Good camera news

I now officially have a new camera (not the one in the photo -- that's my old camera). Or, well, a new old camera. I found a used Konica Minolta Dimage Z5, which came with batteries and memory card so now I have three sets of batteries. I'm sure that despite that, I'll still find myself in a situation where my batteries die and I don't have any extra with me...

The Z5 is pretty much like the Z3, just a few minor differences in design and one more megapixel. One of the reasons I didn't buy a Z5 instead of a Z3 when getting my first digital camera was the price. My camera wasn't cheap, but this was way more expensive.

Anyway, I found a camera . And today I could pick it up. I've already tried it and it seems to work just fine. And it's black -- never did like that the shop only had silver/grey as the only option when I bought the Z3. Have to get used to the differences in menus and buttons, but I'm getting there. It's so similar to my beloved old camera that it shouldn't take too long to get used to it.

Ironically, I've tried several times to get the broken camera to work since it fell on the floor, but to no avail. After picking up my new Z5, I showed my mum the old camera (she claimed the new one was less clumpsy than the old, I claimed the size and shape was the same). I shook the camera to show it was broken. Then I used a lot of force to press the on button as I've tried so many time. And this time it turned on!

[Those of you who know the story of my "sleeping beauty" laptop might grin, hearing this. I'm not bad with technology, I promise I tried many times, many different days, and it wouldn't work no matter what I tried.]

However, it is falling to pieces and there's still that ugly nick in the lens since a previous accident when the camera fell from a table onto a chair -- with a box of rocks on it (I know...). So all in all, I'm glad to have a replacement camera. I'll keep the Z3 for emergencies or for those photos were I don't dare use a good camera (e.g. very near a water surface, out in the rain, during a snow storm -- you know, around elements that could damage a camera for good if you aren't careful). Will try to patch it up with duct tape or something. It doesn't have to look pretty. But it has to be done in a way so my "repair" won't block buttons or access to batteries and/or the memory card. Don't know what to do about the battery flap: there's a gap (and it's chipped in one place) so moisture might be a problem there... Not sure how to tape the back piece to the rest of the camera house either. Right now I can see the electronics on the inside and I don't think it's a good thing to use a camera when it's like that.

To have it somewhat professionally repair would probably cost as much as the new camera -- and I'd still have a damaged lens, causing blurs in the photos. So while it is really ironic that the camera would work now, I don't feel that I wasted money getting a replacement. Not for a second.

But I have to say this: Konica Minolta knew/know how to build cameras that last! Have heard horror stories of electronics that can't take the slightest bump -- and my camera has survived flying through the air, bouncing on a concrete floor. Too bad Konica Minolta doesn't do cameras anymore or I'd be such a loyal costumer of theirs forever, knowing what their cameras can put up with.