While I Wait
By Randy Wentzel
9 Jul 2007
Why I didn't opt for priority shipping when I ordered my Nikon D200 last week is a question that's been haunting me ever since. "Would you like the camera to arrive sooner?" the sales man asked, to which I responded gleefully, "Oh no, UPS ground will just add to the miserable feeling of suspense, thank you." OK, that's not exactly how the conversation went, but it might as well have.
The extra time has given me a chance to research extensively into the D200's many features, accessories and quirks to keep in mind. I've gone through buyer's remorse twice while worrying myself silly regarding its reputation for being noisy at higher ISO settings. Then there's the issue about it being somewhat of a power hog. There was also that fleeting moment when I thought about how my new jewel would probably be obsolete in a short matter of months.
The worry and remorse are easily fought off with a stroll through some of the thousands of photographs that are posted at the Flickr "Nikon D200 Users" forum. From there it's easy to see that all I have to fear is my own lack of ability and knowledge. No longer will I be a slave to my five year old beaten, cracked and malfunctioning point and shoot. "Out with the old," they say, but my well worn excuse for taking mediocre photos will also simultaneously vanish.
It's also ironic that I would have saved money had I bitten the speedy shipping bullet. While my camera makes a leisurely journey from New York to California, I've spent countless hours wandering through various online stores purchasing a Benjamin Franklin's worth of accessories including a laminated cheat sheet, a guide book, a sunlight reflector screen and a remote shutter release. All worthwhile purchases mind you, but I'd send them all back this instant if it meant having my camera here with me today.
Oh, and I have a question for you: At what point will the UPS.com webmasters block me for excessive use of their package tracking feature?
