I sold both of my 35mm SLR cameras last fall in anticipation of going digital. It was kind of sad to see them go. Didn't get much for them, either, and now I'm wondering if maybe that was a mistake. No, I guess not, as I'm not going back to using film. But I knew these cameras, and they worked.

I had a Pentax K1000 and a Chinon. Totally manual, the both of them. I wanted complete control over the photographs, and I got that with these two. Other than the light meter and the flash attachment, they were solely mechanical- no electronic "automatic" settings to add confusion, no computer circuitry of any kind. There was an ISO/ASA setting for the type of film, and a shutter speed dial, and at the base of the lens a rotating ring which set the f-stop (aperture). All these made sense to me, and while I was never fast at photography because of all the settings, I preferred this setup. Another important feature I took for granted was a little split circle in the center of the viewfinder which greatly aided in obtaining a precise manual focus.

This past Christmas I finally got myself a new camera, a DSLR. This was exciting as I've wanted to get back into the SLR world for a long time. But when I finally got it out of the box in mid-January, it wasn't what I was expecting. Many of the familiar things above were missing. For one, the little focus aid circle in the viewfinder was absent. I could focus manually but the precision was pot luck without that optical aid. The focus also felt coarse and stiff in comparison to my previous cameras. I took a second look at the lens and then realized there was no f-stop ring to manually adjust the aperture. There was a dial where the shutter speed setting was supposed to be, but no speed settings were on it. Don't like it already. Now, I'm sure it's a good piece of equipment, but I didn't want another "point and shoot" automatic camera. The whole point of this purchase was to get manual control. I bumbled through the beginning of the user's guide but got nowhere. Quickly skimmed the booklet cover to cover but could not find the features I was looking for.

Very disappointing. I removed the battery and gently put the camera back in the box. Didn't plan on forgetting about it, but that's what happened and I haven't taken it out since. I haven't taken a single picture with it yet. If buying this was a mistake, it was a hell of an expensive one. In retrospect, I should have gone to a local camera shop, checked out the product's features in person and asked questions beforehand. That's what I get for "online" shopping. Stupid.

Furthe'more 2018 is just over one week away, and I've yet to file my taxes. Also, my feet paws need work, as does the ventilation system in my lion head. That said, if I get time this week, I'm going to get this camera out again and give it another shot, though it's rather late in the game for that now. If I can figure some of it out before the con, I might bring it along; if not, it will stay at home.