The Silverbloggers Chronicles #10: A Tale of Two Lenses

Hey, I'm Canon Ixus. And I need to spill my guts.

I've got an big brother named Nikon Z50. We both live with Hive account@pavelsku. And here's the deal.

My brother Nikon gets all the perks. He scores the best lenses. Telephoto, wide-angle, you name it. He gets the top-notch batteries. He even snagged some macro lenses recently. Sure, he had to use them to stare at spiders, beetles, flies, and other gross stuff, but still. Where's the justice? Brother Nikon has everything, and I've got zilch. Just a crappy, beat-up polyester case with a Velcro strap that barely holds together.

Recently, bro Nikon even got a new outfit. This super cool silicone jacket, supposedly to prevent scratches when he's out. Even got a camo design to stay incognito. I mean, seriously, anyone who looks at him gets startled... Whatever. When I look at myself, people should probably be more scared of me. My screen's scratched, edges are worn, a gouge across the lens cover... I'm definitely not winning any beauty contests like brother Nikon. I'm probably just worthless.

I slumped into the corner of the drawer where I usually sleep and started feeling sorry for myself again.

That annoying Nikon spent the weekend at the pond outside town. Bird watching, he said. Seagulls, swans... apparently there was even a heron. And me? I was stuck in the drawer all weekend. What's next? Will I ever get out again?

I discovered I still had a bit of battery left and my PC buddy was broadcasting a Wi-Fi signal. I connected and found my folder. If nothing else, I'd at least browse some memories.

Oh, look — rocky mountain peaks. Right, Hive account@pavelsku was climbing some two-thousand-meter peak and didn't want to lug around the big brother. Man, we had some good times. That scuff down there? Totally from that trip. If Nikon had gotten scratched like this, he'd have fallen apart — what a prima donna. But us tough guys wear our battle scars with pride.

And here — that cycling trip in Scotland. I mean, who wants to carry a bulky beast when they can have me? We saw so much in the Scottish Highlands... We were geocaching. One cache was up a tree; Hive account@pavelsku wanted to climb but somehow was missing a third hand to grab onto. Let me tell you, that fall from the tree was epic. Well, it wasn't Hive account@pavelsku who fell — it was me. This bent lens cover? Proof right here. But we landed okay. We Ixuses don't go down easy.

I scrolled through my PC folders, remembering. How many times I got soaked, ended up in mud or among rocks, riding in bike pockets or hanging from a strap on a rock face or canyon over a river. Remembering where every scratch and dent came from.

And then it hit me.

Sure, my spoiled brother Nikon always gets the cream of the crop. He's been to world cities. He goes to cultural events, festivals, sports matches. He visits the most beautiful nature spots. There are even whispers about models. But he doesn't experience what I do. He doesn't live the real adventures.

I'm small, but tough. I'm cheap, and let's be honest, totally replaceable. And that's my huge advantage. Hive account@pavelsku won't take Nikon in a canoe, and if he does, it'll be wrapped in multiple waterproof layers. But me? I go everywhere. Into mountains and caves, on bike rides and to swimming holes. It's true the adventures aren't like they used to be — they're getting fewer and farther between — but I'm still here and ready. Maybe I'll wear out and die someday. But hey, nobody lives forever.

Actually, I've got no reason to be jealous of brother Nikon. We're a team, pulling together. And maybe we've still got some miles left in us.

Just like in the last few articles, I'm alerting you to a new photography challenge #samebutdifferent. We'll kick off the first round today.

@hive-174812/same-but-different-round-1-milk-and-dairy-products