Photographs can say much; with just one push of the button you can capture a moment that is priceless.

I began taking photographs about 15 years ago when I was living in Saint John’sNewfoundland. The city and the surrounding area had so much beauty that I felt that I had to capture.

At those times the 35mm camera was the tool of choice, for me, digital was on the horizon but in the field, film was the way to go.

I used a Canon SLRs and was very happy with how they looked; but not so pleased with the results. Then, in order, to get a good photograph you not only needed to take one but you had to have it developed and here is where I and many, many others lost control of the process.

Still I kept improving my skills, discovering new films, working with slides, black and white and an array of colour films.

This was a great experience and I did produce a few memorable shots, two of which sit on my desk as I type.

Then the digital revolution exploded and the 35mm film began to disappear. At first, I begrudgingly resisted but then a day of conversion took place, an epiphany so to speak and I am a devotee.

My present camera is a Nikon Coolpix 4500 which I bough about four years ago. It has been a good friend and in some cases, I have taken some fine photos with it.

I like to provide the photographs for my hubs and blogs when I can and need a camera that gives me the edge.

I plan on keeping this one as it works fine and for many situations it is ideal but close-ups are important.

I flirted for awhile with video and will get back to that one day soon with possibly the Flip Ultra. It is inexpensive and can make videos that are easy to upload to YouTube which is one of the main uses I would have.

There are a number of excellent choices on the market and what I am now doing is narrowing those down to the cameras that match my need and my pocketbook.

First the need, I need a camera that can take reasonable close-ups, while I’d love to go macro, most cameras that allow that capability are beyond my price range.

In addition, I need a camera that takes up little space, does not need a special bag to carry it in and the accompanying lenses, flash etc. I have done that and unless I plan to become a professional photographer will not do so again.

What I need is a top end point and shoot camera with a good zoom lens.

One camera I am looking at is the Canon PowerShot A2100 IS. From what I have read the only drawback is it is heavier and somewhat more bulk than other models.

Another intriguing model, one that is more expensive and not a compact is the Sony Cybershot DSC-HX1, but at around $500.00 US it is somewhat more than what I want to spend but sure looks tempting.

Panasonic has recently announced the release of the Lumix DMC-FS12 which from the reviews I read sounds like a good option but there is no price. It will be a high end point and shoot so we will see.

I would really like to be able to test drive a camera before committing to a purchase, drop by the store and take a number of in house shots, looking at the results and in general knowing you are getting what you want.