Going back to Full Frame DSLR

[Rand47]

This is a terrific thread. Thanks all for your perspectives.

I’ve been making photographs since I was 10 years old. That was just over 60 years ago, now. Wow. I think I may be typical of a sub-set of photographers my age. High school year book, newspaper, had my own little darkroom. In the military in sunny southeast Asia I served as recon photographer, taught photography at the post craft shop when home. Then, in my career in the fire service I made photos for the departments I worked for, events, training, etc., and freelanced on the side. I’ve owned or used pretty much every type of camera available over the years. 120 box cameras, 2 1/4 TLRs, 4x5, 35mm “bricks,” Texas Leicas, real Leicas (my M4 is probably my favorite of all time), SLR, modular MF film cameras, early digital point-n-shoot, dSLR, 4:3 mirrorless, FF dSLR, mirrorless APS-C ...

From the early 70’s I had the privilege of visiting Carmel, CA at least once a year (sometimes more) and “worshiping at the shrines” at the Weston Gallery and Photography West Gallery. I’ve spent more hours than I can count staring at original prints made by the masters, Weston(s), Karsh, Adams, Caponegro, Smith, Haas, Penn . . . and many others. I longed to be able to, one day, stand in front of on of my own prints and feel that way. And I’m talking about a certain “something” in terms of print IQ that left nothing to be desired. I don’t think I can describe it beyond that. It wasn’t about any one thing like resolution/detail.

I got close - sometimes.

“For me” - all the cameras I’d ever used were wonderful, but . . . there was always a “but” somewhere.

I’m not wealthy, so in the digital world any of the high end MF cameras were well out of my reach. And when photographing with friends who owed them, the degree of futzing around seemed like “not a lot of fun” and limiting in terms of overall versatility. Many of those guys had multiple systems (also well beyond my reach) for versatility’s sake.

Enter the GFX 100 announcement by Fujifilm. IBIS in MF? Are you kidding me? dSLR form factor in MF? Are you kidding me? 102 MEGAPIXELS, are you kidding me? And just barely within my reach, if I sold my firstborn? Are you kidding me?

I bought one. “For me”.... nirvana. For me, versatility combined with stunning image quality. For me, the ability to print pretty much as large as I may want.

For me . . . Standing in front of a 24x32” print of this photograph, that I made myself, and thinking, “This is what I’ve wanted to be able to do my whole photographic life...” is amazingly satisfying and something I thought would never happen:

Go back to something else? Not likely . . .

Rand

 

[4*Paul]

A lot of very sensible responses to a good question that has provoked me to examine my motives for using MF.
Of course, most of us amateurs don’t have to justify our decisions to anyone except ourselves (unless SWMBO finds out how much we’ve spent) but it’s always better to feel that we have thought through the reasons why we are where we are.

Quality and format of the final output is high on my list and the fact that, for me, this always ends up as a relatively large print means that 6x4.5 MF is an easier route to achieve my objectives. The greater malleability in post, to get it looking the way I want it to, helps as well.
Crop MF (via an X1D) has a similar justification for me - plus easier portability for longer hikes.

But there is something else that I’m not sure has been defined in this thread yet (apologies if I missed it) and that’s the pleasure to be gained in the process of photography, rather than just the final result.
It starts with a reason/motivation to get out into interesting, beautiful and wild places at unsociable times of day and goes through all the stages of finding and capturing - including the satisfaction derived from using high quality tools. The motivation bit can be stimulated by any camera of course and the tool satisfaction angle will be very varied and personal.

But that’s where a Technical camera (Alpa in my case) does it for me and my Nikon D850 doesn’t. The whole experience of complete manual control and operating a precision instrument (and ultimately getting a good print) is highly satisfying and the reason I use what I do. I’m sure that LF could be even better in some of these respects but we all settle at the level we are comfortable with - and can carry in our rucksack.

Car analogies are very dangerous but, given the choice of touring Scotland in a 1956 Bristol 405 DHC or a modernmobile with infotainment etc., I know what I would choose.
If I needed to go to Inverness on business, my choice would be different.

