CAMERA'S

Camera's, Camera. A Camera. Something to take pictures with.

I WANT A "CAMERA". But I cannot find one.

I am not seeking a digital (though I broke down and bought one this past summer), nor one with all the bells and whistles on it. Having said that I don't even know what all the "bells and whistles" are on camera's any longer.

My problem, issue, frustration, is that I want a simple camera with a built in flash, zoom lens, and one that uses FILM! Well, it sounds simple, I would think, but it isn't. Target doesn't even sell camera's that use film any longer (at least not the one by my house). Two years ago my old but reliable Pentax, built in flash with a zoom of up to 70 (which is nothing but still, it was a "zoom") from the 1980's, stopped working. I think sand is in it. So I went to the store to purchase a new camera, with a higher power zoom. First brought home a Minolta (which I think are great camera's. I have one from the 1970's, an old 35 mm with all the extra lens, collecting dust somewhere in the house). Anyhow, I bought a new, self contained Minolta, zoom out to 140. This camera came with the auto load and auto advance feature which I'd not had before.

I came home, tried to take photos and found that not only did the flash not "automatically" flash when I pressed the button, but the camera would not "snap" the picture just because I had pushed the button. It "hesitated" about 5 seconds. This was not good. Not for me. So back to the store I went and I picked a Vivitar. Brought that home. Same features and sad to say, same lapse of time between snapping pictures, whether I used a flash or not.

Back to the store I went again. I explained what features I was looking for and was told by the sales clerk (how much do sales clerks in the camera dept at Target stores know I was wondering), that what I was looking for did not exist any longer. Well, he said, they DID to a certain extent. If I bought the professional style camera, with external lens's etc., then I might get what I want. He also explained that with the automatic film advance, that this causes the "delay" between snaps. Well let me say I could manually advance the film in lightening speed on my old camera and get the pictures I wanted.

I went home with my Vivitar (which was subsequently stolen when our house was burglarized in Sept. Odd.."they" did not take the brand new digital but the older "film" camera...hmmm).

Here is what I want in a camera, or rather the type of photos I enjoy taking. I like action photos. I like photographing celebrities. This in addition to nature photos and all pictures in general. Well you see, my dilemma is that if I'm trying to snap a celebrity and the camera hesitates, the person is gone. Trust me on this one. I lost some very valuable pictures because my camera would not go off and the celebrity who had come and put their arm around me for the photo could not wait for my camera to go off.

I like my digital, but only for photos I do not care that much about. I'm sure it is me, but I cannot tell if photos come out blurry or clear on my digital until I have them processed. And for vacations I want a film camera so I don't have to worry as to whether my "stick" will hold all the pictures I take.

Yes, I'm panicking a bit. You see, I'm finally going on vacation. This February. I've no camera (no, I'm not considering the digital). I want to buy a camera. Just a camera, with a zoom and flash. One that will snap a picture when I press the button. No hesitation. I don't need to have an auto advance. Just a camera.

HELP!!!!!!