Help Replace Broken Lens to Continue Filming in Alaska

Hey everyone, it feels strange making one of these, but I'm exhausting all options here. In the process of filming videos for my YouTube channel, I had not one but two lenses break on me within the last three weeks. In short, this means I’m done photographing or filming.

My 85mm motor broke and the focus ring just spins. This was frustrating because I regularly use this lens and it wasn’t old.

My 150-600mm lens, which I use to film nearly everything, is completely busted. The internals have blown out. Since September, the lens started detaching itself from the camera body, the autofocus stopped working at 150mm, and there was movement or “play” in the lens itself. It got really bad last weekend, so I opened up the back end, and the pieces detached way too easily. All the hardware was loose, and the computer strip that controls the lens and allows the camera to recognize it was busted off the motherboard.

This comes at a time when I spent all my savings to move from Maryland to Alaska. I was starting to film a project to pitch to TV networks, and now, during the short summer window, I can’t photograph or film anything.

I knew most of my gear was on its way out. I was hoping it would last through summer and fall so I could upgrade this winter. This GoFundMe is just for the cost of a new lens. To replace the one I have now is $1,700, but I’m switching camera systems and the lens I need is $2,800. I have zero hopes or expectations of meeting this goal, but if you read this far, thank you for taking the time to read about my situation.