Wednesday, March 26, 2014

A Decade of My Digital Photography Obsession - Part IV

Meanwhile, the market was filled with all kinds of beautiful and capable cameras. All were very attractive and irresistible. Like the 7-year itch of a real marriage, I felt something that ever so gently stirred and disturbed me inside; a little voice told me I needed a real camera with AF system that could keep up with my kids. The only Canon camera that could do that was the original 8 frames per second, 4MP 1D and the 11MP full frame 1Ds.  I started having fantasy affairs with the 1Ds. It was full frame, with a 45-focus point AF system that's more accurate and responsive than anything on the market for a full frame DSLR.  This camera gave me many wet dreams.  The only problem was, the 1Ds cost $10K in Canada; it was, but a very remote dream.  Meanwhile, the 20D, younger sister of the 10D, started flirting with me.

Happy together - Canon 20D & EF 70-200mm f2.8L

I am very weak when it comes to gear. The 20D was one of the best cameras at the time; fast, responsive, much improved Auto Focus system, and best of all, a sensor so good it was made to weaken man’s resistance to upgrade/switch, not to mention it was a beautiful thing to behold, and even better to touch and feel.  This did not go well with my relationship of the 10D. The image making sessions became less frequent while I spent much time googling the reviews and ogling the pictures taken by the 20D.  Discontent is like a disease that slowly consumes one’s sound judgement and reasoning.  My morality shuttered and I officially declared myself a gear whore.  I realized I was a not a person who could stay faithful with one camera; I would be no longer loyal to any one camera!

I rented the 20D for a weekend, just in case my judgement was clouded by the urge to upgrade and not based on tangible improvements over the 10D.  This brief weekend affair turned out to be a long courtship and it was the last camera I had a sole monogamy relationship with, until I got into high end Canon DSLRs.  Even today, I still have a Infrared Modified 20D. Still have no qualms with the image quality.

Sally, at one of my yard sales - Canon 20D & Contax Carl Zeiss 60mm f2.8 Makro. 

5 comments:

  1. You do yard sales of your gear? Wow!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I used to have one or two yard sales a year to get rid of stuff no longer needed. They were immensely popular as people would line up before I even started, as I was setting up the tables. Haven't done that for the last couple of years. Too much work and we are usually busy on weekends.

      Delete
  2. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I started to look at MF lens and your blog is fantastic! It's not just the evaluation on the lens but also the touch and feeling of these beauties!

    Thanks for all these blogs and please do continue! I love them.

    BTW, if you do schedule a yard sale please let me know :) I am in Toronto

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks. I don't do yard sales any more. Too time consuming.

      Delete