It’s important to know your destination but there can be much pleasure derived from the process of getting there. And, in photography particularly, you often don’t get there at all. But it doesn’t matter.
So good question Neil but only you can answer it - and there’s nothing wrong with grumpy

Paul

 

[TheDude]

GFX 100 ... Fujifilm IBIS in MF? ... dSLR form factor in MF? .... 102 MEGAPIXELS, ... And ... within my reach ... bought one. “For me”.... nirvana.

You forgot to mention that it has a back-illuminated sensor which would be very advantageous should there be any future shift/tilt lenses.

Now if someone could be first in figuring out how to successfully mount an adapter plate directly to the GFX 100 to allow short focal length lens use on a technical camera!

The GFX100 will be remembered as an inflection point.

(BTW, great B&W image, well done.)

 

[tcdeveau]

I find myself using FF 35mm (Z6) more and more lately for family purposes, so I can see my own priorities shifting from MFD to Nikon/Canon/Sony in the next few years.

 

[Jack]

I will add for thread posterity that if I were to get back into MF digital, it would absolutely be the Fuji mirrorless 100 -- even though according to Ken it's only "kid's table" MF End of day, using the Nikon Z7 mirrorless for the past few months has absolutely sold me on mirrorless technology, and so for me a mirrorless entry point back into MF would be a given. Respect others opinions will vary.

To be really clear though, MF mirrorless is not on my radar at all now or even anytime soon, as the Nikon kit is completely satisfying all my needs. But if (when?) a great deal on a used Fuji 100 system cropped up, that could all change very quickly -- I do have some dry powder in camera mad-money fund :ROTFL:

 

[Godfrey]

I think most of the medium format "purists" (and I use that term as a compliment) are referring to full-frame medium format (a la Phase One and Hasselbald H), not crop-sensor medium format (Fuji GFX, Hasselbald X, etc.), hence some of the direct and indirect references. 44x33mm-sensor medium format sits at the kids table.

Joe

LOL!
There is no such thing as "full frame medium format" at all until there are 6x4.5, 6x6, 6x7, and 6x9 centimeter sized sensors available. And then the purest of the pure will demand 6x17 cm...

I'm happy at the "kid's table" with my Hasselbalds, thank you. :ROTFL:

G

 

[Rand47]

LOL!
There is no such thing as "full frame medium format" at all until there are 6x4.5, 6x6, 6x7, and 6x9 centimeter sized sensors available. And then the purest of the pure will demand 6x17 cm...

I'm happy at the "kid's table" with my Hasselbalds, thank you. :ROTFL:

G

+1 A well known, and unnamed, friend of mine w/ a Phase One, now hates me. I print for both of us. He’s seen prints from both GFX 100 and his Phase, side by side. Sometimes even the same subject. As I said, he hates me.

Rand

 

[TheDude]

A well known, and unnamed, friend of mine w/ a Phase One, now hates me. I print for both of us. He’s seen prints from both GFX 100 and his Phase, side by side.

Of the P1 backs, only the P1 IQ4 has a higher resolution (%50 more) than the GFX 100.

Both P1 IQ4 and GFX 100 use the same sensor generation (both back-illuminated).

IMO, all the older P1 backs are either matched or outclassed by the GFX 100.

 

[ErikKaffehr]

Of the P1 backs, only the P1 IQ4 has a higher resolution (%50 more) than the GFX 100.

Both P1 IQ4 and GFX 100 use the same sensor generation (both back-illuminated).

IMO, all the older P1 backs are either matched or outclassed by the GFX 100.

There is more to image quality or performance than megapixels.

Having the option of having a modern EVF system with advanced AF, IBIS and back side illuminated sensor at a reasonable price is good news to MFD photographers.

