Do you take this camera, for better or worse, in sickness and...

I bought a camera 22 months ago. Seems like an eon (noun: an indefinite and very long period of time, often a period exaggerated for humorous or rhetorical effect) ago. I love this camera. It's discrete in size. Has in camera stabilization, 4K, and a bunch of stuff. I'm pleased with the photos (see David Rosen). So, WHY DO I SPEND SO MUCH TIME THINKING ABOUT BUYING A CAMERA? This camera is not waterproof. Neither am I. I have had to cradle it from drops of rain and flakes of snow, but not very often. I looked at the sister to this camera that is weatherproof, a little bigger and has more dials and buttons. I DO NOT NEED ANY MORE DIALS AND BUTTONS! And would I really buy a new camera that is almost identical in specs just because it is weatherproof? Tell me, Doctor, what am I suffering from?

Why not just wait till it breaks. At 22 months, not long to wait.

GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). Very common among photographers, SCUBA divers, hunters, archers, etc. Ask yourself the following: What real advantage will I gain by purchasing that new piece of gear? How will it materially contribute to the quality of my photography, and is that improvement proportional to the cost? For me, I moved up to a D7100 from a D5100 primarily for the substantially increased resolution, sensor performance, and, mostly, external controls (in lieu of nested menus). Was it worth it? Yes. Are my images better? Maybe, but only to the degree I make use of the higher performance features of the more advanced body, or I can rapidly make the adjustments necessary to capture a fleeting opportunity. Otherwise, no.

Very philosophical, gear lust.

Very philosophical, gear lust.

Very good choice of words. I will endeavor to reach a higher state of consciousness to overcome this lust.

Panasonic has an extended warranty at B&H (three years) till end of March, if you can't resist.

WHY DO I SPEND SO MUCH TIME THINKING ABOUT BUYING A CAMERA?

“No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking.” —Voltaire :)

Lust is Good. . .go for it !!!! Aloha, Bill

;) The diagnosis is clear - you’re too young. The older you get, the fewer knobs you need.

While there were frequent, mostly minor changes, the East German (socialist production, that is) Prakticas had basically 4 or so SLR models from 1938 to 1989:

Praktiflex. Praktica, Praktica L, and Praktica B.

 

Capitalist production of SLRs, in Japan, had myriad models, with many real and major changes in the same time.

 

As even Marx recognized, one of the strengths of capitalism is this inexorable 'progress' through competition.

 

I will stipulate that I still enjoy my Praktica Ls, but for work, I use my Canon EOS cameras. o_O

Advertising, one of the backbones of Capitalism, can lead to excesses of consumerism. Capitalism, like many things, is ok in moderation.

I stopped thinking about hand held cameras as something entire; I see them usually as part of at least a pair. So while I advocate a marriage like relationship with them, I no way say "monogamy" in that context. - If you (plan to) have 2 lenses you like, getting a 2nd body you like is far from sick in my eyes. - I did encounter the issue that broken / badly loaded or powerless and even "forgotten at home" bodies don't take pictures and still believe that grabbing the other camera is faster than juggling lenses or a nice diversion, while waiting for a buffer to flush. - YMMV. I haven't made up my mind which later and greater body to add to my kits someday, but so far I usually dragged up to 2 previous bodies along with the greatest I had, when I was trying to cover events or such. I had 2 cases where a 2nd body enabled me to take something as simple as a head shot: One time the printing machine at the train station did not take either SD or CF cards (and each camera I brought had one slot only); the other I noticed my 100mm had a jammed AF mechanism, so I was glad to have a 135mm on the other camera.

Like the Sultan's wives, some of my cameras see lengthy waits.

I stopped thinking about hand held cameras as something entire; I see them usually as part of at least a pair. So while I advocate a marriage like relationship with them, I no way say "monogamy" in that context. - If you (plan to) have 2 lenses you like, getting a 2nd body you like is far from sick in my eyes. - I did encounter the issue that broken / badly loaded or powerless and even "forgotten at home" bodies don't take pictures and still believe that grabbing the other camera is faster than juggling lenses or a nice diversion, while waiting for a buffer to flush. - YMMV. I haven't made up my mind which later and greater body to add to my kits someday, but so far I usually dragged up to 2 previous bodies along with the greatest I had, when I was trying to cover events or such. I had 2 cases where a 2nd body enabled me to take something as simple as a head shot: One time the printing machine at the train station did not take either SD or CF cards (and each camera I brought had one slot only); the other I noticed my 100mm had a jammed AF mechanism, so I was glad to have a 135mm on the other camera.

