gear guilt

6:365

Work bought me a new Canon 5D Mark II. I recommended it because Nikon doesn't have a single body even remotely comparable right now. And partially because I was curious to try The Other Side and could now do so without spending my own hard-earned cash.

I feel guilty. Like I'm cheating. On Nikon.

Yes, I realize that Nikon is a big, faceless mega-company that couldn't give a flying f*ck about what system I use. But still. When I was a kid, just dreaming about becoming a photographer, I lusted after Nikons. And that was way back in the film days.

My first film body was a Minolta. It did a pretty decent job, although looking back our saleswoman was an idiot and over-sold us with a bells & whistles camera a high school student didn't need.

When I started shooting again after years of dormancy (aka college, then engagement, then newlyweddedness) and found the Minolta busted, I realized my dream and got myself my first Nikon. She's a beautiful little N80 that feels great in my hands and has a shutter that is music to my ears.

After a few years, digital increased in quality and I converted to a Nikon D100. It was heavier and thicker, but the shutter sang and I was completely smitten with digital.

By this point I had acquired quite a few lenses. Which is what really ties a photographer to a brand. You can't just wake up one day and decide to go Pentax because that would render your entire camera bag obsolete.

The D100 was trusty and true, never failing. It simply became a relic like all other seven-year-old DSLRs. M bought me a gorgeous D300, which has been by my side more than any other camera since that Minolta in high school. It's a fantastic body. Reliable, sturdy, comfortable.

But then...

The crop sensor on the D300 started bugging me. Not that it is failing...just that my NAS kicks into high gear every so often and I start hankering for something new. Better. Bigger. Like...a full-frame sensor. Drool.

So I started looking at them. And was appalled to find that my beloved Nikon doesn't have shit in the way of a 21MP full-frame sensor DSLR that also shoots 1080p hi-def video.

But Canon does.

I feel like a noob all over again because I can't intuitively shoot any more. Things are backwards and I'm anything but graceful just trying to fire off a few snaps. I'll get there, but right now I'm struggling.

I'm also struggling because there are things about the Canon that are simply done better than my Nikon. Yeah, my Nikon is 3 years old now, but there isn't even a current Nikon to which I can compare this Canon.

So with every click of the Canon I feel a little guilty. The shutter sounds different, and I feel guilty that I don't hate it. The focusing screen is strange, and I feel guilty that I don't mind it.

M is having a heart attack that I might seriously want to switch.

I'm not there yet. I have the work Canon to keep me amused for awhile.

But you're on notice Nikon. Step it up dudes.

And get rid of that idiot Kutcher you have shilling for the consumer stuff on tv. Take the money you're paying him and put it towards much-needed R&D.

Or I just might drop the guilt and just go for better gear.