Godfrey DiGiorgi wrote:

Saw tons of people wandering around with massive DSLRs and big lenses hung from their necks, as well as big bag or backpack stuffed full of photo gear. I didn't see many pictures being taken, and I have to say that I wonder what the point of carrying 20 pounds of expensive camera gear around a show floor for several hours might be unless you're using it to make photographs. WOW.

It happened that I saw someone I'd met at a photo talk as I was leaving the show. He had a Canon 5D, four big lenses, bag o gear, etc. I asked him what kind of photos he was working on. "Haven't taken any pictures today. My back hurts, I'm going home," was his response. WOW.

[...]

People seeing me snap a photo with the G1 came running over to ask questions about it. The guy with the Canon nearly cried when I handed it to him ... the whole camera and lens weighs less than a third of one of his lenses. I only took a couple of photos there ... most of what I shot was on the BART train going to and from the city. Got a couple I like ... so far.

Later in the evening, I attended a bon voyage party for a couple of friends heading out on a year's sabbatical. I had the same camera with me and made a few family and friends snapshots. It's small, unobtrusive, unthreatening appearance makes it a snatch to engage with people ... the equipment disappears in my hands, just like my old Leica M did.

Now *that* was the best WOW of the day. :-)

Godfrey, great observations!

Canon 5D guy is just a collector, similar to a collector of cars or guitars. Very similar since car collectors usually don't drive them and guitar collectors often can't even play. Well, what the hell: cameras and lenses are shiny and expensive, so there's that universal magpie attraction aspect to them. But I think that camera collecting makes much more sense if you admit to yourself that that's what you enjoy and don't bother to carry them about pointlessly.

And Panasonic and/or Olympus should give you a commission. :-)

-bmw

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