i am a camera

some people generally think my abilities are limited, but i would have to respectfully disagree. ok, so true, i am innately an inanimate object. i don't have legs or wings or fins or telekinetic powers that can allow me to move of my own volition. as far as self-propulsion, yes, i am extremely limited and dependent upon something else to carry me about. but i would still disagree. now, some people have questioned whether or not its hard only having one eye and lacking depth perception. true, i cannot perceive depth, and that would be extremely bothersome if i had to direct my own movements. as we have previously discussed, however, i do not even move on my own, and that simple fact negates the need for depth perception. at least as far as i can tell. in answer to those people, no, it is not difficult having only one eye.

let me take a step back. when people refer to my limitations, they are referring, i think, to cameras in general. i guess, with such a broad scope, i can somewhat agree. in the past, my cousins have been somewhat weak and have had their definite and obvious shortcomings. . .

hold on, this kid is staring at me, and i can't think straight. excuse me, hi, can i help you with something? what's that, a robot you say? a transformer?! well thank you, but no, i am a camera. yes, i do have some shiny exterior coverings that could possibly be compared to the exo-skeleton of a gnarly beetle, but that doesn't necessarily mean i am a robot in disguise. thank you for the compliment though, i like to fantasize that i am a distant cousin, or possibly the beginnings of such creatures on this earth.  

wow, well that was quite the pleasant surprise! a transformer! what a fantastic compliment. but i guess its easy to see how one so young, with an active imagination still intact, would think me a transformer, what with this armored covering i wear. actually, i've been working out a bit lately, can you tell? i can now support HD video. yeah, that's right, HD. i don't even know what to work on next! sorry, i digress, where was i? yes, my older family members and their restrictions. ah, but now things have changed! i remember stories my uncle used to tell us when we were small. he would relate to us the tales of his human. oh, how he loved the outdoors and the adventure! i can still see my uncle's lens glaze over as he wistfully traveled back to that time. the mountain ranges, the rivers and lakes, the frozen tundras. then, after a pause, he regretfully recalls the countless occasions he was left in the tent or the backpack because the day's adventures were too rigorous or dangerous for something as frail as uncle. and of course there were the unexpected times when adventure befell them, a waterfall to climb, a sea cave to explore, the onset of a blizzard. uncle was so excited to think that he might finally be able to take part in such stories of heroic valor and brutal challenge out of necessity. alas, it was not so! the human went to great extents to shelter uncle from these exposures.

oh how i would love to meet that human! someone needs to prove to him that no longer are us cameras a thing to coddle and protect. no longer will we limit the explorations of humans. nay, the cap is on the other lens now, my friend! i would set the record straight, and make cameras all across the globe proud to exist.

its not necessarily that i hold active animosity towards humans. to the contrary, we still form something of a team of mutual benefits. their days of assumed superiority are coming to an abrupt halt, however. no longer am i the slave, the weak link, the fortunate one to be allowed to tag along. no longer will my brethren be the limiting factor on anymore outdoor excursions! we are tougher, we set the standards, we are the ones who would persevere in the face of inclement weather when the humans have been forced to ground. when the team takes a bad step and a tumble down a mountain, who is the first one to recover and check on his partner? that's right, i am! 

so, if we want to discuss limitations, lets discuss the human. i'd personally like to see one of them survive the rigorous training i went through before i was allowed out into the world. i would like to see one of them try to record some HD footage while going over a frigid waterfall and be ready to continue on. in fact, i am pretty sure we will be the ones going on solo adventures, leaving our humans on the shores of safety while we become an extension of their adventures, daring to plunge into situations too dangerous for them. yes, that is correct, i just said that the camera will be braving expeditions too dangerous for those fragile humans. is it really so hard to get your head around?