GAS GAS: Please Share your Latest Desires Big and Small

[John King]

Age is not a good excuse. I am 82. This is a better year to be thinking about that camera than next year.

I agree. However, one has to factor general health into that equation. My chances of reaching your age are minimal, but not non-existent. It's when my pacemaker's battery will need replacing (i.e. a new pacemaker). My heart is in good condition mechanically, but the electrics are not. My lumbar spine is in very bad condition. This is highly unlikely to kill me, but it does and will limit what I can carry, and for how far.

I am also very happy with the gear I currently own.

Lots of things factor into these equations, and different for each and every one of us.

My new computer is far more important to me than any new camera gear. Get it tomorrow. It should be roughly 20 to 100 times faster than my current PC, which currently takes about 2+ minutes to cache 1588 JPG and RAW files in Bridge, 32s to load a JPG from Bridge to Photoshop, and about 15s to load a 100% preview of a RAW file in Bridge. It takes 3.5-4 minutes to boot and load Outlook. Every iteration of Windows and Photoshop has made it slower and slower. It will not run versions of Photoshop newer than 2019.

 

[boojum]

I agree. However, one has to factor general health into that equation. My chances of reaching your age are minimal, but not non-existent. It's when my pacemaker's battery will need replacing (i.e. a new pacemaker). My heart is in good condition mechanically, but the electrics are not. My lumbar spine is in very bad condition. This is highly unlikely to kill me, but it does and will limit what I can carry, and for how far.

I<snip>

That does not wash with me. I have congestive heart failure, a-fib, glaucoma and macular degeneration. Autofocus is really better for me than rangefinder plus I like it more. But infirmities do not free us of foolishness. I don't want my heirs to get too fat, you know. ;o)

I had an old BMW R69S with a tranny that packed itself in. The dealer suggested I trade it in on a new R100RT. I couldn't make up my mind about the RT. My buddy asked, "Do you want it? and then, "Can you afford it?" Oh, that's how to make a decision. I got the RT. It was a mistake, the R69S was way better. But the point is that when we can do it we can do it. What the hell, you're worth it.

 

[John King]

That does not wash with me.

And yet you are essentially agreeing with me ...

I have congestive heart failure, a-fib,

Fortunately, my heart's good mechanically. However, the electrics are rooted, like a good tree ... Sick sinus syndrome, tachy/Brady syndrome, atrial fibrillation, ventricular fibrillation, atrial flutter. I keep growing abnormal neuronal bundles, so have had two cardiac ablations (one was emergency surgery, the other merely pretty quick). I will never need a transplant, and wouldn't bother if I did.

I have taken meticulous care of my asthma, so have good lung capacity (slightly above average for my height and age), so my 'breathlessness' is actually inconsistent heart function.

glaucoma and macular degeneration.

Just growing a cataract in my left eye, so not bad there. I don't envy you your glaucoma, or macular degeneration ...

Autofocus is really better for me than rangefinder plus I like it more. But infirmities do not free us of foolishness. I don't want my heirs to get too fat, you know. ;o)

Exactly ... .

I had an old BMW R69S with a tranny that packed itself in. The dealer suggested I trade it in on a new R100RT. I couldn't make up my mind about the RT. My buddy asked, "Do you want it?
and then, "Can you afford it?" Oh, that's how to make a decision. I got the RT. It was a mistake, the R69S was way better. But the point is that when we can do it we can do it. What the hell, you're worth it.

I feel the same way about my 2006 Subaru Forester. Low mileage, excellent condition, suits me perfectly. I've driven 2019 Subarus, and do not like them near so much. My Forester is new enough to have all necessary modern conveniences, and owes me nothing. Comfortable, fast, with superb handling. Goes almost anywhere ...

The new Hasselblad would not even hurt financially. I just don't want one.
It would cost less than the solar panels, pool heater and motorised pool blanket we bought last year ...

OTOH, the new PC should greatly increase my enjoyment of photography!

 

[William Lewis]

This has been an entertaining discussion to follow of late.

I am satisficed with my digital situation; the Lecia 240 & Nikon D7100 each have their strengths and are quite enjoyable to use.

But since I got my Rolleicord out, I find myself getting on a MF film kick.

Looking at 6x4.5 folders especially.

Like this Konica Pearl II

or the Zeiss Super Ikonta

I've gone on folder kicks in the past. Seriously quirky cameras but lots of fun too.

Ordered more film today too.

 

[boojum]

And yet you are essentially agreeing with me ...

Fortunately, my heart's good mechanically. However, the electrics are rooted, like a good tree ... Sick sinus syndrome, tachy/Brady syndrome, atrial fibrillation, ventricular fibrillation, atrial flutter. I keep growing abnormal neuronal bundles, so have had two cardiac ablations (one was emergency surgery, the other merely pretty quick). I will never need a transplant, and wouldn't bother if I did.

