We were running late as we loaded the camera equipment into the car and headed to Wiesbaden. The weather was perfect – a nice, sunny and warm day. We arrived at the stadium as the Wiesbaden Phantoms were playing the Königsbrunn Ants in an American football game.

We found seats in the stands and, as Wolf got the monopod ready, I put the Tamron 300mm/2.8 on the camera and hooked up the Quantum Turbo 2×2. The Fuji S2 Pro all ready to go, I turned the Quantum on, then switched the Fuji on…nothing. Hmmmm. I turned it off, then back on…still nothing. Uh oh.

I always check my equipment before I leave the house. Except today. Since we were running late, I didn’t have time.

I ran through it all in my mind. I had put new batteries in the camera the week before when the same thing happened in my studio. I hadn’t left the camera on in either case – so I’m not sure why the camera drained the batteries.

So Wolf, armed with the camera body, made his way out to the car in search of (and my hope that I had packed them) an extra set of batteries. He was back within ten minutes with the camera in working order. I settled into the game, but the dead camera was always in the back of my mind. Did I leave the camera on by mistake? No. Were the batteries new? Yes. Were they good? I don’t know.

The Fuji S2 has been a workhorse for me; dependable and a joy to use.

Needless to say, the situation will be monitored…

Here’s wishing you good light…but don’t forget the extra batteries!