kdogg:
Well Said.

That was a good, old time laugh.

Simple, but so compelling.

I like Chevy, not Ford.
I like John Deere, not Case.
I like the way a Canon feels in my hands.
I like Kodak film, not Fuji. Oh crap. I can't even find film to put in a camera any more.
My wife writes using a pen and paper. Tried the computer and word processor, didn't like it.
But none of that matters.
What I have found is that using the camera to capture a scene, a moment, a memory, helps me to see what I am looking at. The process of composing the scene, capturing the mood, getting the the exposure right, makes me look at the details, the overall scene, the light, the dark, the shadows, the colors. Not only do I go home hopefully with a good photo, but I have driven that scene deeply into my memory.
Yes, with film there is a lot of thought and eyeballing through the view finder that goes into the process before you press the shutter. And experience has a lot to do with shooting film, a LOT. Then you wait and hope. Especially if you don't have a darkroom.
Big advantages in digital to me are; you got the shot, it's on the chimp screen, you got the shot but it's not too good and the brain goes to work figuring out what to do to improve it especially if you may never pass this way again. Did I think less before I pressed the shutter? I think not. Did I think more after I pressed the shutter? Oh yes.
Then there is PP or not to PP. What PP program, what PP equipment. Or darkroom?
How much money. How much time. What brand. For most of us it doesn't matter. Do we all want to be Ansel Adams? A J Foyt? Shaque O'neal? Yea,,, Maybe. Most people have no idea everything these "stars" go through. What really matters is turning that vision before your eyes into a lasting memory, for yourself, and maybe a few friends.
Thanx for the original thoughts, thanx everyone for your inputs, thanx for making me think.

Two years ago I bought a Canon PowerShot SX710HS. Does not shoot RAW. Is 20.2MP and has 30x zoom plus 10x digital. The new SX730HS has 40x zoom. Carried it all around Harry Potter and Disney World, left my dslr and lenses in the room safe most of the trip. With the 710HS zoom, I could read the price tags on the other side of the store, and it will focus within less than two inches of the lens. There is no viewfinder but it will shoot in program, shutter​, aperture, manual, sports, scn, and movie modes.

[quote=JD750]Sadly, as evidenced from the posts above this, many on UHH will miss or ignore the point of the article. Small egos crave that rush they get from tearing down others and thus they won't be receptive to the idea that constructive critizsm is more effective than sarky rude comments.

JD750:
Thank you, well said.
I don't think he understood me, I doubt that he understood you.
I just hope op is not put of by rude and crude comments.

James:
If you were in Pigeon Forge I hope you had breakfast at Mel's Diner and dinner at Joe's Crab Shack. Top eateries in my book.
And thanx for the chuckles.

Ricardo:
Your comments make me think that you are the product of a typical brutish High School football coach that is nothing but a bully. If anything doesn't fit your "ideal", then attack it, rip it apart and spit it out. And while your victim cowers off to lick their wounds, YOU can strut off feeling like the BIG MAN that only you think you are. Bottom line, no one is listening to you.

Beautiful!

One point most people don't understand is that in this country on most beaches, in the wee hours of the morning, before sun rise, some person drives a big tractor up an down the beach running a collection rake that picks up most all the trash. Otherwise, our beaches would look like that, too.

Yep, yep, and yep.

Thanks, I will try to remember.

When I bought mine, there was two different 75-300 lenses. One less than $200 was real sloppy. The other was like $600 but real tight and smooth in operation. Check carefully for what you are paying.
No experience with the 70D.

So very true.

You've got a LOT of good advice. Don't try to digest it all in one day. First day or three, concentrate on item #1. When that starts to click, move to item #2. You've been given an outline for an entire class. Just do them in baby steps.

I have read a whole series of books (thick magazines) from www.digitalcameraworld.com titled "The Ultimate Canon SLR Handbook. I think they have a similar series for​ Nikon. Check out your local Books A Million.

Good luck!