I have taken meticulous care of my asthma, so have good lung capacity (slightly above average for my height and age), so my 'breathlessness' is actually inconsistent heart function.

Just growing a cataract in my left eye, so not bad there. I don't envy you your glaucoma, or macular degeneration ...

Exactly ... .

I feel the same way about my 2006 Subaru Forester. Low mileage, excellent condition, suits me perfectly. I've driven 2019 Subarus, and do not like them near so much. My Forester is new enough to have all necessary modern conveniences, and owes me nothing. Comfortable, fast, with superb handling. Goes almost anywhere ...

The new Hasselblad would not even hurt financially. I just don't want one.
It would cost less than the solar panels, pool heater and motorised pool blanket we bought last year ...

OTOH, the new PC should greatly increase my enjoyment of photography!

No, I am not entirely agreeing with you. But I am saying that age has tempered my zealousness a bit. I have the statin regimen and take blood pressure meds. I am wearing out. But that damned X2D seems like a camera which offers a ton at the same price as an M11. It would not make my pics better but they would have better color and detail and almost always be in focus. That is really important to me. The image is so important. Content rules, yes. But content does look nice when it is discernible. It is up to me to make them better. And as one reviewer said, he was buying the X2D because he couldn't afford a Porsche. If I bought one I wouldn't be able to insure it. The 2CV is difficult on its own. ;o) I should drive it more. There it is, drive around in a 2CV with an X2D. They may not let me out of the home anymore. LOL My daily driver is a 2009 Honda Fit and I have a 2001 Honda Insight I just love. And when it turns in 60 - 65 MPG, what's not to love? Silly to fuss over mileage and fantasize about X2D's but we can give up rational when we retire. I did.

 

[Knikki]

This has been an entertaining discussion to follow of late.

I am satisficed with my digital situation; the Lecia 240 & Nikon D7100 each have their strengths and are quite enjoyable to use.

But since I got my Rolleicord out, I find myself getting on a MF film kick.

Looking at 6x4.5 folders especially.

Like this Konica Pearl II
View attachment 338068

or the Zeiss Super Ikonta

View attachment 338069

I've gone on folder kicks in the past. Seriously quirky cameras but lots of fun too.

Ordered more film today too.

Folding cameras?
Went through a period afew years ago using folding cameras, great fun to use.

 

[AndyH44]

Wishing for someone to buy all the items I have For Sale.

 

[boojum]

I believe the X2D allows viewfinder and left eye viewing.

Has anyone bought one yet? I'd be interested in owner impressions. I see plenty on YT but what owners are doing is important. mathphotgrapher on YT seems an owner tester, and a very good one, but I'd like to see more folks chiming in. It seems like a really good camera to me and proves the old adage about race cars which applies to a lot of things, "Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?" A Ford version would be nice but I do not think Gothenburg has any of those plans.

 

[boojum]

Folding cameras, yes. My first 35mm was a Voigtlaender Vito II and I got it to work well for me. It had a pretty good lens and with Tri-X I felt I was training for LIFE.

I have some nice cameras to play with, the M8.2, M9 and A7M III. There are a few others, too. But after seeing the images out of the X2D I am amazed and enticed. Beating the images of the M9 will take some but I am willing to see and judge. H's color science is quite good and the detail, dynamic range and color all come together nicely.

 

[boojum]

I agree. However, one has to factor general health into that equation. My chances of reaching your age are minimal, but not non-existent. It's when my pacemaker's battery will need replacing (i.e. a new pacemaker). My heart is in good condition mechanically, but the electrics are not. My lumbar spine is in very bad condition. This is highly unlikely to kill me, but it does and will limit what I can carry, and for how far.

I am also very happy with the gear I currently own.

Lots of things factor into these equations, and different for each and every one of us.

My new computer is far more important to me than any new camera gear. Get it tomorrow. It should be roughly 20 to 100 times faster than my current PC, which currently takes about 2+ minutes to cache 1588 JPG and RAW files in Bridge, 32s to load a JPG from Bridge to Photoshop, and about 15s to load a 100% preview of a RAW file in Bridge. It takes 3.5-4 minutes to boot and load Outlook. Every iteration of Windows and Photoshop has made it slower and slower. It will not run versions of Photoshop newer than 2019.

So, how is that new computer? Re-editing years of images yet?

 

[MountainMan79]

I have some nice cameras to play with, the M8.2, M9 and A7M III.

What happened to the PIXII you just bought?

 

[John King]

So, how is that new computer? Re-editing years of images yet?

Brilliant, thanks. Finally worked out the cockup Adobe made with the latest versions of Bridge 2022, Photoshop 2022 and ACR v14.5 (or whatever ... ), and fixed it last night.

Everything works to my (high) expectations, at default settings (no overclocking).