A great system is an optimal combination of parts:

• A great sensor
• Combined with great lenses
• Combined with accurate focusing
• Having a vibration free shutter
• On top of a good tripod with a great head
• With a good photographer behind the camera
• Not least important, a good subject in front of the camera

Best regards
Erik

 

[ErikKaffehr]

I will add for thread posterity that if I were to get back into MF digital, it would absolutely be the Fuji mirrorless 100 -- even though according to Ken it's only "kid's table" MF End of day, using the Nikon Z7 mirrorless for the past few months has absolutely sold me on mirrorless technology, and so for me a mirrorless entry point back into MF would be a given. Respect others opinions will vary.

To be really clear though, MF mirrorless is not on my radar at all now or even anytime soon, as the Nikon kit is completely satisfying all my needs. But if (when?) a great deal on a used Fuji 100 system cropped up, that could all change very quickly -- I do have some dry powder in camera mad-money fund :ROTFL:

Yes, I think the GFX 100 makes a lot of sense.

But, I wouldn't buy into that before:

• Having the funds to spare
• Having a set of lenses that suit my needs
• Having options to use tilts

In the end, I doubt I would ever need 100 MP. But, I think that with 40-60 MP on 24x36 mm, 100 MP makes perfectly good sense. After all, we want to make best use of the lenses and the sensor size, don't we?

Best regards
Erik

 

[glenerrolrd]

This is a terrific thread. Thanks all for your perspectives.

I’ve been making photographs since I was 10 years old. That was just over 60 years ago, now. Wow. I think I may be typical of a sub-set of photographers my age. High school year book, newspaper, had my own little darkroom. In the military in sunny southeast Asia I served as recon photographer, taught photography at the post craft shop when home. Then, in my career in the fire service I made photos for the departments I worked for, events, training, etc., and freelanced on the side. I’ve owned or used pretty much every type of camera available over the years. 120 box cameras, 2 1/4 TLRs, 4x5, 35mm “bricks,” Texas Leicas, real Leicas (my M4 is probably my favorite of all time), SLR, modular MF film cameras, early digital point-n-shoot, dSLR, 4:3 mirrorless, FF dSLR, mirrorless APS-C ...

From the early 70’s I had the privilege of visiting Carmel, CA at least once a year (sometimes more) and “worshiping at the shrines” at the Weston Gallery and Photography West Gallery. I’ve spent more hours than I can count staring at original prints made by the masters, Weston(s), Karsh, Adams, Caponegro, Smith, Haas, Penn . . . and many others. I longed to be able to, one day, stand in front of on of my own prints and feel that way. And I’m talking about a certain “something” in terms of print IQ that left nothing to be desired. I don’t think I can describe it beyond that. It wasn’t about any one thing like resolution/detail.

I got close - sometimes.

“For me” - all the cameras I’d ever used were wonderful, but . . . there was always a “but” somewhere.

I’m not wealthy, so in the digital world any of the high end MF cameras were well out of my reach. And when photographing with friends who owed them, the degree of futzing around seemed like “not a lot of fun” and limiting in terms of overall versatility. Many of those guys had multiple systems (also well beyond my reach) for versatility’s sake.

Enter the GFX 100 announcement by Fujifilm. IBIS in MF? Are you kidding me? dSLR form factor in MF? Are you kidding me? 102 MEGAPIXELS, are you kidding me? And just barely within my reach, if I sold my firstborn? Are you kidding me?

I bought one. “For me”.... nirvana. For me, versatility combined with stunning image quality. For me, the ability to print pretty much as large as I may want.

For me . . . Standing in front of a 24x32” print of this photograph, that I made myself, and thinking, “This is what I’ve wanted to be able to do my whole photographic life...” is amazingly satisfying and something I thought would never happen:

Go back to something else? Not likely . . .

Rand

Really well done . PURPOSE DRIVEN ..anaysis . You know exactly what type of photography you want to do and have been working on it a long time (so you are pretty sure :thumbup:. ) You have focused on landscape (of a particular classic style ) in black and white and your desired outcome would be gallery quality prints .

