Remember those great books when we were kids, the Choose Your Own Adventure books?  This year’s Holiday Camera Wish List is set up a little like that!  (in theory 🙂 )

With all the different types of cameras out there, how do you know which one is best for you?  I’ve tested and trialed several Sony cameras from the Point-and-Shoot model to their top of the line DSLR.  Each camera serves it’s purpose depending on what you are shooting.  So let’s start by asking you a simple but telling question “What do you like taking pictures of?”  Your answers will make all the difference in what you want to buy or not buy.

What do you love taking pictures of?  Choose Your Answer, and You Choose Your Next Adventure!

A.  Family and Kids!  Choose Adventure Cameras A or C!

B.  Flowers and other Close Up Still Life Photography!  Choose the Adventure Camera B!

C.  Travel Photography or All Around on-the-go Photos (but want more then a Point-and-Shoot)!  Choose Adventure Camera C!

D.  Sports/Kids/Fast Action!  Go Back to Adventure Camera A!

E.  I’m charging money, thinking of switching camera brands for better color results, speed and more megapixels!  Strap On Your Parachute and Choose Adventure Camera D!

Saddle Up for New Adventures!

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Adventure Camera A:  The a55 Sony DSLR!

Price: $749,  CLICK HERE for More Details!

This is the fastest shooter in town!  It has this crazy, ground breaking technology called Translucent Mirror Technology.  This technology will give you 10 frames (pictures) per second!!!

The a55 is also the Official SOAR! DSLR for this year’s upcoming Recipients!  And it’s also the DSLR that I shoot with when I’m on set with the Nate Berkus Show!

Adventure Camera B:  The Cyber-shot TX9!

Price: $399,  CLICK HERE for More Details!

I love shooting with this little lady!!  She may be small in size, but don’t be fooled!  She is stronger than you think!  She shoots 3D Panorama and HD video!  The LCD screen is 3.5″!  And this sweet thing is capturing images that are 12.2 Megapixel.  I don’t recommend a point-and-shoot if your subjects are on the go.  But if your subjects are holding still, here are a few things to consider.

When buying a point-and-shoot type camera, no matter what brand, you want to make sure it has more than 9 plus megapixels for a great, quality 8 x 10 print.  Since you can’t change lenses with a point-and-shoot, you want to make sure your camera has the ability to zoom in for good close ups of those flowers, and vice versa, go wide too.  Optical Zoom is key.  Digital zoom will lead to lower quality images.  (This little bit of info is inspired from all the goodies coming in my new book that releases in March 2011!)  Note to men: it comes in guy colors too.  🙂

Adventure Camera C:  The NEX 5 w/ 16mm lens !

Price: $649.99,  CLICK HERE for More Details!

This is the World’s Smallest and Lightest DSLR in the WORLD!  This DSLR is the size of your point-and-shoot, BUT you can change lenses and capture DSLR quality images, plus shoot HD video!  And the NEX 5 and 16mm lens fits in your coat pocket!  Isn’t that INSANE!  When Sony first sent us a sample to trial shoot before it hit the market, I took it out of the box and was shocked!  Could a DSLR be this small and still capture GREAT photos with the Sony color that I value so much?  This is what my trial run captured…

My answer is YES!  That’s why the NEX 5 with 16mm lens is by far the BEST DSLR for those of you who love taking pictures of your travels!  Can you believe it?  You can travel with a robust DSLR, a few lenses to swap out depending on what you are shooting, and it all fits in your jacket pocket?!  Insane, right!

Adventure Camera D:  The Queen of all Cameras: Flagship Sony a900 DSLR!

Price: $2499.99,  CLICK HERE for More Details!  (This price does NOT include a lens.  :))

The flagship Sony a900 DSLR has a full frame sensor, shoots 24.6 megapixels (insane!), and with this much meat still moves fast at 5 frames per second with ultra-low noise.  The list goes on and on, but I’ll let you check it out by clicking the CLICK HERE under the camera images.

This is by far my favorite camera when shooting high end weddings or portrait shoots.

The color quality is unbelievable.  What you see is truly what you get.  Gone are the days of shooting something and then spending hours in post process to get the color corrected.  Nope, doesn’t happen with this Queen of a Camera!

One of my favorite photos taken with the a900 is “Monkey Watch” from our house in the Thailand jungles.

This is a “camera” list, but if you’ve been to my CONFIDENCE Workshops, you know I’ve got a lot to say about buying the right lens.  And if you are just curious to know what’s in our camera bag when we go abroad, I’ve got that post too.  Plus, I’ve got a What’s in Our Camera Bag for Beginners!  Take your pick below!

What Type of Lenses Do You Need?

What’s In Our Camera Bag (when we go abroad, before the NEX was available)

What is in a Camera Bag for the Beginner! (A never before shared post (on this blog!)

Buying a camera is an adventure that leads to countless more rewarding adventures.  It is an exciting purchase that is an investment of your hard earned dollars.  I hope this buying guide helps you navigate through all the noise out there!  Happy holiday shopping and 2011 adventure planning!

xoxo,

m

*5 Days Left to Take the SOAR! Leap!

Spread the word about SOAR! this week, and you’ll be entered to win $100 GC to Amazon for last minute holiday shopping! And the one who completes the most activities gets an extra $50 GC for being SUPER supportive of SOAR!  The deadline has been extended till this Friday!  For details of how to play, CLICK HERE!