How do you say thank you to someone who you’ve only known a short while when they hand you their 1200 dollar camera and say, “Here, borrow mine. We’re going on vacation for 2 weeks, you use it.” I declined at least 3 times, but she wouldn’t have it. Nope, I was to use it in her absence. With a lump in my throat I accepted and we agreed to meet for lunch during the week so I could pick up the gift.
You see, my camera broke 3 or 4 weeks ago. I did a really quick diagnostic on it and figured it was really dead, not just due to a dead battery or something. I sent it off in a panic and felt really alone, a cold dark alone. While I still have many 35mm rigs, some loaded with juicy film, it doesn’t do me much good with Meathenge. Sure i can scan polaroids, but that’s no solution. That’s when Cookiecrumb of I’m mad and I eat laid her offer down. It took a few days, but I made it over the bridge and picked up her camera. It was kinda funny using someone else’s rig. I got over myself soon and carried on.
2 weeks passed quickly and it was time to give the camera back. To celebrate I filled my smoker with pork, beef, bacon and lamb. This I shared with Cookie and her husband Cranky. We had an absolutely wonderful time sitting outside in the shade sucking down cold beverages and slurping up juicy tritip. The conversation flowed, smiles were exhanged and I ate some fruit. That right there is pretty darned impressive. Fruit, huh, whodda thunk it. Actually I think it was melon, is melon a fruit?
Thank you so much Cookie for the use of your fine machine. It got me through some tough times and was greatly appreciated. XO
* * *
Now, switching gears in to the Nikon Repair Story.
While all that was going on, my rig was sitting on some tech’s table with its guts spread all over the place. Apparently it had a major melt down and the words, Serious, Major, Internal and Replace were used in the report. And guess what the total was? Nothing. Zip, nadda, the job would be done for nothing. All I had to do was wait weeks and I’d have it back. Fine, I could do that.
That was a hard fricken 4 weeks, even with the borrowed camera body. Yesterday it arrived and I opened it up. My jaw was on the floor repeatedly over the next 30 minutes. Yeah yeah, the camera was repaired. But damn man, they cleaned it thoroughly inside and out. It looked brand spanking new, freshy fresh. I read the repair order over and over. They cleaned the CMOS, checked the accuracy of my light meter and did the same with the auto focus thingy. The firmware was updated to the newest version, I never bothered. I turned it over and over in my hands. I dug through the box, hey! They set me up with a new camera strap! I dug a little more and found a brand spanking new battery in the box. And another battery! No kidding, I’ve now got 2 new ones and 1 old one. Not sure what to do with them all. The D70’s battery use is so light I often lose my charger over the months between charging. Nikon repaired my rig, cleaned it, adjusted it and set me up with over a hundred bucks worth of swag for $000.00 dollars.
Thank you Nikon, thank you very much. Once again you show your pride in your products by backing me up when I was down. And thank you Cookie for your generous and caring spirit. I’m walking 3 feet off the ground today. Thank you everyone.
Biggles
Can you please pass the kleenex!!
I’ve never read something so moving that has happened to a person so deserving!!!
Congrat’s ~ and ~ would you please purchase some lotto tickets for me!!?
Big D
I teared up reading that. snurf.
I am still brooding over what entry-level DSLR to buy (or rather, which manufacturer to buy into, as its likely to be a permanent decision with all that expensive, incompatible glass…), and while I’m really fond of Canon’s point-and-shoots as well as the ergonomics of their DSLR thingies, this is another customer support story which tells me to choose the other. Decisions, decisions…
Hey Everyone,
Jeez, didn’t know I took it that far! I gotta be careful, eh.
Biggles
Hey BM,
Your story is one of the reasons I slowed reading forums. People get so caught up in equipment they forget that they’re supposed to be out taking pictures.
While I’m not a complete know-it-all, I can offer a few solid suggestions.
First off, sit down and figure out what type of photography you’re going to be doing. Landscape, urban, industrial … meat. Once you have that down, do a little reaseach in to what lens might be good for that. Do you need a wide angle lens? Telephoto? Close-up? Low light level shots? Do you want the lens to translate distance and flash information to the camera? Once you’ve found a few useful lenses, then you can most certainly make a choice on camera body.
Also keep in mind, lenses stay currant for years. While a digital camera body is only currant for a year or two (thank you Kenrockwell.com for that last tidbit).
So, you don’t necessarily have to buy a D200 when a D50 will do perfectly. I don’t know nothin’ about Canon, sorry eh. I bought Nikon because I have years worth of lenses and they all work on the D70 just FINE. Tedious to use though.
Biggles
Hmmmm ~ I know what kind of images I like to take and they are . . . hang on dr. biggles ~ I’m talk’n bout art ~ that is on a different url ~ and I’ll leave it at that!
That’s why I’m old school’n it with a totaly manual Hasselblad, tripod, handheld light meter and black and white . . . FILM!!
You just keep bringing tears to our eyes with your wonderful writing and images ~ YOU D’ MAN!!
Dammit Heffley !!!
Oh, thanks.
Biggles
That Cookiecrumb is A-ok!
I think I got the far better end of the trade, my love. My fingers still smell like smokey meat.
(Yes, that was melon.)
Thanks for the tribute, and so happy you’re “whole” again.
Hey Dr. B-
I see your Spamalot tin that Chile got us. Does that mean you’re going to pop it into the smoker to see if you can make it edible??
:©)
Doc,
That CC is a class act.
Sweet … I had a similar experience with a camera shop, I was buying a new DSL, the Nikon N70 pre digital days, wanted to take it on a trip. The shop didn’t have one in stock but the owner said, Here, take mine … and then if you like it, we’ll get one for you. I did and I did and I’ve bought every single camera since then at the same place …
Hey Alanna,
That’s really cool. Just love the smaller camera shops or at least used to. Over the last year our local ones have really changed. Most of the staff is gone and the place is void of any film cameras. They’re all digital of one form or another. Gone are the long lines at Sarber’s Cameras in Berkeley waiting to get film processed or picked up. I can park right out in front now. Waaaaah.
Biggles