Day 171

Just a little shot of the view out my back dining room window before I share the exciting news…

Look what came in the mail today!!!

My new camera!!  I think I’m in love…..LOL!! 

Having decided I wanted this camera several months ago, it has been quite the wait and I was squealing for joy when the FedEx guy rang my doorbell.  My decision to buy this camera came right after the earthquakes and tsunami hit Japan, during which Canon took quite a big hit.  Production was greatly slowed and stocks of this camera (and many others) were nearly depleted.  Those that were still available were fetching higher prices than normal.  And my situation was even more dim as I had decided to buy a refurbished camera through Canon’s Loyalty Program (LP). 

Through this program, you simply trade in a broken camera (I traded in a cheap, broken Canon point-and-shoot camera) in exchange for a greatly reduced price on a refurbished camera of your choice.  I read on several photography forums that often times the camera is not refurbished at all, but simply a return of a brand new camera.  And everyone had great things to say about the program.  So I called Canon and was told that there were no 7D’s in stock via the LP and that I would have to call back.  Several days and a couple of calls later, I learned that this camera was in high demand and that some people were calling several times a day to check on availability.  Before long, the 7D was totally removed from the refurbished portion of Canon’s website.  I was a little heartbroken.  Several months and many unsuccessful phone calls later, I was just about to give and buy a new 7D (at higher than normal price); but, I decided to try one more call last Thursday. 

Lo and behold, the LP phone line was busy.  I tried back a little later and it was still busy.  This had never happened before and it was a signal that maybe something was going on.  I called back later that night thinking that they were probably already closed, and heard them say “yes, you’re in luck….we have the 7D in stock”.  I about fell over.  And then I jumped up and down like a little kid in all my excitement.  Not only was I getting the camera I wanted, but I was saving roughly $700 on it.  Wow!

Cut to today and my camera arrived.  I opened up the package and it was Brand. Spanking. New!!  I’m so excited.  I got it out of the box and inserted the card & battery and went to take a picture and quickly realized that the 7D is VERY different from my Rebel XTi.  I didn’t even know how to take a photo in manual setting because the buttons, knobs, and placement of everything is so different.  Ack!  Looks like I have some reading to do….time to become one with my instruction manual! 

But, did I tell you that I love it already?!!!