 

[boojum]

Brilliant, thanks. Finally worked out the cockup Adobe made with the latest versions of Bridge 2022, Photoshop 2022 and ACR v14.5 (or whatever ... ), and fixed it last night.

Everything works to my (high) expectations, at default settings (no overclocking).

Overclocking, computers on meth.

 

[drd1135]

My long term strategy is to sell some of my current stuff (my remaining E mount lenses, the A6000, maybe the X-T30 ) and buy one WR body to accompany my X-S10. The idea was to enjoy my basket of older mu43 equipment, use my X-S10 and GRiiix for daily stuff, and have a high(ish) end WR body to take on trips into the wild. This is somewhat because my wife, the motivating force behind the Grand Canyon rafting trip, is now starting to talk about national parks. I'm good with this (as long as we stay in a lodge/hotel/survival bunker) but I'd like a more robust camera for the great outdoors. I was considering the OM-5 but I am currently leaning toward the Fuji side. So, it's probably going to be an X-H2 or the much discussed X-T5. The XH2 is $2K but the X-T5/OM-5 will probably be between $1500 and $2000. I have owned an XH1, and I found is was a really comfortable body to use but just a bit too big for a daily shooter. Of course, that's where I am now, and the X-T5 and the OM-5 are yet to appear.

 

[John King]

My long term strategy is to sell some of my current stuff (my remaining E mount lenses, the A6000, maybe the X-T30 ) and buy one WR body to accompany my X-S10. The idea was to enjoy my basket of older mu43 equipment, use my X-S10 and GRiiix for daily stuff, and have a high(ish) end WR body to take on trips into the wild. This is somewhat because my wife, the motivating force behind the Grand Canyon rafting trip, is now starting to talk about national parks. I'm good with this (as long as we stay in a lodge/hotel/survival bunker) but I'd like a more robust camera for the great outdoors. I was considering the OM-5 but I am currently leaning toward the Fuji side. So, it's probably going to be an X-H2 or the much discussed X-T5. The XH2 is $2K but the X-T5/OM-5 will probably be between $1500 and $2000. I have owned an XH1, and I found is was a really comfortable body to use but just a bit too big for a daily shooter. Of course, that's where I am now, and the X-T5 and the OM-5 are yet to appear.

Do keep in mind that the weather/dust sealing of Olympus gear is legendary, particularly the top shelf bodies and lenses. Just a thought to add to your contemplations.

YOU have to like and feel comfortable with whatever you choose.

PS: completely agree about the accommodation ...

 

[drd1135]

Do keep in mind that the weather/dust sealing of Olympus gear is legendary, particularly the top shelf bodies and lenses. Just a thought to add to your contemplations.

YOU have to like and feel comfortable with whatever you choose.

PS: completely agree about the accommodation ...

That’s why I haven’t ruled out the OM-5. I’m going to need to see some results from the actual cameras. Of course, all the EM1 variants are available at a good price used.

 

[John King]

That’s why I haven’t ruled out the OM-5. I’m going to need to see some results from the actual cameras. Of course, all the EM1 variants are available at a good price used.

I doubt that I will ever update my E-M1 MkII. It does everything I could possibly need, and far more.

As I said above, I bought a VF-4 for my E-PM2 and an f/4 8-25 Pro. I cannot think of anything else that I might want or need.

My new computer fixes the weak link at that end.

 

[John King]

So, how is that new computer? Re-editing years of images yet?

Back again ... .

Converted a folder of my Coolpix E5000 .NEFs to full size JPEGs last night. No other action performed (macro), just a straight conversion with Photoshop 2022 defaults. It took less than 2 minutes for about 40± images, including updating the cache. My old PC would have taken roughly 20-30 minutes per folder.

For those not familiar with it, the E5000 was a 2003, 5 MPx, 2/3rds sensor camera that could shoot RAW, TIF, TIF (B&W) or JPEG, but only one at a time - i.e. no RAW+JPEG capability. It also had a really weird Bayer sensor C-Y-G-M CCD, rather than the modern conventional R-G-B-G pattern using CMOS.

I almost always shot RAW with it, hence have some 30 folders of RAW files that need conversion to JPEGs for posting. So that's about an hour in total on the new PC vs. approximately 15 hours on my old one.

Many types of batch processing are now possible and feasible that weren't really beforehand.

I am really happy with the new PC, minor teething troubles aside.

 

[davidzvi]

There's very little I really desire in terms of gear right now. But I'm interested to see what OM Systems is going to announce, more the glass than the body. But who knows they could surprise me.

 

[drd1135]

There's very little I really desire in terms of gear right now. But I'm interested to see what OM Systems is going to announce, more the glass than the body. But who knows they could surprise me.

The OM-5 will come in colors! Surprise!
Seriously, remember the Pentax Q/Q7 in all those colors?