Besperus Loc: Oregon

Or, men. (From my wife’s point of view)

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

This discussion has been fun to follow. And while it was obviously originated in jest, the repeated insistence on making it a serious discussion have prompted some serious thought in my <apparently> impressionable mind.

So...for just a moment, <Humor Flag Off>.

Many years ago I took some courses that included allowing me to have access to a darkroom. Along the way, I had opportunity to work with some medium format negatives. Their overall nature and character really struck me...working with them was a whole different thing than working with my 35mm negatives. In fact, it prompted me to buy a Mamiya M645 Hasselblad knockoff. (It was a much more affordable option that still produced some nice results.)

The camera itself included everything necessary to produce an image on film when used with the proper lens. But in its basic form, it was a real pain in the neck to use. The top view screen was difficult to see in daylight, the camera was almost impossible to hold level and stable, and having to load and thread a new roll of film every 12 exposures was really inconvenient. After adding a few accessory items, however, life got a lot better:

-Prism viewfinder with built-in mirror
-Accessory handle with trigger-operated shutter release
-Extra film magazines
-220 film magazines

You get the idea. Sometimes accessories are just fluff and ways to get more of your hard-earned money. Sometimes, though, they can really make a material difference in the usability of your camera. I will guarantee that these four items made a huge difference in the ease of taking photographs and the quality of the results.

OK. That's probably enough about that.

<Humor Flag On>.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

How do you know you're not a successful photographer until you've used the best cameras?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

If I like the results, I'm successful in my endeavor.

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

From my point of view, the "best" camera depends completely on the intended subject matter and your ability to pay the price.

revhen Loc: By the beautiful Hudson

Does quantity equal quality?

RonDavis Loc: Chicago, IL

The BEST camera hasn’t been made yet….it’s in the future.

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

I love the people that go into a camera store — or, more likely today, a Best Buy — and ask “Which camera will give me the best pictures?”

REStoffer

I like that reply

User ID

Uhhhmnnnn lemme try that one:

“Somebody establishes an award, declares a winner, and awards the award.” Am I missing something?

Reading UHH, often the terms “Award Winning” and “Pro” appear in the posts. The very instant I notice either one of them, that poster’s cred nose dives. Acoarst, both terms in close proximity smells even worse.

I’m a professional. And I have been awarded commendations. But I didn’t win them. I *earned* them. Thaz why I’m a professional rather than a “Pro”.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Missed what? The total stupidity of the post. No I got that.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

Mark

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Without the ability to choose the right tool, we are useless and actually worse than everyone else regardless of how good the tool is.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

"best" us a comparative word.

User ID

Bravo !!! You not only nailed it, you screwed it, epoxied it, and welded it :-)