Demon Camera

For the last four or five days of our vacation, our camera was possessed. Or perhaps more accurately stated, it seemed to have a mind of its own, and what it wanted was to control the photographs we took.

As soon as it was turned on, it automatically set the exposure it felt best suited the scene. And once it had decided, there was no changing any setting. No forward zoom, flash, or panorama. Nothing. And if we quickly managed to reset it, the camera responded to our efforts by not allowing any photo to be taken.

The main result of this bizarre malfunction was that I could take no close-ups. I would have liked to have had a zoomed-in photo of the mama coot on her nest, and of the nearby Alps in an unclouded moment.

On the other hand, I managed to get some good photographs in spite of my camera's obsessive control. I learned to manipulate it. If I didn't get the exposure I wanted, I would shut off the camera and try it again.

Long range view from Chaumont — 1100 meters

Yesterday I took the devil camera back to the store I bought it from. Its behavior perplexed the saleslady as well, but she determined that the best course of action was to send it back to the company for them to fix. Worst case scenario? It'll take six to eight weeks to resolve.

I'm hoping for faster, but I'll keep you informed.