The Fuji 100GFX is a near perfect solution for your application and for sure the best overall balance between price and capabilities . In many ways best in any class at any price . Likely to grow and become even more popular overtime ..new firmware ,lenses ,assesories etc .

I would bet that you can gain more by developing craft skills in panos, focus stacking etc and potentially use of graduated filters (bet you are already doing that ). Post processing gains with stronger raw conversions will outdistance and potential fo improving your raw captures . The files you are creating today will get better and better over time . Printers already exceed my abilities and continue to improve .

We have similar backgrounds (amazingly close ..still have my M4 I purchased NEW in 1969 ) .....I expect that building a deep archive of print worthy files is a priority ... when the wheels fall off (and mountain climbing looks unlikely ) you can become a world class printer !:thumbup:

 

[Rand47]

Really well done . PURPOSE DRIVEN ..anaysis . You know exactly what type of photography you want to do and have been working on it a long time (so you are pretty sure :thumbup:. ) You have focused on landscape (of a particular classic style ) in black and white and your desired outcome would be gallery quality prints .

The Fuji 100GFX is a near perfect solution for your application and for sure the best overall balance between price and capabilities . In many ways best in any class at any price . Likely to grow and become even more popular overtime ..new firmware ,lenses ,assesories etc .

I would bet that you can gain more by developing craft skills in panos, focus stacking etc and potentially use of graduated filters (bet you are already doing that ). Post processing gains with stronger raw conversions will outdistance and potential fo improving your raw captures . The files you are creating today will get better and better over time . Printers already exceed my abilities and continue to improve .

We have similar backgrounds (amazingly close ..still have my M4 I purchased NEW in 1969 ) .....I expect that building a deep archive of print worthy files is a priority ... when the wheels fall off (and mountain climbing looks unlikely ) you can become a world class printer !:thumbup:

Roger,

Thanks much. Appreciate the comments. In the last 10 years or so I’ve become passionate about printing. For all the reasons you mention, and because of my lust for what I see in Carmel!

I’ve been aided along the way by the expert denizens over at Luminous-Landscape when it was still “the place to be” for printing and color-management nerds. I’ve learned from Michael Reichmann, Jeff Schewe (in person), Andrew Rodney (he makes my ICC profiles), Charlie Cramer (in person), Mark Segal, and Mac Holbert (in person) and some others. It has been a real “trip” in every sense of the word. As far as ND filters are concerned, Rod Clark (owner of Wine Country Camera) is my shooting buddy! There’s a small group of us we call “The Landscape Mafia.” LOL In fact, he was standing right next to me in 6” of snow at 27 degrees, in the dark, waiting for the sun to come up on the Mount Whitney Portal shot, above! Darn near froze to death.

I’m currently printing on a brand new Epson SC P7570 printer and the gains in usability, Dmax, color gamut, the new Enhance Black Overcoat feature, and some other stuff like simultaneous PK/MK channels, hurrah - at last! - make it a really capable machine, once sorted out (there have been teething issues).

I put my day-job permanently to bed this time last year, and am now able to be fully committed to my own work, and for printing for others. It’s a joy. The mountain climbing / substantial hiking is already in the rearview mirror with two total knee replacements, but I’m not letting that slow me down too much! I’m having fun and feeling very lucky to live in the image-making age we do!

Thanks again . . .
Rand

 

[glenerrolrd]

Roger,

Thanks much. Appreciate the comments. In the last 10 years or so I’ve become passionate about printing. For all the reasons you mention, and because of my lust for what I see in Carmel!

I’ve been aided along the way by the expert denizens over at Luminous-Landscape when it was still “the place to be” for printing and color-management nerds. I’ve learned from Michael Reichmann, Jeff Schewe (in person), Andrew Rodney (he makes my ICC profiles), Charlie Cramer (in person), Mark Segal, and Mac Holbert (in person) and some others. It has been a real “trip” in every sense of the word. As far as ND filters are concerned, Rod Clark (owner of Wine Country Camera) is my shooting buddy! There’s a small group of us we call “The Landscape Mafia.” LOL In fact, he was standing right next to me in 6” of snow at 27 degrees, in the dark, waiting for the sun to come up on the Mount Whitney Portal shot, above! Darn near froze to death.

