Decisions?

I may have finally decided on a camera, after much frustration and hair-pulling. Maybe. Have I mentioned that I'm the High Queen of Indecision? Especially when faced with information overload, and too many options.

At any rate, I seem to have decided on the Olympus SP-510 after finally managing to download the PDF manual and figure out the answer to the aperture question. Apparently, the f2.8-3.7 range listed in the online specs is just the minimum range. To find the full range, I had to spend an hour or two waiting for the 8MB file to download over dialup, twice, because I got an error the first time I tried to open it and it froze Acrobat the second time, and finally get DH to download it at work. According to the manual, the aperture can go up to f8, as does the SP-500. I'm still wondering why this isn't mentioned in the online specs. I also emailed their CS, asking for the aperture range on both cameras, and got a reply of f2.8-3.7, which is wrong. Go figure.

The other factor tipping the scale in favor of the SP-510 is the fact that while both the 500 and 510 have a bulb setting that will take up to an 8-minute exposure, only the 510 will work with a remote. With the 500, you apparently have to physically press the shutter release for the duration of your bulb exposure. Even with a tripod, that would cause some movement, which defeats the purpose of being able to take long exposures. It makes no sense.

So now, it seems that the only remaining decision is how to actually obtain the SP-510. If I go to a local store, say, Circuit City, I can come home with the camera in my hands, but pay $299 plus tax. If I order online, I may wait a week or so for shipping, but only pay $240. Then I have to decide on and buy the extra accoutrements that I'll need for the Big Camera Switch. For example, I'm going to be dealing with xD cards now, instead of Old Faithful's SmartMedia cards - which means deciding whether to get Standard xD, H-xD, or M-xD. And probably a new card reader, since the old one doesn't read H- and M-xD. And a new lens adapter tube, since the 510 won't use the CLA-1 from the 3020. And searching for a source for the cable remote, other than the Olympus Emporium website that will not load on my PC, no matter how empty my cache or what browser I'm using.

In other news, I got the latest, and as it turns out, last, issue of Night Sky Magazine today. Apparently there aren't enough subscribers, so they're stopping production and filling out subscriptions with Sky & Telescope instead. I'll miss my Night Sky, it was written for amateurs and beginners, which is what I am, and I liked the writers. And I procrastinated too long, so I won't get to submit any of my photos for their reader page. Darn! And just when I was going to have a neat camera that could take some sky shots. At least I've got my back issues to read.

And, after finally remembering to Google it, I discovered that my variegated ginger plant (3-gallon pot, for the awesome price of $5 at Westlake's last fall) is actually dormant for the winter. It didn't come with any info on the pot, so I didn't know if it was resting for the season or if I'd killed it. However, apparently you aren't supposed to water them much while they're dormant, and I have watered it, so I may have killed it anyway. Crap.