Camera Make DSLR unusable temporarily

So, the problem is that my relative asked me to give him my camera for his family trip of 10 days. Problem is that they are careless and personally, I dont want to give them my camera. So my question is simple, is there any way to make my DSLR unusable temporarily so that I can just tell them its not functioning properly and I will soon give it for a repair. My camera is Nikon D5200 with basic 18-55 mm lens.
 
So, the problem is that my relative asked me to give him my camera for his family trip of 10 days. Problem is that they are careless and personally, I dont want to give them my camera. So my question is simple, is there any way to make my DSLR unusable temporarily so that I can just tell them its not functioning properly and I will soon give it for a repair. My camera is Nikon D5200 with basic 18-55 mm lens.
Give the camera to some friend and tell them that you have given it for repairs.

In my opinion, stop trying to be a 'good guy' in front of your relatives. Tell them clearly why you don't want to loan them such an expensive item. If they have some self respect, they will decline themselves.
 
Give the camera to some friend and tell them that you have given it for repairs.

In my opinion, stop trying to be a 'good guy' in front of your relatives. Tell them clearly why you don't want to loan them such an expensive item. If they have some self respect, they will decline themselves.
Thats the problem, they dont have any self respect, they dont care what u think or feel, its been always their habit to ask for expensive items, they asked and had taken my sister's new gearless vehicle to teach his daugher (my cousin sister) to learn how to drive ( and then purchase new one for her after learning). They just want to get it. But I think I have had enough, this time I will not tolerate it. They basically asked my father for it, and good thing is that my father didnt directly said yes but said he will ask me. My father is saying if u dont wanna give it, then there is no need to give it.

But still if there is some other trick, it would be useful.
 
1) easiest option is to coat/cover the battery tabs with something non-conductive so that the camera won't switch on.
2) if you have the heart to temporarily brick your camera then load an incompatible firmware. :p
3) open up the battery charger and see if there's something that can be disconnected.
4) cover the ambient light sensor so that it's difficult to take 'nice' pics.
5) put it in one of those PASM modes and change the settings for really messed up pictures. but they are going to fiddle with the dial and eventually land at the auto mode.
 
But still if there is some other trick, it would be useful

The best trick, in my experience, is to say no. tactfully and politely, but it should be a clear and firm no. they should get the message, it shouldn't sound like an excuse.

they may resent you for a short while, but if they're actually relatives worth keeping relations with, they will get over it. if not, screw them, i say. this works in the long term very well.

sorry that this isn't the answer to your question, but imo it's the right answer.
 
^ This. Just say no to them directly. It's your camera and you have a right to say no to them without fearing anything. If they pester you just tell them you love the camera a lot and cannot give it to someone who does not care for others property.
 
1) easiest option is to coat/cover the battery tabs with something non-conductive so that the camera won't switch on.
2) if you have the heart to temporarily brick your camera then load an incompatible firmware. :p
3) open up the battery charger and see if there's something that can be disconnected.
4) cover the ambient light sensor so that it's difficult to take 'nice' pics.
5) put it in one of those PASM modes and change the settings for really messed up pictures. but they are going to fiddle with the dial and eventually land at the auto mode.
the first one is actually a very good solution, I can even show them that its not turning on, dont have heart for second one, fourth one is actually very good for trolling, fifth is not possible because before taking camera they will make me put it in auto mode.

The best trick, in my experience, is to say no. tactfully and politely, but it should be a clear and firm no. they should get the message, it shouldn't sound like an excuse.

they may resent you for a short while, but if they're actually relatives worth keeping relations with, they will get over it. if not, screw them, i say. this works in the long term very well.

sorry that this isn't the answer to your question, but imo it's the right answer.
Its actually the best answer, u r right, if they are worth keeping relations, they will understand, otherwise as u said, screw them.

^ This. Just say no to them directly. It's your camera and you have a right to say no to them without fearing anything. If they pester you just tell them you love the camera a lot and cannot give it to someone who does not care for others property.
I think a direct no is also a great option for long term as Julian also said, the more I give them, the more greedy they will become, this may be only the first of many, and giving excuses everytime is meaningless, just say no once and its all over. They will atleast think after this, since we never said no to them, and that will be great.

I will either be using non conductive option or a direct "NO" option, more inclined towards the latter. Thanks everyone for the replies, u people have encouraged me a lot for a direct no (which I think I am gonna do). I will tell you people what happened.
 
they asked and had taken my sister's new gearless vehicle to teach his daugher (my cousin sister) to learn how to drive ( and then purchase new one for her after learning)

WTF. Why would you give your car to a learner. I mean, what are driving schools for.

One of my schoolmate met me after 20 years. That time I had a crape bandage on my wrist due to some accident. He shamelessly asked " As you can't drive, I need your car for 3 days". He was moving.
And I was, like - WTF!!! Told him there are others in family who need it.

Some people are shameless and have no respect for other people's money/stuff. Better to say no.

If you wan't to close the chapter for such folks .. spread that you had a bad past experience with a friend or so damaging your products and incurring loss for you. And so you are not comfortable in lending delicate items .
Another way is ask for a even costlier item.. with some indication of risk. Since they have bought their car, ask them to give it to you for a weekend to go out with friends. Tell them it will be a roadies drive on some nearby hills or so.

