Nikon Coolpix S8200

I'd bought a Canon PowerShot SX120 IS in September 2009.

I loved it and used it a lot ... it was always in my purse/knapsack. It's traveled with me all over the country.

In November 2010, the flash stopped working so I'd taken it to Future Shop to have it repaired. I'd bought a four year warranty ($70) from them so it was covered. I rarely buy warranties but am glad I did this time.

While we were in Bermuda at the beginning of January, the flash stopped working again. I stopped off at Future Shop last night after the movie to drop it off to be repaired. I was advised then that Canon's policy is that it's not worth their while to repair it so instead they'll replace it with the latest model ... if it was a higher price, I'd just have to pay the difference.

Huh? Um ... okay.

They have the updated camera and now it has a 12x zoom (mine had a 10x zoom). I'd paid $280 for my camera in 2009 and the latest model is $240 so I wouldn't have to pay any extra $$.

I asked if I could get a different camera instead. No problem!

If it was a more expensive camera, they would credit me the $240 towards it.

Cool!

The Nikon Coolpix S8200 caught my eye. It's on sale 'til tomorrow for $240 (regularly $280) and has a 14x zoom. Seemed like a better deal to me. When I talked to the sales guy about it last night, he said it was a much better camera than the Canon.

I stopped in at Future Shop today and did the exchange. The sales guy I talked with today said it was a cooler camera than the Canon. And I didn't have to buy a new memory card because the one from my Canon will work. Yay! So all I bought was a three year warranty and extra battery.

Interesting and exciting turn of events!

Update:  This camera stopped working on January 1, 2013, on top of Mont Tremblant ... too cold, I guess.