E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Still have two Flashmasters in use- 2 power packs, 8 heads, 1 Umbrella head, a dolly, 6 power ratio plugs, and a box full of taillight modeling lamps. In the studio we still have an Aurora Light with a 800 w/s pack and a Studiomaster. Boom Master with a Fresnel head. Good thing is all my old Studiomastr 16" reflectors, barn-doors and snoots fit the current Photogenic Powerlights that we are using nowadays.

Bipod

It is nice to own two identical bodies. Even small differences (e.g., firmware revision)
can be frustrating.

But Digital cameras rarely stay in production long enought buy a second body.

And you shouldn't have to buy two bodies to get two cameras with the main
controls in the same locations. Control should be standardized -- as they are
in automobiles.

You may not be able to find the headlight switch in a rented car, but you will be
able to find the steering wheel, accelerator and brake pedal. Guaranteed!
And maybe even the ignition switch.

Most rangefinders copied Leica control placements: shutter button and shutter
speed knob on top right (seen from the back).

Beginning in the 1960s, SLRs (except Olympus) were fairly standardized,
although you had to hunt for depth-of-field preview (Mamiya DTL 1000
put it on the rewind lever!). And finding the Door latch on a Argus C3 was a
bit of a Chinese puzzle box.

The crazy thing about the Nikon F2 was the hot shoe that slid over the rewind
knob. That really took some getting used to.

But the worst difference between roll film cameras was in loading the film.
By the 1980s, Minoltas were practically impossible to misload (and sensed
if the film wasn't advancing), but Nikons were still finicky.

On digital P&S cameras, anything goes. DSLR controls are bit more
traditional, but not as much as SLRs were. And cell phones....

Camea buyer need to insist on controls in hte usual locations. Otherwise
these controls will be located hapharzardly in whatever it's cheapest to
put them.

When electronics are miniaturized, it gets harder and harder to find places to mount
swiches.. Generally, push-buttons, knobs and leves all get replaced by a couple of
tiny membrane switches.