USA Today Picks for 2012 Camera Gifts

Don't scoff. UST has a respectable circulation, in this era of declining sales volume of print media AND cameras.  The writer does offer some balanced mentions of different camera types which might appeal in a world too saturated with P&S models, too enamored of smart phones, and probably too short of $$ to squander $3k on a fancy camera that might make the average recipient sigh, groan, or utter "Duh."

My bet is that the "action cams" are the only single-application consumer electronic device that has a chance to register a notable uptick in unit volumes this December.  It's something the (usually young) recipient may not already have or wish were something else.  I'll also wager that Nikon sells more pink and turquoise J and V models than critics imagine.  An RX100, due to its P&S "looks," would not earn appreciation worth the $650.  A DSLR or expensive mirrorless system would also be a very expensive and unsuitable gift to a person with no serious photographic inclinatIon or aptitude, and either be neglected, pawned, or returned in short order.  Plenty of gifts break quickly anyway.  One must hope, though, that the POV action cameras don't inspire lots of daredevil activity that maim the users faster than they maim the cameras.

Link:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/personal/2012/11/13/camera-gift-guide/1695319/