What I have learned about cameras and so much more! The shutter count on a camera is like the miles on a
car. Depending on the camera,
the average life of a shutter can vary from anything as low as 20,000 shutter
actuations right up to 350,000. Having a
shutter replaced on a camera can run anywhere from $300 to $600 dollars with
most of the cost in labor.
On average, my camera, the Canon EOS Rebel T5, has a shutter
life expectancy of 25,000 actuations.
The amazing thing to me is that on a good day I could take over 2,000
pictures. So, that little camera, miraculously
far exceeded its life expectancy by approximately 400,000 miles and for that I
am so very grateful. Shutter count is
critical when deciding to buy a used camera, no matter what kind of camera you
use.
The camera I have been using for the past three years is a
Canon EOS Rebel T5. The current cost for
replacement is $449 which was not even remotely possible within our current
budget. So, what was I to do?
Several weeks before the camera died, I had scheduled a
photo session for a neighbor and her grand-kids at an insanely low price and had
also resolved that what I really wanted to do is to start offering free family
photo sessions to less fortunate families who could never afford to hire a
professional photographer. I had already
scheduled one session with another such family and was so excited that I might
be able to use any gifting the Lord has given me to gift others.
Then it happened! The
camera died! I was heart sick over
this. Michael and I looked over our
budget and realized that there was really no way that we could afford to
purchase a new camera. However, with the
possible payment from the upcoming photo session, we could afford to purchase a
used replacement camera, as long as we kept it under $200.
I searched eBay and found over 16 listings for used Rebel
T5’s but every time I tried to win a bid it would end up selling for well over
the $200 limit. I then kept looking for
new listings that would allow someone to make an offer. A new listing finally appeared and I made an
offer along with a long message to the seller regarding my situation. The seller, to my surprise, sent a counteroffer
for just $10 more than I had offered and the deal was finalized.
I then noticed that the Seller lived in High Point, North
Carolina which is just 30 minutes away from us.
So I asked the seller, if they would be willing to let us drive there
and get the camera rather than having it shipped. I had already paid the $9.95 for shipping
(still keeping the total purchase under $200); but, thought it would be better
to simply avoid not only the time involved; but, also the possibility of damage
or loss during shipping.
The seller not only agreed; but, also wanted to meet us
halfway in Greensboro at a Starbucks.
So, I was thrilled and hoped that they might be willing to meet us there
on Friday. I truly did not expect that their
schedule would be that flexible, but was really hoping to have the camera
before the weekend, because a friend of mine was taking me to my first trip to
the Coast on Saturday.
When the seller replied to my request, they informed me that
they could not make the Friday date. At
first I was so disappointed. But, as I
kept reading, they stated that they would rather meet on Thursday. WHAT?
Are you kidding me? I purchased
the camera on eBay on Wednesday and might actually have it in my hands by
Thursday—just 24 hours later?
Michael and I drove to the Starbucks yesterday to meet the
seller. We really had no idea what to
expect. We only knew that they would be
driving a tan Jeep Wrangler. I was
standing outside of our car and saw the Jeep turning the corner. With a big smile on my face, I waved
enthusiastically. After pulling up and
parking next to our car, out jumps a cute, red-headed, freckled faced, 23-year-old,
young man.
As he handed us the bag with the camera in it, he told us
that he had powered it on and that he had erased the images on the memory
card. There were only 30 images ever
taken with this camera. It was
technically a brand-new camera! I could
hardly believe my eyes. It was exactly
like the original package that we had received three years ago! The young man told us that he was selling it
for a close friend of his, who had bought the camera for her mother as a
retirement gift because her mother had wanted to start enjoying nature and
capturing photos of the wonderful things she would now have the time to
enjoy. Sadly, his friend’s mother, had
passed away from an illness before ever having the chance to really use the
camera.
I told the young man to let his friend know that the gift
she had given to her mother would now be used in the very same way that her
mother would have wanted and that it would also be used to pass on the gift
that she gave to her mother as gifts to others through the images that are
captured.
This all just blows my mind.
I have a feeling that there will be more to this story. We shall wait and see. God always has reasons for everything that we
are not usually aware of at the time.
What is the one thing I do know, without a doubt? I will be much more judicious with the use of
my right index finger when using this precious new gift!
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