Breaking the 1GB barrier

In my exciting last post, I complained about discovering that my 4-year-old Casio digital camera couldn’t handle a 2GB card. I had planned to solve the problem by going back to Radio Shack and buying a couple of 1GB cards, but a different answer presented itself the next morning as I was perusing the Murky Nooz. San Jose Camera and Video was having a “no sales tax” sale, and they were advertising the Nikon Coolpix L18 for under $130, which seemed like a reasonable price if the camera was at all tolerable (especially since if I was going to buy a camera in time for Jeff’s trip, I didn’t have time for anything but a local store).

To make a long (and probably boring) story short, we wound up leaving the store with two L18s; Jeff has one with him in Israel, and we have the other one. I even bought the extended warranty for each camera, but I don’t feel too guilty about it — it came “free” with the $19 case for the camera, and I wasn’t going to leave without buying a case.

I was thinking about buying a Canon for myself so that I could play with the CHDK firmware hack, but three things turned me in the direction of the Nikon:

  • I wasn’t thrilled with the feel of the Canon model I played with
  • Price
  • I need another tech toy like I need another hole in my head

I think the first item was the deciding one, but the other two did play some part. I need to remember that last one more often, too.