a regular film camera

“I have a regular film camera but I just don’t use it much ,” said Ms Lowery , 23, a computer programmer . “When I got married last year , I had all these pictures that didn’t come out right . With digital cameras , you aren’t spending money on film for wasted pictures ,” she said .
There are plenty of models from which to choose : from simple $ 200point-and-shoot snappers to $ 1,000 wonders with all the qualities that any advanced amateur （业余爱好者）could want . The wide selection is a sure sign that in may buyers’ minds , digital cameras have risen from mere gadgets to must-have items .
Digital cameras offer more than just the instant previewing of pictures on small color screens . They can store dozens , sometimes hundreds , of pictures that can be printed easily at home or sent by e-mail . Although there are extra costs-the cost of memory cards for storage and the special paper for printing—many buyers have been willing to make the switch .
Although about 90 percent of American households still use film cameras , digital cameras are capturing a growing share of the market . And the number of digital-camera households , now at about 10 percent , is certain to grow , as producers introduce more and more cameras whose quality is as good as film cameras . Soon , even professionals will use them .
Salesmen expect digital cameras to be popular gifts this holiday season . “They are very hot this year ,” said Yossi Fogel at B& H Photo in New York . “The prices have come down and the quality has gone up .Who wants to travel with 30 rolls of film ? With a large memory card to store pictures , you can shoot and shoot and never have to worry about changing a roll . How many times have you missed a picture because you failed to reload the film ?”