Chris ... I don't spend any money doing this. Camera shops around here are more than happy to let good customers take a camera for a test drive, sometimes over night. Sometimes a friend or an acquaintance has one that s/he'll let you try. And yes, I'm aware that not everyone has the opportunity to borrow gear ... and it's not always easy for me to do so, either. It's sometimes a long drive between camera shops.
As for time, well, it's probably a good idea to spend some time using camera gear before making a purchase. Many photogs will test numerous samples of a lens before deciding on the one(s) they want in their kit. If you don't want to spend the time making sure you're satisfied with an item (regardless of what it is) then you've no right to complain when it doesn't perform to your standards. Chris Brogden wrote: > > I don't care what the camera does to get me the image. If > > I don't like the results, I'll use a different camera. > > And at a few thousand bucks a pop for a DSLR, you're going to spend a lot > of time and money doing this. >
