Using multiple cameras and formats (wasRe: * ist Digital Question)

[Stan Halpin]

Norm Baugher wrote:

> For those who have purchased the sunkist, and are 
relative "digital
> newbies" - how has this affected your film camera usage? 
E.g. when I
> bought my 6x7, my 35mm shooting went down by about 75%. 
Just curious...
> Norm

Soon after I got my Optio 330 15 months ago I had a one-week 
vacation in a very scenic spot in the Caribbean. I found 
that I used either the Optio or the MZ-S but only on a few 
days at a few locations did I make use of both.

I took both MZ-S and Optio to Belgium for a 2-week visit in 
 June, a combination of work and vacation.  Some days I 
used one, some days the other. My slide shows have big gaps 
("we'll have to see that portion on the computer, I was 
using digital at that point...").

I took both MZ-S and Optio to Sweden and Finland for 10 days 
in late September, combination of work and vacation. I 
mostly used the Optio.

I took both *ist-D and MZ-S on my Thanksgiving and Christmas 
vacations, both in scenic places. I used almost no film.

I took both MZ-S and *ist-D on my work/vacation trip to 
Singapore recently. I shot 950 or so digital frames, less 
than two rolls of transparency film.

You might see a trend here.

If I have two bodies, e.g., MZ-S, that is ideal for me. I 
put the same film in both, then mix and match lenses to the 
situation. It gives me much more freedom to use the 
appropriate lens for a situation than using a single body 
and constant lens changes. As soon as I, e.g., put slide 
film in one and transparency in the other, I have increased 
the decision load tremendously. If the second body is a 
different format (MZ-S plus P645 or MZ-S plus Optio or 
*ist-D) it is the same thing - an order-of-magnitude 
increase in the felt pressure to be deciding what is the 
"right thing" to do.  For me, I need to keep those choices 
limited. I can handle making the lens choices, but not also 
simultaneously the choices about format, particularly if the 
second format is a different speed or otherwise something 
other than a simple alternative.

So, for me, it is pretty much either or. If I use the 
*ist-D, my MZ-S is going to see limited use. I will probably 
continue to carry it for a while, but I expect limited use.

Stan