I’m currently printing on a brand new Epson SC P7570 printer and the gains in usability, Dmax, color gamut, the new Enhance Black Overcoat feature, and some other stuff like simultaneous PK/MK channels, hurrah - at last! - make it a really capable machine, once sorted out (there have been teething issues).

I put my day-job permanently to bed this time last year, and am now able to be fully committed to my own work, and for printing for others. It’s a joy. The mountain climbing / substantial hiking is already in the rearview mirror with two total knee replacements, but I’m not letting that slow me down too much! I’m having fun and feeling very lucky to live in the image-making age we do!

Thanks again . . .
Rand

Thanks you are way way ahead of me in printing . :thumbup:

 

[Paratom]

I am in the process to sell my x1d gear, since I prefer speed and ovf of the S (and lenses).
I also started to use S more often again because I like the handling and the IQ a lot. So at the moment my SL is a little neglected. If I need speed I use D500 Nikon, if I have time, dont mind weight and want max IQ and fun when shooting I use the S007.
Overall I am convinced that the best system is the one you enjoy shooting and which works for you.

 

[mristuccia]

And this revelatory journey is not even close to its end.
We all know that we will end up with a mobile phone in hour hands. :ROTFL:
It's only a matter of time...

 

[bensonga]

Roger,
I’m currently printing on a brand new Epson SC P7570 printer and the gains in usability, Dmax, color gamut, the new Enhance Black Overcoat feature, and some other stuff like simultaneous PK/MK channels, hurrah - at last!
Rand

So good to hear from other photographers here on GetDPI who are avid printers.

Wish I had room in my house for a floor standing Epson printer. I only have room for a desktop machine (currently a P800).

The P800 (and before that a 3880) have been very reliable for me, but I'll also be happy to upgrade when necessary to a P900 with the separate channels for PK and MK inks.

Over the past 10 years, if someone counted the number of prints I've made vs the number of new images/photos I've taken, one could easily come to the conclusion I am more of a printer than a photographer. By a very large margin.

Gary

 

[baudolino]

Don't have PhaseOnes but my lowly Fuji GFX can easily do TTL with Elinchrom, Godox, Profoto. Wouldn't bigger issue with PhaseOne would be slower AF more than not having TTL? I have both GFX and Sony A7rIV and still prefer GFX. Not doing any birds, sports anymore.

My main issue with PhaseOne is inconsistent AF (experienced a lot of back focusing on recent shoots, had to recalibrate AF for all lenses). But there is TTL with Profoto lights (the trigger is built in the XF body, it does TTL). Bought the system s/h for a big discount to new (incl. from members here). The Fuji GFX cameras are great unless you often shoot with strobes outside - then leaf shutters make more sense than any HS/HSS solutions. But a Leica Q or a Fuji X100 can also do the trick. And yes, the bigger MF sensor can produce more of the MF "look" but not every picture shows/needs this, not many viewers appreciate it and it can be approximated in smaller formats. And there are far more important things that make a good image.

It sounds like a mighty cliche, but investing in skills and inspiration/vision have brought by far the biggest benefit for me. Workshops, seminars, exhibitions, books, online courses (spent a few thousand on these, many hours spent watching). Learning from the masters (learned a lot from workshops with Andreas Bitesnich and Sails Chong, for instance, or a group zoom talk with Vincent Peters only last week). Shooting with assistants, make-up artists, stylists and good models - this costs quite some money. Developing a common understanding and goals with my team, so I can get additional creative ideas and input. Buying or renting props, backgrounds, cooperating with other artists to make these. Learning to light, incl. with cutting edge fixtures that cost a lot but can really expand my creativity (e.g. the new Kinoflo LED 4banks...not cheap but boy, so much fun!). Incorporating elements like smoke, light refraction, defocused Xmas lights, etc. Working more deliberately - developing ideas, scouting locations, preparing mood boards, shooting to a brief. One of the stylists I often work with has taught me to ask the question: "who is she?" whenever I shoot with a pretty girl as my model. It is too easy to get carried away, shoot beautiful people in beautiful settings, but not so easy to make the pictures tell a story. When everything is counted, the actual image capture with a camera is just a small part of what makes a great image. Compare with that the obsession about cameras on forums. Despite being guilty of GAS like anyone, and having spent tens of thousands on them over the years, they do not get me so excited any more, they have become just one of the tools and quite interchangeable at that.

