My want list for equipment has crossed way into the 5 digit range, with a big dollar sign in front. House’s thermal imaging camera just went on that list (thats what you get when I watch tv and blog at the same time). I have convinced myself to a certain degree that there are situations where I will absolutely need these pieces of equipments. You can’t go on a trip of a lifetime and not capture it with the best possible gear available. I have the following two possible situation that may happen if I don’t spend all my money on camera equipment:
a) Safari to the Masai Mara in Kenya. Safari = animals = massive tele zoom for those gorgeous wildlife shots.I have my eye on a lens which goes by the nickname Bigma (the sigma 50-500mm) or the Canon wild life lens a.k.a. the 100-400 IS L for this trip.
b) Trek to Patagonia or Snow Lake to shoot the mind blowing panoramas. I would definately need the wide angle view of the Canon 10-22mm. Having a superzoom in my arsenal to capture the first images EVER of snow leopards capturing a prey in its natural habitat would also be a wise choice.
If you have lusted over these lenses, you will know that the choice is pretty clear. Airline ticket or the lens. But there is another option, and it is actually a pretty good option. Rent your dream lens for that dream trip, you get the trip and the lens without compromising too much. The lens rental won’t be free and yes you will have to return it, but it would be a fraction of the cost. Following is a list of websites that will let you rent most lenses from the comfort of your couch.
My Mumford Time Machine arrived today. Is this programmable controller and intervalometer as awesome as it sounds? Unfortunately, I am missing a cable to connect it to my camera, so I will have to wait to test this. Check back later to see Moto the dog test the time machine, IR sensor and the sound sensor.
If you are a camera junkie like me, the temptations of specs is all around. Just the other day I read the rumor that the next 1D Mark IV will have 18.2mp Full Frame 12fps 65 zone Metering 48 AF Points. Numbers can be beautiful can’t they? As long as they aren’t followed by a nasty dollar sign, they are to me. Such a body (now I really sound like a geek) would be a great addition to my humble equipment collection. It would take my photography to the next level. Ladies will swoon at my portfolio while the millionaires would run their coffers dry in an attempt to own a piece of my work. The initial price would be a drop in the ocean, an investment to release my creative potential that will awe the entire world. If at first this doesn’t work, the lack of L lenses would be the only logical reason and that could easily be overcome, by some smart investment. Or so it goes in one side of my head.
The question always lingers, do I need to upgrade my equipment. Would that lens or new camera body provide a benefit to justify the cost? I still shoot with my true and trusted Rebel XT, its old school LCD and lack of spot metering is so retro that it will be all the rage next season. But below all the fluff and candy it is an extremely good DSLR. 8 megapixels are sufficient for most of my needs. Yes the ISO performance could be better, the frame rate could be better, and the auto focusing could also use some work. But if I had a 5D, I am sure I would come up with similar excuses to hide my own flaws. Don’t get me wrong, there have been many occasions where that extra frame rate might have helped me catch that photo that my XT refused to take as it’s buffer was a little full. But then again I can only say “might” with certainty.
Here is my list of questions which will help you decide whether you should upgrade your camera or not.
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