Bikermouse, Hey, don't disparage those Minoltas! I still grieve for mine. More than 2 decades of faithful, reliable, wonderful service, including taking a rock meant for my head, through waterfalls, up granite, and under snow-melt (that's where it took the rock). It died in the talcuum-fine sands of the Navaho Reservation. That dust penetrated everything. Now I AM feeling blue. :( Anyway, I'm taking a friend to Yosemite the weekend of the Perseid shower.... Is that about when you plan to be up there? Carolly