Going against excellent advice and paying the price...or not...

So today I went on a photo outing for the first time in a long time. Since I took up full-time employment again recently I also perform photography in the day job. It is always the less pretty side of life I get to photograph. Play opportunities do not present themselves that often. When they do other things compete for the time slot.

Relevance to the title you ask?

Simple. Today was the first time in a long while I loved holding a camera again.

It was my third "old" tried and trusted Canon EOS 5D MkI. To some a classic, to others a fossil.

Why do I take time to write to you about this? I remember one or two sea water splash incidents some years back. My 21mm Distagon and 5D Mk 3 were fresh from the box and some silly wave crashed in with enthusiasm. A few droplets reached the front element and I was livid. I could not get home soon enough.

This afternoon I stood on a concrete wall with waves crashing at my feet. The sea was high and I saw wild white foam splashing closer and closer. I had a good laugh at myself remembering these previous occasions. I compared, mentally, the difference between the two occasions. When I got my new 5D Mk3 splashed the consequences could have been detrimental. Sure, I had insurance but even the insurance excess would kill me if the premium did not already.

This afternoon I had a wonderful camera that I could replace for less than my monthly fuel budget. The sad part is that this very camera would have (and DID!) cost an arm and two legs...in 2005.

A week or two ago I had a chat with a respected and very successful landscape photographer friend. I called him for his opinion on Nikon's amazing (yes, and OLD) D700.

He gave me the perfect, faultless advice I knew I was going to hear from him before I even started dialling. Thing is, this was exactly the advice I did not want to hear. I had to make that call anyway so he could confirm my suspicion. Newer cameras are better, there is no denying that. I was then told in no uncertain terms that, should I choose to remain a sentimental fool, to buy film cameras. Now that ship has sailed a while back, mind you.

So, back to this afternoon and the splashing sea water...

You see, as much as I appreciate accurate and honest advice, photography is purely a hobby to me. Drowning a late model premium D-SLR would be quite the hassle if not a financial disaster. Drowing a 10-15 year old camera able to deliver the goods will see me sulking for an hour or 2, no doubt. Once I snapped out of the sulking I would be able to sleep well that same evening too...

And so this, I reckon, is the little gem I wish to share. Newer is better, end of story. For my purposes I have a collection of "fossils" that do the job and do it well.

Come the day when my business is well established I will revisit that position. Once I am no longer controlled by time or money...a year or two from now...

Happy shooting,

Anton