Because I’m a technologist and all-around geek, I spend a fair amount of time in computer/technology stores. Usually, I have done my research; I know exactly what I want down to the last bit. Despite this, because I’m a girl, I often am treated as if I know nothing. And sometimes I don’t, but I know a lot about technology and can usually make pretty good decisions. On this particular trip to buy a digital camera for Mr. Geeky for Christmas, I hadn’t researched my options because I decided to do this at the last minute. I have a digital camera, a decent one in fact, but Mr. Geeky is always borrowing it and it’s only a 2 megapixel one, so I thought it would be nice to upgrade. I knew I wanted at least a 4 megapixel camera, preferably with compact flash memory (since that’s what our old camera uses), and I knew my price limit. Armed with at least those qualifications, I wandered around the display, looked at the specs and the prices and made a choice. I decided to go with a Canon A85, mainly because it was the cheapest 4 megapixel camera they had without looking like it was going to fall apart. I trust Canon to make a halfway decent camera.

So I’m waiting for the worker dude to get the camera out from the locked cabinet. He’s in the middle of a spiel to a middle-aged man buying his first digital camera. He’s explaining all about how you need more megapixels and the rechargable cameras are better. He does say that he likes the Canon cameras the best. When he stops, I ask for my camera and the middle-aged man asks me why I chose that camera. Well, I didn’t really have a good reason. I mean, “it was the cheapest” was my main reason. So I explained that I wanted 4 megapixels and that I was happy with my old camera and just wanted a bit of an upgrade and I threw in something about zooming.

So worker dude says, well, yeah, but this uses AA batteries that wear out and cost a fortune. Well I happen to know that I’ve only changed the batteries in my camera about twice a year. I use the regular duracell batteries that cost about 5 bucks a pack. Well worker dude says I should use lithium batteries, blah, blah, blah. The middle-aged guy asks how long before the batteries run out. Worker dude says about 12 hours. You can see middle-aged man thinking, I never use my camera for 12 hours straight. This guy is full of shit. Then I say, don’t the batteries in the rechargeable cameras die eventually too and then you have to buy a new camera or pay a buttload for those fancy batteries. He says, yeah, but not for two years. I say, well, I’ve had my current camera for five years. Middle-aged guy is doing the math and it’s working in my favor. So the worker dude finally gets my camera out and starts walking me over to the cashier. Middle-aged guy thanks worker dude, but especially thanks me. Ha!

On the way to the cashier, worker dude asks me if I need memory. I say no, I’ve got a 64 mb and a 32 mb card at home. What about a card reader? No, I’ve got one that reads 7 different kinds of cards. How about batteries? Nope, got those too. Dude, give it up. I’m better than you.

I find out at the cash register that not only is the base price good–and the cashier is waaaay nicer than worker dude, complimenting me on my choice–but I get a $25 gift certificate and a $50 rebate. Very cool.

Later, I’m relating this story to a friend and she says, yeah, I did all this research and decided that the Canon A85 was the best bang for the buck. Ha! I’m good even without my research.