You can read about my history with cameras, we’ve been casual friends for a long time, but my actual working knowledge is seriously limited. In November 2011 I got a “real” camera, a Nikon D3100 – it had problems from day one. It was the first DSLR I owned and I was a bit disappointed with it; I shouldn’t have bought it from the place I did because they provided no return after 30 days or any help at all (all the paperwork inside the box was expired when I first opened it, but I was blinded with the desire of wanting it and afraid of not having a camera at all if I returned it.). In the end Nikon’s customer service stunk and I had to wait for the extra protection I bought to kick in. Once I sent the camera in to be serviced & it was returned, it was better.

THEN …

I got got a new lens (affiliate link) before going to the Philippines, it was way better! For two years I used it with the new lens only – the kit lens just went into the box to sit in the closet. For the most part, I was happy with the camera, but did often feel as if I wanted to take photos it just wasn’t capable of taking.

Last fall, my camera all of a sudden stopped working at one of Vince’s Cross Country races – actually it wasn’t the camera, but the lens, that froze. I was sick. I didn’t have the money to replace anything, but I did know I’ve wanted the D7100 for over a year. But again, I wasn’t in the place to replace anything. Thankfully, I had a SquareTrade protection plan on the lens and it was totally covered! I sent my lens in, they fixed it and sent it back. I was so excited to have my camera back – it had been a couple weeks. But before it actually came back….

THEN … THEN

My daughter took an interest in photography and I lost my camera.

I have now been essentially camera-less for 10 months. Yes, I owned a camera, but since she was learning all the settings, and in classes, and had homework, and projects…. ya, I could seldom just take the camera. Besides, I didn’t know enough to put the camera back to the settings I knew & understood. I chose to take the opportunity to use the iPhone camera… I’m blessed I have that option, but the camera phone just didn’t hack it for the relaxation I needed from taking photos.

Starting in October I was watching the price on Amazon, watching the price drop & drop, stopping as low as I’ve seen it. I knew I wanted the body only because I had a lens I liked. All through Christmas I watched and never felt peace about ordering it – even with all our family here.

THEN … THEN … THEN

March 2015: One day in photography class, the camera screen went black. Dead. Over. It took photos, but you couldn’t see the photos you took (like taking film photos) – the problem was not being able to change any settings. Again, no money to replace it or even pay to check it out and see what was wrong with it.

**insert: a whole new post on health issues here. I was being told I needed to destress. My desire for a camera was increasing more & it’s a form of de-stressing for me, but financially – out of the question. I more I was told to de-stress, the more frustrated I got. It was good. I turned to my Heavenly Father with the ache & learned a lot. More on this later, but it would make this post too long today.**

end of May/early June 2015: It finally worked to have my camera dropped off to be checked out. Camera repair shop is over an hour away and only open M-F, 8-5… I prayed & hoped and hoped & prayed it would be a $50 fix, for the six days they had it I anticipated getting it back fixed. The end diagnostic, main circuit board is fried. It was unfixable by repair shop, would have to be returned to Nikon and it would cost $200-$250.… uh, no thanks. I won’t lie, I wrestled with God; my heart ached; I grieved again, the finality, the end of having my camera. I was near tears as the repairman told me and then when I tried to say it out loud. I was so sad at the idea of the whole summer without a camera. (please, realize I don’t say this to be insensitive but to be honest – I know in the grand scheme of life this is so petty. I know there are real hurts in this world. I know there are people who would give up a 1,000 cameras to have family members with them.)

THEN … THEN … THEN … THEN

God provided:

• an unexpected design contract.
• an unexpected immediate payment.
• the camera at the lowest I’ve ever seen it (over $100 less than Black Friday).

After talking with a dear sister-friend, I chose to receive God’s love in this way and I ordered the camera from a place I trusted, and had it a week later. And then couldn’t figure out how to change any settings because it’s so different from the D3100 :-D!!! After many hours of trying to figure out some of the simple basics, I bought the intermediate level of the Ultimate-Bundle Digital Photography Bundle… I watched just one of the several eCourses and I now understand so much more than I ever have. Not to mention all of the bonuses. I am so very, very excited.