Like most photographers, I've accumulated (or
let pass through my possession) an embarrassingly large amount of camera
equipment as I searched for the holy grail of photography - a set
of equipment that would relieve me of the burden of creative
thought. Along the way, I've learned a few lessons about camera equipment,
and I'm happy to share my thoughts with the world at large. (The first and
most important lesson is that not only is there no camera that frees you from
the burden of creative thought, but you wouldn't want to buy such a camera,
anyway.)
Warning - like most folks, my opinions on cameras and
other equipment are probably more a reflection on me than on the
cameras. On the theory that an opinionated review is useful, but
an un-opinionated one is not, I've left these unexpurgated. If you
disagree, well, I'd suggest that you put up your own web page. The more
opinions people can find on the WWW, the better.
I've expended no little time and expense on photographic
equipment, gathering experience along the way. I'm always
interested to hear of new equipment that I might have overlooked,
or features I don't know about. I'm completely uninterested in
arguments of the 'mine is better than yours' variety. De gustibus
non disputandum (Loosely translated - Reasonable minds may
disagree. Your mileage may differ. Caveat reader.)
You may find the camera reviews more helpful if you
understand a bit about how I think about cameras. I believe that the best
camera is the one with which you feel a certain harmony - one which suits your
working style, which helps you reach your photographic goals. As a result
of working almost exclusively in large format for a number of years, my
preferences have swung away from automated wundercameras and rather dramatically
toward simple, unadorned equipment which lets me make photographic decisions and
implement them with minimal fuss, noise, botheration, and hardship.
All other things being equal (and they never are, are
they?) I will choose light equipment over heavy equipment, robust equipment over
fragile equipment, simple equipment over complicated equipment, and will choose
reliable equipment over inexpensive equipment. I vastly prefer equipment
which *feels* good to use, and am fortunate enough to be able to purchase it
much of the time.
To make it a little easier for me to tell what people are interested
in, equipment reviews are now categorized into the following sections:
Canon EOS-5d Dynamic Range Test
Canon EOS-5d digital SLR camera body
Epson
1640SU Photo flatbed scanner
Olympus C-2000 Zoom digital camera
SIIG
USB SmartMedia Reader/Writer
Books
on photography, both technical and non-technical
Wristwatches, small flashlights, gloves, hats,
outerwear, vests, lens cloths, thermos bottles, etc.
4x5 film
packet systems, including the new single sheet Readyloads from Kodak
Linhof Technikardan 45s
Wisner 4x5 Technical Field
Filmholders -
regular, readyloads, quickloads, grafmatics
Readyload
Packet Reliablilty
What I carry
Canon EOS
SLR's and lenses
Leica M6 Rangefinder
system
Leica
lenses for M6 system
Pentax Digital Spot Meter and Sekonic
L-508 Spot/Incident Meter
Zone VI modifications to the
Pentax Digital Spotmeter
Metered Light Pocket Spot
Bogen 3221, Gitzo 1349, Ries J-600, Ries
A-250, Linhof Profi II,
Arca-Swiss B1, RRS BH-55, RRS quick release stuff
Saunders 4550xl Enlarger, Jobo CPP-2,
Saunders Easels, Safelights, Hass Intellifaucet, Summitek
Cascade printwasher, Versalab 11x14
printwasher
Gralab
450 timer, Saunders/LPL ET-500 timer, RH Designs Stopclock Pro timer, RH
Designs ZoneMaster II B&W analyzer
ZBE
Sentinel Enlarger (Reviewed by Manny Bhuta)