I set about buying a new camera, I knew I needed something different. I have been using the Canon 50D digital SLR camera to great effect for years. I asked a photographer friend what I should buy, and he immediately said the Sony Alpha series, which is mirrorless. I, of course, did research and came to a similar conclusion --- this camera met most of my non-professional needs. The fact that is it mirrorless has some nuanced benefits regarding size and image making. I've been wowed by my (novice) photos thus far. Be prepared to check out my photos that I plan to take eating the best pizza in Naples, hiking/kayaking the Fjords, or watching the sunset in Montauk. Not sure those will make it on the Ink cards ....