New camera on the way! WOOTIES!
Jul. 29th, 2025 07:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thewayneThis is the puppy: a Canon SX740 point and shoot.
https://www.usa.canon.com/shop/p/powershot-sx740-hs?color=Black&type=New
I'm actually both ecstatic and annoyed! I've been on the 'notify me when it's in' list at the Canon web site for literally a couple of years, never heard a peep. So I get on the same list at B&H Photo, maybe six months ago. Complete absence of peeps. I called Canon and spoke with them, they said it's a very high-demand item as it's quite capable: ridiculously huge zoom range, 4K video with time-lapse, flip-up viewfinder, image stabilization, etc. And it's just a skosh over $500. So I waited patiently.
Monday I call B&H: their phone tree sent me straight into a group that deals exclusively with Canon point & shoots! I found that rather remarkable. And the guy tells me that whenever they receive an order, the whole thing goes towards backorders, that demand for it is huge.
He asks me if I have a backorder, I tell him I'm on the notify list as I didn't know about the backorder system. So I order one with the backorder, along with a case. He tells me that I can expect it within SIX WEEKS! Also, because of the amount, I'm getting two-day shipping, and they'll ship the case at the same time rather than in advance. I don't bother with a spare battery or a memory card, I have some extra cards.
Excellent! We're going to Nevada at the end of September for our annual little fan weekend/writer's conference! Should be here by then!
And this afternoon I get a FedEx notification. I've got a few things on order right now, ordering stuff seems to come in clusters, so I didn't think much of it. When I had an idle moment, I open up the email, and it's from B&H! My camera (and case) are arriving THURSDAY!!!!
[cue Happy Snoopy Dance!]
I've had two Lumix point and shoot cameras. One I bought a decade ago and took it on our European river cruise. It worked quite fine, but it wasn't exactly what I wanted. When I bought a second Lumix, a ZS-70, to replace it, I gave it to my youngest niece (now nephew) as he was interested in photography. The ZS-70 is an absolutely amazing camera, largely equal to the SX740, but it's a bit of a hanger queen. It developed problems not longer after I bought it and had to be repaired. Then a different set of problems, and they replaced it. And now the second set of problems have returned. It's just not very robust, and this camera is going to mostly live in my backpack. While it isn't going to be horribly abused, it's not going to be treated with kid gloves, so it needs to be a bit on the rugged side. Having shot Canon for 35 years, though never one of their point and shoots, and never had a problem with their bodies regardless of buying them new or used, I have confidence in their gear, which the Lumix hasn't demonstrated to me.
https://www.usa.canon.com/shop/p/powershot-sx740-hs?color=Black&type=New
I'm actually both ecstatic and annoyed! I've been on the 'notify me when it's in' list at the Canon web site for literally a couple of years, never heard a peep. So I get on the same list at B&H Photo, maybe six months ago. Complete absence of peeps. I called Canon and spoke with them, they said it's a very high-demand item as it's quite capable: ridiculously huge zoom range, 4K video with time-lapse, flip-up viewfinder, image stabilization, etc. And it's just a skosh over $500. So I waited patiently.
Monday I call B&H: their phone tree sent me straight into a group that deals exclusively with Canon point & shoots! I found that rather remarkable. And the guy tells me that whenever they receive an order, the whole thing goes towards backorders, that demand for it is huge.
He asks me if I have a backorder, I tell him I'm on the notify list as I didn't know about the backorder system. So I order one with the backorder, along with a case. He tells me that I can expect it within SIX WEEKS! Also, because of the amount, I'm getting two-day shipping, and they'll ship the case at the same time rather than in advance. I don't bother with a spare battery or a memory card, I have some extra cards.
Excellent! We're going to Nevada at the end of September for our annual little fan weekend/writer's conference! Should be here by then!
And this afternoon I get a FedEx notification. I've got a few things on order right now, ordering stuff seems to come in clusters, so I didn't think much of it. When I had an idle moment, I open up the email, and it's from B&H! My camera (and case) are arriving THURSDAY!!!!
[cue Happy Snoopy Dance!]
I've had two Lumix point and shoot cameras. One I bought a decade ago and took it on our European river cruise. It worked quite fine, but it wasn't exactly what I wanted. When I bought a second Lumix, a ZS-70, to replace it, I gave it to my youngest niece (now nephew) as he was interested in photography. The ZS-70 is an absolutely amazing camera, largely equal to the SX740, but it's a bit of a hanger queen. It developed problems not longer after I bought it and had to be repaired. Then a different set of problems, and they replaced it. And now the second set of problems have returned. It's just not very robust, and this camera is going to mostly live in my backpack. While it isn't going to be horribly abused, it's not going to be treated with kid gloves, so it needs to be a bit on the rugged side. Having shot Canon for 35 years, though never one of their point and shoots, and never had a problem with their bodies regardless of buying them new or used, I have confidence in their gear, which the Lumix hasn't demonstrated to me.
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Date: 2025-07-30 02:38 am (UTC)Yay camera!
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Date: 2025-07-30 02:45 am (UTC)I hope the trail full of rocks wasn't injurious to you! I've had some minor drops that didn't do any damage, my only major damage which destroyed a lovely Vivitar Series 1 24-48 was south of Flagstaff, AZ at a place called Montezuma's Well. Slipped on a rock (soapstone!) and fell far enough to smack the zoom helicoid. Also bent the lens mount ever so slightly that you could no longer see the lens aperture through the pentaprism. Pentax KX, IIRC, would have been early/mid '80s.
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Date: 2025-07-30 10:58 am (UTC)When we started the process of moving out of those offices, I brought it home. Now I can't figure out where the heck I put it. It's not with other stuff from my desk.
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Date: 2025-07-30 11:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-07-30 12:17 pm (UTC)Congratulations! Any surprises on the memory card?
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Date: 2025-07-30 12:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-07-30 12:16 pm (UTC)YEESH! It sucks misplacing nice things like - and I should know, I just went on a desperate search for my backup hearing aids to avoid spending $5,200 in buying another pair! Fortunately Monday night said search excavated the backups. Not that it helps with such small cameras, but I have Airtags hidden in all my camera cases.
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Date: 2025-07-30 01:52 pm (UTC)For not having to wait six weeks. SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wish I had a better point and shoot, but not ready for $500. :o
Hugs, Jon
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Date: 2025-07-30 01:55 pm (UTC)You want better equipment, you're going to spend money. Basic rule of life, my friend. Your Subaru wasn't cheap either.
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Date: 2025-07-30 02:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-07-30 07:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-07-31 12:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-07-31 02:40 am (UTC)I'm planning on taking it out to Three Rivers Petroglyphs Saturday, it's my standard 'new camera testing grounds' place, assuming the weather holds. It'll be hot, but should be reasonably clear. I'm hoping it'll arrive before I leave for work tomorrow.... we shall see!