Got the offer of a new camera system

[Gary A.]

That Fuji XT-1 is a sexy-looking beast!!

http://www.bestmirrorlesscamerarevi...1/XT1_Front-Left_VerticalGrip_BlackBK-r70.jpg

LOL ... I have a pair of 'em.

 

[bribrius]

It was my birthday a few days ago and my 3 oldest children got together and suggested that I buy a camera, any camera and they would pay for it.
I asked what money are we talking about and they said anything up to 5 or 6 k.

I love street photography, really like the form factor of my Olympus and have pretty much all the lenses I need. I never print larger than 11 x 14 so I don't really need more megapixels. I wouldn't mind a full-frame, but my absolute requirements are - easy to handle and light to carry, sharp lenses and fast focus.

Who wants to get loaded down with big heavy cameras and bigger, heavier lenses?

My needs/wants pretty much fell in line with this http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/full_frame_myth.shtml

The Sony A7 line really tempted me, slightly larger, really decent lenses now and many more to come (supposedly), great high iso and gorgeous quality. What turned me off was the slowness to focus. (My omd-5 is lightning fast). Regardless of all the poncing about about Sony, I wasn't concerned about Sony abandoning the camera business in 3 or 4 years; life is too short to worry about that.

Well I thought about it a lot, looked at all the available cameras and thought really hard - and decided not to buy anything now.
For me it was a triumph over GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) and more of a focus on the real purpose of all this effort, which is making pictures.

missed this.
A belated happy birthday to you lew.

 

[gsgary]

Or a D810 and some primes [emoji106][emoji106][emoji106][emoji106][emoji106][emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

He doesn't sound boring and want to follow the crowd and that it not a good camera for street photography

 

[gsgary]

My last street camera cost me £8.50 comes with a super sharp Sonnar lens and fast to use it's a Rollei 35XF
Only camera I can suggest is A7 if you want full frame

 

[Fred Berg]

I think with that sort of money I would love a Leica M Monochrom.

 

[ronlane]

Well dang it Lew. You should have said that you needed a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II and a Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L IS II. Then you could have re-gifted them to me and EVERYONE would have been so happy.

The kids that they got you something, you because you were able to give something and not have things laying around that you wouldn't/couldn't use. See it's a WIN/WIN/WIN situation.

All joking aside, congrats Lew. That you have loving kids that want to get you what you want and that you were able to kick the GAS this time.

 

[D-B-J]

What about leica??

 

[gsgary]

I think with that sort of money I would love a Leica M Monochrom.

They take a bit of getting used to especially processing

 

[gsgary]

What about leica??

Yes best mirrorless on the market especially the film versions

 

[JoeW]

It was my birthday a few days ago and my 3 oldest children got together and suggested that I buy a camera, any camera and they would pay for it.
I asked what money are we talking about and they said anything up to 5 or 6 k.

I love street photography, really like the form factor of my Olympus and have pretty much all the lenses I need. I never print larger than 11 x 14 so I don't really need more megapixels. I wouldn't mind a full-frame, but my absolute requirements are - easy to handle and light to carry, sharp lenses and fast focus.

Who wants to get loaded down with big heavy cameras and bigger, heavier lenses?

My needs/wants pretty much fell in line with this http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/full_frame_myth.shtml

The Sony A7 line really tempted me, slightly larger, really decent lenses now and many more to come (supposedly), great high iso and gorgeous quality. What turned me off was the slowness to focus. (My omd-5 is lightning fast). Regardless of all the poncing about about Sony, I wasn't concerned about Sony abandoning the camera business in 3 or 4 years; life is too short to worry about that.

Well I thought about it a lot, looked at all the available cameras and thought really hard - and decided not to buy anything now.
For me it was a triumph over GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) and more of a focus on the real purpose of all this effort, which is making pictures.

Kudos to you sir. Not so much b/c you resisted GAS (which is a serious issue for many guys and almost all photographers). But b/c you were very clear about what you like to shoot, what your priorities are, and what you need to shoot them. That clarity is to be commended.

Okay, so you've got kids who want to buy something for you. Here are some suggestions that instead of focusing on gear, focus on people-watching/street photography opportunities. Have them buy you a trip someplace where you can do some different people watching. How about Las Ramblas in Barcelona? Or the Arbat/Novy Arbat in Moscow? Plaza Mejor in Madrid or the central square in Antigua, Guatemala. Or with the weather getting colder in DC (people wearing more clothing, fewer outdoor market opportunities), a trip to someplace warmer in the US with a good central market and diverse people? Or enroll in a class/workshop or two if you like those kind of learning environments. I know you like the interaction here on TPF and you enjoy meetings other folks for the conversation. So how about they pay for membership in a couple of photography/art societies in the DC area, ones that have photographic groups that meet monthly to converse, talk tradecraft, showoff work, etc..

 

[waday]

Happy Birthday!

 

[runnah]

Ooo how about a drone!

 

[annamaria]

Happy for you Lew. I'd say go to Europe and have fun. Either way let us know what you decide.

 

[D-B-J]

I'm a bit strange in that I can't have something around that I don't use and buying something that I know I won't use is against the grain for me.
I am going to Laos for most of February anyway and, if my wife is able, to Italy in the fall for a month.
It was the 'free camera' business that got me thinking.
I see too many posts from people just wanting to buy stuff - and its clear they love gear and the picture stuff just happens to go along with it.
I don't want to get sucked into that thinking.

I sometimes think I fall into that category. I'm a gear junkie. I'll never have all the lenses and bodies I'll want [emoji12]

 

[The_Traveler]

What about leica??

No, according to the rules, I'd have to start mentioning the Leica in three out of every four posts and I'd forget and they'd kick me out of the club.