From personal experience - People in family start taking you for granted, if you never say no. Therefore develop a habit to say no. There is no point in doing something that you are not comfortable with and then feeling stressed till it is returned safely.
 
Don't do anything to your own camera, it could ruin it for you too! Just say you need it for a project during the same days as the holiday. Your friend/band/whatever needs some photos and you have to take them.
 
dude why all this drama huh?
look them in the eyes and say "no" if you cant its your fault.What will happen?
plus if they are cheap enough to ask "why" just say "a lens is expensive and fragile, since you dont have one, u cant be trusted to care for one"'
 
WTF. Why would you give your car to a learner. I mean, what are driving schools for.

One of my schoolmate met me after 20 years. That time I had a crape bandage on my wrist due to some accident. He shamelessly asked " As you can't drive, I need your car for 3 days". He was moving.
And I was, like - WTF!!! Told him there are others in family who need it.

Some people are shameless and have no respect for other people's money/stuff. Better to say no.

If you wan't to close the chapter for such folks .. spread that you had a bad past experience with a friend or so damaging your products and incurring loss for you. And so you are not comfortable in lending delicate items .
Another way is ask for a even costlier item.. with some indication of risk. Since they have bought their car, ask them to give it to you for a weekend to go out with friends. Tell them it will be a roadies drive on some nearby hills or so.

From personal experience - People in family start taking you for granted, if you never say no. Therefore develop a habit to say no. There is no point in doing something that you are not comfortable with and then feeling stressed till it is returned safely.

Absolutely true.
 
Thank u guys for the reply, it has given me a huge boost to directly say "NO" in their face. I am gonna skip all the excuses and it will be a direct no since I cant afford to give them such an expensive item. And another problem is that if by mistake something happens to camera, they will just give me as it is, and will not be going to pay its repair cost ( I know them from a long time and I know they are not going to pay for it), and once a device starts giving problems, it becomes a regular thing. So a big thank u to all u guys.

P.S. It is going to be an interesting expression on their face when I say "NO", too bad I cant use my camera at that time.
 
Hello Parag Sinha.

I hope that encounter went okay and to your liking.

Those up-thread who said "Just say no." are exactly on the mark.

Some people, especially immature people, who would ask to borrow your camera, lens, car, fountain pen, or other fine instrument simply do not understand things that are delicate, precise, and expensive to buy and keep in perfect condition. I know a lot of people who own nice things, and I would never even think of asking to borrow those fine things from them.

When I was young in this hobby I loaned a Yashica-Mat 124 TLR to a fellow at work. He returned it with the folding viewfinder damaged. Fortunately, Yashica repaired it for me for not much. Later, another fellow borrowed a Nikkor 28mm f3.5 from me, and returned it with a scratch on the glass, which removed the coating. He had put a fingerprint over the scratch, hoping I would not notice. Then, when I asked him what had happened, he denied scratching it. I know for a FACT that the glass had no scratch when loaned, because I had inspected it carefully before lending it. I learned. Never again. That was about 1968, almost fifty years ago.

Never lend a fine instrument to anyone who is not able or inclined to make it right if things go wrong.

I guess if someone asked me if they could borrow my camera, I would probably say:
"I hope you will understand, but I have a few expensive and delicate things that I simply do not lend out. My Nikon is one of them."

If the friendship cannot survive that, then you don't really have much of a friendship at risk there in the first place.

Happy Day. :)
 
Hello Parag Sinha.

I hope that encounter went okay and to your liking.

Those up-thread who said "Just say no." are exactly on the mark.

Some people, especially immature people, who would ask to borrow your camera, lens, car, fountain pen, or other fine instrument simply do not understand things that are delicate, precise, and expensive to buy and keep in perfect condition. I know a lot of people who own nice things, and I would never even think of asking to borrow those fine things from them.

When I was young in this hobby I loaned a Yashica-Mat 124 TLR to a fellow at work. He returned it with the folding viewfinder damaged. Fortunately, Yashica repaired it for me for not much. Later, another fellow borrowed a Nikkor 28mm f3.5 from me, and returned it with a scratch on the glass, which removed the coating. He had put a fingerprint over the scratch, hoping I would not notice. Then, when I asked him what had happened, he denied scratching it. I know for a FACT that the glass had no scratch when loaned, because I had inspected it carefully before lending it. I learned. Never again. That was about 1968, almost fifty years ago.

Never lend a fine instrument to anyone who is not able or inclined to make it right if things go wrong.

I guess if someone asked me if they could borrow my camera, I would probably say:
"I hope you will understand, but I have a few expensive and delicate things that I simply do not lend out. My Nikon is one of them."

If the friendship cannot survive that, then you don't really have much of a friendship at risk there in the first place.

Happy Day. :)
sir you are more experienced then 99.5% of us here.
 
Thank u guys for the reply, it has given me a huge boost to directly say "NO" in their face. I am gonna skip all the excuses and it will be a direct no since I cant afford to give them such an expensive item. And another problem is that if by mistake something happens to camera, they will just give me as it is, and will not be going to pay its repair cost ( I know them from a long time and I know they are not going to pay for it), and once a device starts giving problems, it becomes a regular thing. So a big thank u to all u guys.

P.S. It is going to be an interesting expression on their face when I say "NO", too bad I cant use my camera at that time.

So curious to know what was their expression on saying "NO" ?
BTW, Have you said "NO" ? :)
 
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