Monday, May 2, 2016

2 Digi Cameras Down

Both my Sony Digital Rx100II and my wide angle RE are down and out. I did good work with both cameras but both did not last the entire duration of the trip (less than 5 weeks out of the 7 week trip). The RE was a $30 USD buy so even thou it did not last long (I might have fried it by accident in the 220 current) I got my monies worth in video.

I feel really screwed with the Rx camera thou, it started making ominous noises 1 week or so after I started using it and died completely a few days back. I did manage to create some nice work (some posted earlier on this blog) with this simple point and shoot before it crapped out on me. I bought the thing for $281 USD plus shipping so it was not cheap. Not a total waste of money as I did make some good photos but still it broke down awful fast and easy. Tried to get an eBay refund but could not so left negative feedback with the seller who sold me a damaged camera.

That is the huge negative with digital tools, they are so touchy and electronic, they often break down when you need them most and cannot be repaired. My fully manual Rolleifex and Leica rangefinder are much more reliable. Plus, those cameras have a history and a beauty to them that digi gear simply does not match.

I am now forced to go buy a digital camera of some sort here in Bangkok before I return to Mae Sot. I need to have a digi to shoot give away people portraits, found object snapshots (detailing their location in the dump) and HD dump life video (for the exhibition videos).

Update* I took the Sony digi camera in for a repair at a local shop. They claim they can fix the camera for 3000 to 4000 baht in 1 weeks time.
Update** Bought a small Canon digi to use at the dump. The cost for a used camera was quite high 6300 baht. I was desperate and needed something to shoot HD video and the free snapshots I hand out, so I paid the piper!