My camera went to the Hospital :(

After the last shoot I did, about 2 weeks ago now, my memory card got stuck in the chamber and I couldn't get it back out. My friend Andrea used her tiny fingers to gently slide it out. After that moment I was concerned...

I went home and tried it but the card wouldn't click into place. I push it in and it would slightly bounce but still nothing. After the initial push it normally clicks and then you know its in place. I took it to the Delray Camera shop and the guy looked into the chamber with a light and then took my memory card and pushed it in easily with no problem! I was confused. What did he do differently? I then opened it up to take it out and couldn't get it out, but he pushed on it once and it popped back out. He explained that his fingers were big and clunky and that i needed to put more force behind my pushes...I agreed and did what he said and I was able to put it back in and out. But I was not fully convinced because I didn't remember it ever being that hard to insert my card and take it out. Now I had to use 2 fingers sometimes and make sure I was engaging both springs. But I fingered it was due to old age (my D5000 is 2yrs+ now) and I let it go.

Next shoot scheduled was a maternity shoot I was doing for a friend Pro-bono and morning of the shoot I clear my cards and when I insert them my camera wasn't reading it. Hoping it was the card I tried 3 other cards and they all had the same result but one. Confused and upset I kept the one that worked as to not worsen the situation but that shoot ended up being rescheduled! I took it as a sign but now  as I continued to test out all my cards now none of them worked, then one may work for a moment and the next moment it wouldn't would. I even tried the cards in another camera and they worked just fine so it wasn't the cards it was definitely my camera.

Distraught I finally went to SP-TS camera repair out of Miami and left them my baby girl for a free testing evaluation. I called Monday and learned that she needed some serious surgery...
-Card mechanism needs to be repaired
-Autofocus needs to be repaired
-i think they are gonna change the whole card part..
-and regular cleaning plus 6mo warranty

A whopping $240! and She would be away for 2-3 weeeks!

Forget the money! My baby would be gone for soo long and I am going to Chicago in a week.
I've been an emotional wreck since, I'm getting teary just typing about it now.
My camera has been through a lot with me and she has taught me and helped me get where I am now. Being without her hurts soo much. Together we make money, we capture dreams, life, and put smiles on peoples faces. I miss her so much and now she's in some camera hospital bed in New Jersey, alone... I miss my camera so much, as pathetic as it sounds she means the world to me and my heart won't be the same until she returns.

With my camera being away 3 shoots I had planned have been put on hold, thank God they were not serious paying customers but it did put my business into check. I always new I needed a backup camera but I never actually got one, plus at SCAD I could always rent one. But I need my own equipment.

Camera shopping has been tough because my mom is on me about getting something brand new and with her even helping with that. But that is just a no mommy land! She doesn't fully understand my passion and she is the last person I'd want to owe for a camera. Every camera I buy and every lens I buy is from my earnings doing what I love. I just can't have her or anyone else really disturb that selfsatisfaction I get when it has to do with what I love.
My back up camera should be identical if not a little older than my primary camera. My camera has been discontinued and replaced by the D5100 but after all I learned i decided i was not going to get a brand new camera until i could afford a full frame camera from Nikon's professional grade cameras.
Anyway, in my shopping for used/refurbished items I just wanted a camera body with warranty and the difference between a refurbished D5000 and D5100 was about $75.
Researching the difference I learned the following:

Summary:

1.The D5100 has an increased sensor resolution over the D5000
2.The D5100 has a wider ISO range than the D5000
3.The D5100 can shoot at 1080p while the D5000 can only shoot at 720p
4.The D5100 is smaller and lighter than the D5000
5.The D5000 is hinged at the bottom while the D5100 is hinged on the side
6.The D5100 has a slightly larger LCD screen than the D5000

Read more: Difference Between Nikon D5000 and Nikon D5100 | Difference Between | Nikon D5000 vs Nikon D5100 http://www.differencebetween.net/object/difference-between-nikon-d5000-and-nikon-d5100/#ixzz22zChUgiD

Therefore about an hour ago I ordered a D5100. after reading the differences the $75 difference was worth the sensor and extra megapixels.
The only sad feeling is that it would make my camera the back up but I guess not all the time. I just have to figure out how I want to go about this. I'd probably use each camera primarily for different purposes. I'm just happy to finally have a backup and I'm happy I won't have to go to Chicago next week without a camera.
My brother was like, "I didn't know you were taking pictures in Chicago" ........ SERIOUSLY BRO! I'm a photographer! A future Documentary photographer everywhere is a new opportunity to shoot the next best image, catch the greatest moments, and experiment.

I'm not as happy as I should for getting this D5100 but I hope this new camera doesn't take it personally lol. But my D5000 will always be my baby, she's my first, my companion, she's me.

Pray for my camera and for me!
<3


Everything happens for a reason and only time will reveal the truth.