I wanted a camera that I could take to the beach without worrying about being extra careful with it. I patrol sea turtles and having a camera handy helps a lot. however, fine sand, wind, salt spray do not contribute to the durability of the camera. I wanted a decent camera but one that could withstand rough handling and conditions. it sounds like it would be good for that. This is a fixed focus, so the range for the best shots is limited. It has a 16x digital telephoto lens that's good for its range. The fold-out screen is great for getting the right composition for selfies. The photos were taken with a camera lens. I haven't played with the included macro or wide angle lenses. Everything that was included is fine, but I added 52mm and 62mm UV filters, charger, lens hoods for 52mm and 62mm lenses. I like features like ISO selection, Wi-Fi, HDMI, size and feel. I'll probably put a piece of tape on the bottom over the SD card slot to keep sand out. A great camera if you know its limitations and have enough features to feel it should cost more. I use it in 24MP mode, which seems to be the best quality.