I got my first camera for my 7th birthday – more than 60 years ago. It was a Kodak Brownie and all you can say about it was that it could take simple pictures on film. Flash, if needed, was provided by a disposable glass bulb that internally exploded, making a burst of light and often burning little fingers.I share this story because if my 7-year-old self could have seen this inexpensive, high-tech “starter” camera, he would have thought he’d fallen into an alternative, science fiction universe. Sure, this isn’t a $2000 pro camera with all the bells and whistles, and the low cost comes with some limitations, but for a budding photographer or anyone who wants a simple but highly capable camera for family photos, vacations videos, or basic vlogging, this thing is pretty good.The user interface is simple. Press a button to turn it on and the screen on the back lights up. Remember to remove the protective plastic film from the screen and the lens in front! The screen can also swing around to face you, perfect for selfies and for monitoring any video podcasts/vlogging you do. Each time you press the button on the back marked “Mode,” you cycle through still photo, video recording, playback, and setup. Whatever mode you’re in, when you press the “Menu” button, choices appropriate for the mode will appear. For example, you can set resolution, select various automatic scene modes, set the time and date, etc.As I said, a low cost camera always comes with some limitations. The lens doesn’t provide optical zoom. If you want to zoom closer into a scene, the camera gives you a digital option. That means a smaller, center section of the image is magnified, effectively throwing away some of the outer part to make the center look larger. As you zoom in further and further, you shed more of the camera’s best possible resolution. In good light, the first few levels of zoom look pretty good, but as you throw away more of the image to make the center look bigger, you may get to a point where it would have been better – when possible – to simply move closer to the subject. If you’re at the zoo shooting pictures of the lions, getting closer isn’t generally recommended.One really nice thing about this camera is that it comes with a built-in UV filter. The filter protects the lens and also blocks invisible ultraviolet rays that can “wash out” the image, lowering contrast. But the best thing is that on top of that filter are standard 52mm threads. That means, for example, that you can buy an inexpensive circular polarizer that will make outdoor photos pop with enhanced contrast, darken the sky, make clouds stand out dramatically, balance skin tones, and cancel reflections from glass and water. It’s a great, low-cost investment for outdoor photos that most casual users don’t generally know about.The fixed focal length lens lets you focus pretty close, but for sharp, super-close photos you can also buy inexpensive closeup adapters (sometimes called diopters) to take macro shots. Kids who love bugs, flowers, and rocks would appreciate this option, and also adults who might want to catalog their valuables for insurance – just to name a few possibilities.You can also add telephoto adapters that make your pictures look closer, using optics rather than digital zoom so you won’t lose resolution and sharpness. If you’re shooting pictures of wildlife or other distant subjects this is a much better option than digital zoom. Or if stunning, broad perspective landscapes are your thing (they’re mine), you can get an inexpensive wide-angle adapter. Just make sure you use 52mm diameter accessories and you’ll be fine.A few suggestions about this camera. The openings for the included battery and the microSD memory card are rather tight. That’s OK, but you need to be careful with them, making sure to have things oriented correctly. If not, if you use too much force you could damage the camera.For the battery: The camera comes with two batteries and a charging adapter that plugs into any USB charging port, just like a cell phone. The metal contacts on the battery always point down, into the camera. The batteries have a set of arrows printed on one side. They should also point down, into the empty battery chamber, and the arrows must be oriented closer to the outside edge of the camera. You can also charge the battery inside the camera by connecting the camera to a USB charger using the included USB-C cable. It’s nice that all these "extras" are included.microSD card: A 32GB memory card is supplied, but you can also buy an inexpensive upgrade that can hold more photos and videos. The card fits into the little slot on the bottom of the camera. The contacts, as always, face down, while the printed side of the card faces towards the back of the camera. You need to push the card in until it clicks and locks. The memory card slot is spring loaded, so if you let go before the card clicks firmly in place, it will pop out, like a jack-in-the-box, and could fly across the room. I need to use a fingernail to get it to snap securely in place. Just don't let go until you hear the click and remove your hand carefully. That way, if the card does pop out, you can try again without having to search around the room to find it.Displaying photos and videos: You can review photos and videos on the built-in screen by pressing the mode button until the international Play symbol appears - a right pointing arrow. in the upper left corner of the screen. Then, the left and right positions of the little circular control move forward and back through your stored pictures and videos. You also have two other options. You can connect the camera, with the memory call still inside, to a TV or monitor through an HDMI port. The camera uses a miniature HDMI socket which is smaller than the typical format. Fortunately, a mini-to-regular HDMI cable is supplied. With this connection – and selecting the appropriate input on the TV or monitor – you can view your pictures on the big screen. You can also transfer your images from the microSD memory card to your computer, either by removing the card and plugging it into your computer (usually with the aid of a separately purchased microSD to SD card adapter) or you can connect the camera to your computer using the supplied USB-C cable.I should add that this camera works much better when there's enough light. That means daylight, a brightly lit room, or pictures and videos taken with the internal flash/video light. In very low light, images tend to get grainy as the internal processor tries to extract as much image detail as it can.Given its price, this camera is pretty terrific. As a long, long time photographer, I am acutely aware of its limitations. My best camera system, including lenses, and accessories, cost about $5000, and it’s no surprise that it leaves this little pocket wonder in the dust. But that’s not the point. This is intended to be a very capable and inexpensive camera for casual shooters, students, children, and really anyone who just wants a simple camera capable of taking decent pictures and videos and is loaded with many options that can be discovered through the menu system at your leisure.I’ve been waiting for a beautiful day to take some sample pictures, but it’s been consistently gray and rainy here in the Pacific Northwest, so I’ll just leave you with a couple of photo of my backyard.