shot down

Timing is everything.

My head is filled with clichés these days. And that is true because today my hands are not filled with a camera.

During the past couple of months, my Sony NEX6 has been giving me various troubles. There was an ever-growing lag between switching it on and the camera going operational. Then the electronic zoom on my workhorse lens started sticking.  Then, not responding at all.

I managed to get through the Peru trip. But I noticed my pictographs were not up to my standards.

This week I have been preparing for my departure this morning to Guatemala. I took my camera out for an experimental shooting session -- the goat-trimmed landscaping in front of my house.

I turned the camera on. Nothing. Then I looked at the screen. The camera could not recognize my lens. I took it off and re-attached it. Nothing.

I cleaned the contacts. Nothing. I returned all of my settings to factory default. Nothing. When I attached my telescopic lens, the camera worked fine.

A little bit of research online quickly found the answer. My lens was dead. Apparently, it is not a rare event with this particular Sony lens. After all, this had been the tird lens of that variety I have purchased

I priced a replacement. Almost $500 with shipment. And the lens would not arrive until I returned from Guatemala.

Here is what I have decided to do. I will take the Sony with the telescopic lens attached to Guatemala. There are plenty of places where that lens should work well. Such as, Tikal.

For closer range shots, I will rely upon the camera in my telephone (or is that the telephone in my camera?) That combination should cover me for this trip. I will just have to take the quality hit.

That now leaves me calling on you dear readers if you have any suggestions for a new camera. Rather then buying a new lens, it is time to move on.

My friend Jordan is a professional camera man. He is working on some ideas for me.

But if any of you have any suggestions, I am all fingers. Anxious fingers.

I did mention Guatemala. If you are interested here are our stops. Antigua. Lake Atitlán. Tikal. With assorted stops here and there.

With my limited equipment, I will shoot what I can. But it sounds as if it is going to be another great trip with Mex-Eco Tours.