More Camera Woes

I seem to be cursed when it comes to cameras. I won't go over my whole sad history, but just go back a bit.

• Summer 2006, camera dropped into the Atlantic. It dries out, but dies anyway.
• Summer 2007, replacement camera gets beach sand inside it and the lens refuses to open.
• Late summer 2007, the lens cover of the replacement-replacement camera won't shut all the way. Or open all the way. It stays part-way open-- enough to take pictures, but not enough to protect the lens.

The good news is that B&H Photo has a 90-day warranty on all their used equipment and this is covered. Part of the reason I bought a refurbished camera from them is because I kept hearing good things about their customer service, but as far as I'm concerned the jury is still out on that. When I called them today about it, it took me several minutes to actually speak to a person after following the voice prompts and then that person connected me to someone else. The second someone else didn't seem to understand at first what I meant about the lens cover sticking-- I am going to be generous and assume that he just works with so many more DSLRs than point and shoots that he is not used to the lens cover being a mechanical part of the camera instead of a removable piece. Even though this is a common problem with Canon Powershots-- common enough that I didn't buy one to replace the Summer 2006 camera in the first place. When I asked how long it would take, he just told me that "it depends on the repair line." One week? Two months? Come on. When pressed, he told me 3 weeks, but I suspect he was making it up to get me off the phone.