I thought of a second body yesterday as I juggled lenses. I intended to take landscapes with a wide angle. Suddenly, there were ducks and squirrels all over the place!

Grats! That sounds like a resolved inner conflict, David.

On a forum I frequent one member has that tagline "Beware the man with one gun. He probably knows how to use it." There are people on that forum with twenty or thirty guitars. I pay attention to the the example of professionals on this and other fora who regard their cameras as tools. I'd like to have a great set-up for doing macro work. Have I ever done it? No. Have I had a need to do it? No. Am I likely to start if I had the equipment? Ummh, but it looks so interesting! Eyes bigger than stomach. GAS. If it was so damn important then I'd have set up a shooting stage with controlled lighting and rented a 1:1 lens for a week. Did I? Should I? Will I?

I bought a camera 22 months ago. Seems like an eon (noun: an indefinite and very long period of time, often a period exaggerated for humorous or rhetorical effect) ago. I love this camera. It's discrete in size. Has in camera stabilization, 4K, and a bunch of stuff. I'm pleased with the photos (see David Rosen). So, WHY DO I SPEND SO MUCH TIME THINKING ABOUT BUYING A CAMERA? This camera is not waterproof. Neither am I. I have had to cradle it from drops of rain and flakes of snow, but not very often. I looked at the sister to this camera that is weatherproof, a little bigger and has more dials and buttons. I DO NOT NEED ANY MORE DIALS AND BUTTONS! And would I really buy a new camera that is almost identical in specs just because it is weatherproof? Tell me, Doctor, what am I suffering from?

 

Some people divorce before 22 months but of course for those who do I would assume that they would consider the marriage was a mistake. So in your case I think you made a mistake buying your camera.

I'll be 76 years young next week and photography, in one form or another has been my hobby for about 40 years. I can not count the cameras I have had but remember most of them fondly. I still have some sleeping in storage boxes or on display in my office. Still in use are my digital slr's ( Nikon) , with probably too many lenses, and one Panasonic bridge camera. All function as well as they did when I purchased them. I am not going to get published in Sports Illustrated or Nat Geo. My kids and grand kids have enough of my pictures. I don't get large prints any more. 12 or 24 mpg is enough for me. A 70-300 lens is long enough. A 10-20 is wide enough. I don't shoot in rain or cold weather. My buffer speeds are fast enough. I'm constantly learning bout features on my D90. D7000 and d3300. I read the ads in the magazines and on line, and the reviews, and sometimes think about new bodies, but the thoughts quickly pass. I don't need any more gadgets or features.So--- Unless my gear is all stolen or lost (or I win the lottery), I kind of think that I'll look at the ads, read the reviews, but have bought my last "new" or improved camera body.

Concentrate on lens and light. Waterproof.... what for? You will need a water proof lens too.

Don't care. :)

Up to you, but for the drops rain and snowflakes, a plastic bag with an elastic band around the lens is cheaper.

 

But I know other people too who - having wished they'd bought something different - have no inner peace until they get it.

 

You could try selling your current camera but you're going to lose money on it.

 

I bought a camera 22 months ago. Seems like an eon (noun: an indefinite and very long period of time, often a period exaggerated for humorous or rhetorical effect) ago. I love this camera. It's discrete in size. Has in camera stabilization, 4K, and a bunch of stuff. I'm pleased with the photos (see David Rosen). So, WHY DO I SPEND SO MUCH TIME THINKING ABOUT BUYING A CAMERA? This camera is not waterproof. Neither am I. I have had to cradle it from drops of rain and flakes of snow, but not very often. I looked at the sister to this camera that is weatherproof, a little bigger and has more dials and buttons. I DO NOT NEED ANY MORE DIALS AND BUTTONS! And would I really buy a new camera that is almost identical in specs just because it is weatherproof? Tell me, Doctor, what am I suffering from?