A young early twenty's couple from church asked me for advice about buying a camera. They had seen some of my work and my big full frame camera and asked me for advice about buying a camera. They do not have a lot of money and their first baby is about to turn one. Someone had given them a price on used Nikon. I looked the price up on eBay and told her it was not a bargain.

I then told her that she must ask herself why she wants a camera. It was to photograph her baby. I suggested that she buy a small camera that will fit in her purse. I explained to her that cameras are getting better all the time and camera years are like "dog years". What ever camera she buys will out-dated and old in a couple of years. I also suggested that an iPhone might be good enough.

The thought occurred to me to sell her one of my small very good cameras for a very good price and buy myself the latest model. I decided that was a bad idea because she would be constantly asking me how to use it.

Giving someone camera advice is as bad fixing someone up with a date. Unless they quickly fall in love, marry, have beautiful children and live happily ever after, it's going to be your fault. I told her to go to a discount store like Sam's Club play with the cameras they have on display and buy the one that appeals to her.

What would have you told her?

Some on here have suggested you should tell her to buy a cellphone. While that might seem like a good idea from a photography standpoint the photography part will be the end but it is just the beginning of the payment for those monthly phone charges which to me are excessive. That is why I do not own one. You did mention she was on a limited budget. Right? I would say that the advice you gave her was correct. Not only were you wise but you were compassionate not to sell her your old equipment.

It's no much that I'm being compassionate so much as carefully protecting my own interests. There is a high likelihood that they might have buyers remorse if I sold them one of my cameras.

The husband of this couple is about six four of solid muscle. I have hired him to do chores around my house that I'm currently unable to do. I'm currently recovering from chemotherapy that has left me very weak. I have hired him to clear cut a mile of trail in the woods on my property, using my powered brush hog. A lot of people would not be able to do this kind of work. Next month he is going to dig some post holes for me. I like having this big farm boy available to do things that I'm no longer able to do myself. I deliberately slightly overpay him to make sure he will do chores when I need help.

I like to hike that trail with my camera and take photos of wild life and such. Walking the shaded trail in the woods is a form of exercise that I enjoy doing.