The camera of your dreams!

[rossb]

<p> Last Saturday while having coffee with my wife she told me to go to the bank and withdraw enough money to buy the camera of my dreams. She has never said a thing like that before in 30 yrs.. So I think about all weekend about it and start thinking how I always wanted a Leica and a couple lenses. And then my mind wanders to all sorts of other camera's out there like Hasselblad or the Mamiya 7II, I did not consider expensive digital camera's as they do not have an appeal to me. So this morning It came to me that I would rather just have the money then a super expensive camera. So I am not going to buy the camera of my dreams. I also realized I do not even know what the camera of my dreams is! I was wondering what would you do? And if you bought a super camera of your dreams what would it be?</p>

[Matthew Currie]

<p>Starting when I was about 12, and it was the newest sensation, the camera of my dreams was the Nikon F. Ten years later I got a used one, and 50 years later I have four. It's worked out very well. The last one I got was in a bargain bin for five bucks, a black one with a plain prism! So yes, I'd still buy the camera of my dreams, but only because both the camera and the dreams have grown old and shabby along with their owner.</p>

<p>I have had the same feeling as I get older about cars. When I was a teenager or in my 20's I lusted after exotic and expensive cars, and given the resources I'd have been driving something fast, rare and impractical. Now I have enough money to get something at least moderately fancy, and when I was shopping for a car last year the "car of my dreams" was a small station wagon with tolerably comfortable seats! Used, of course.</p>

[borek_lupomesky]

<p>My Contax 167MT turned into a full frame digital.</p>

[phule]

<p>[[so this morning It came to me that I would rather just have the money then a super expensive camera]]</p>

<p>I'd much, much, rather have plane tickets (or a car and plenty of money for fuel) than a new camera. My current cameras do 95% of what I want.</p>

[ridinhome]

<p>Having steadily acquired various cameras and lenses over the last two years I've come to one conclusion - there's no such thing as one dream camera - the moment you get it you start dreaming about the next one. If you're happy with the gear you have, you made the right choice.</p>

<p>FWIW, the wife sounds like a keeper too. Even if it took her 30 years to say that.</p>

[richterjw]

<p>At one point, it was the Canon EOS 3, which I now own and love. So now it's a Shen Hao 4x5 or similar field camera, with enough money to purchase and develop all that 4x5 film. JR</p>

[philipward]

Ross I know when my wife of 33 years allows me such lattitude,there is something else afoot!.Be wehwy wehwy carefull {:~}

[SCL]

<p>Easy question --- my Leica M4 able to do either film or digital. Ain't gonna happen, so I keep dreaming on.</p>

[victorwei]

<p>This may sound shallow, but for DSLR, I have to admit that the camera of my dream always turns out to be the latest model that Nikon has to offer to replace my current model. Technology just has that kind of influence on our dreams.</p>

[steve m smith]

<blockquote>

<p>Last Saturday while having coffee with my wife she told me to go to the bank and withdraw enough money to buy the camera of my dreams.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Was that real or just a dream as well?!</p>

[MichaelChang]

<blockquote>

<p><em>"I would rather just have the money then a super expensive camera. So I am not going to buy the camera of my dreams."</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>That's the most sensible thing I've read on Pnet for a while. </p>

[vrankin]

<p>Every camera I've bought has been my dream camera - until I've started using it. Material satisfaction is just a tease!</p>

[jim_gardner4]

<p>Fortunately I have 2 of my 3 dream cameras. I had to save/wait long and hard for one but the other was £150 on e-Bay. If I could have one more ever it would be one of the Ebony 5x4 range.</p>

<p> I learnt long ago that the latest/most expensive/best camera doesnt mean better photographs.</p>

[User_4136860]

<p>If I have my dream cameras but I'm still not satisfied with my work where do I go from there ?<br /> It's sometimes better to travel hopefully than to arrive.</p>

[stp]

<p>The camera of my dreams would be a cross between a Hasselblad 503 (handling and history, great signature of the glass, plus the uniqueness of the square format which I find challenging as well as appealing) and a Mamiya 7 (lightness and very sharp lenses), along with a guaranteed future of all the film I've used in the past. It's that last part of my dream that seems the most far-fetched.</p>

[mjferron]

<p>My wife told me to buy a D3 after selling the house. I didn't and so besides my old film cameras I own a D7000. It does everything I need a camera to do quite well.</p>

[jgalyon]

<p>This is easy. A camera with the full capability of the human eye.</p>

[wpahnelas]

<p>i bought the camera of my dreams 3 years ago. since then i don't dream about cameras any more.</p>

[jtk]

<p><a href="http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/f.htm">http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/f.htm</a></p>

<p>Though I never did like the 43-86.</p>

[rossb]

<p> Well thanks for the responses. They are different then what I expected but the responses are very pleasant. Thanks.</p>

<p> My wife's offer came from her heart. She just wants me to buy something real nice just once in our life. With 6 kids and a house payment there has not been much extra money around. However now with the kids grown and the house paid for things are much easier. I kind of always wanted a Leica (M7 I suppose) and a couple lenses but in truth I do not know if I would even like the thing after I got it. I believe I would but I have never taken a shot with one in my life and only held them a couple times in a camera store. Probably just the allure of a camera that people always talk about. Sometimes dreaming about something is better then actually owning it. However we are going to Hawaii in June for our first time. Our first trip ever that we did not just get in the car and drive there. I believe it will be a lot of fun and of course I will take some camera gear. I have a Nikon F100 and a D200. I prefer the F100 but I figure on taking the D200 because of the film thing in the airport. I change my mind every day so it's hard to say what will happen when we actually go. But anyway I am just going to keep shooting the gear that I have. </p>

[jaydesi]

<p>I'm pretty satisfied with the cameras I have now. I think I'd rather put the money into accessories, like a top of the line tripod, an extra speedlite or two, and fill in the gaps in my MF rig. Like you, I like the idea of having a Leica, and maybe it would be pretty cool for street shooting, since I like to do that once in a while, but realistically, I'd rather have items that support 75%+ of my shooting than something that only fills a small need.</p>

[rossb]

<p>Well Jay I am pretty hard on those tripods. My Bogen has taking some serious abuse from falls. I have it working pretty good right now however. I dropped it into some rocks and then it fell into the ocean a couple weeks ago. I did the same thing myself and followed it down. One of the tripod legs was dented and I drilled a hole right over the dent and got the leg sliding again. I received no dents myself and managed to hold my camera up and keep it dry. However after getting soaked I just decided to go home. I did not get my shot. I suppose if I spent $4500.00 on a Leica body I would have a problem worrying about banging it around.. I would use it for hiking, climbing around on shoreline cliffs, cycling and boating and just a smallish camera that went everywhere I went.. I do not have an interest in street shooting myself. I enjoy seeing the pictures that others take sometimes. A Hasselblad would be a lot of fun also. Not real small but the big negative could be just the thing sometimes. I doubt I would take it cycling even once. But I could take it hiking with a backpack. Lot's of nice camera's out there. But like others here I just do not have a certain one that is of my dreams. My F100 is real nice. To big and bulky for a bicycle ride or tour.</p>

[Ray House]

<p>After saving for a year, last month I bought the camera of my dreams...a Nikon D90. Does everything I need. I'm a happy camper!</p>

[dan_south]

<p>ross, that sounds like excellent money management. If you don't really want it, don't BUY it.</p>

[Ian Taylor]

<p>the ones I have will do</p>