 

[Thorkil]

Okay let me try and explain. I worked in the Oil & Gas industry (offshore oil Rigs) for 40 years. Its a tuff life in every sense. Out of that 40 years I have spent 20 years away from my family and friends working in extremely difficult environments and working hard 12 hours a day everyday,in return I have been paid really well............... Okay enough of that bit.

So my thinking was this, if I am going to risk my life every time I get onto a helicopter to go and work in the North Sea then I am sure as hell going to enjoy myself when I get home, and enjoy myself I did.

Back in 2009 I had some immigration issues in Thailand so me and my Thai wife went and stayed in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. Before I came off the rig I called my wife and asked here to bring my Nikon D something camera from the bottom drawer in our bedroom as I fancied trying my hand again at photography. When I got home, after taking care of business I had a look at my old camera sitting on the kitchen table and noticed that all the rubber parts had perished, I made a few phone calls and asked around and was told that they have a big Nikon service center in KL. So later that day me and my wife went into town to visit the Nikon service Center. I asked the staff if they had any cleaner that I could use on my camera as it was sticky to which they replied for about 50 quid they could replace all the rubber parts. So I dropped off the camera and was told to come back in 2 hours time. On returning I couldn't believe it was the same camera......it looked so so new. While waiting to pay the bill I noticed a poster on the wall saying that they were holding a two day training class for the new Nikon D7000. I asked the lady if i could join the class and she said sure you can. She started to take my details when one of the other staff members came over and asked me if I had a D7000, I showed her my D something camera and said this is my only camera, she then told me that the class was for customers with the D7000 and that I would not be able to do, so me being me, I had to argue the fact that all I wanted to do was learn the basics so that I could stop shooting with the GREEN AUTO button. She again said no so we went back and forward yes/no yes/no to eventually she just walked away and didn't want to listen to my BS any more.

I paid for the repairs to my camera and walked across the shopping mall to another camera store and bought a new Nikon D7000. I walked back to the Nikon Center and asked the same lady to sign me up for the nikon class (She is giving me the look of WTF doesn't this guy understand to which I pulled out the new D7000 and we proceeded with the registration for the class.

I took the class and it was at that point I was hooked on Photography. I signed up for many camera workshops not only to learn photography but to find other photographers to go and shoot with. Over the next couple of months I had joined a group of photographers and went away on my first photo trip to Cebu in the Philippines. While on that trip I met a professional photographer called Yusuf Hashim who kind of took me under his wing and would tell me to do this and that and what for. Yusuf shoots with a Canon but because I had already bought the trinity of Nikon lenses being the 14/24 24/70/70/200 he advised me to stick with Nikon but to maybe upgrade to a full frame body. As soon as we arrived back in KL I went to the Nikon center and bought a D3S (Man I liked the look of that camera). I was on a roll and me and my beautiful wife would go out taking pictures everyday, one of the guys I met invited me to go and take bird pictures so I rocked up with my 70/200 on the D3S to see him with a cheap 24/800 or something crazy like that and dressed in full battle fatigues. As you can imaging the birding experience was a disaster. Later when I got home I called Yusuf and asked him about it. He started telling me about this new 300mm f2.8 lens that Canon had given him to go and shoot the bull races in Pacu Jawi Indonesia. He asked me if I wanted to join the trip which was in 6 weeks time (perfect timing, go back to the rig make some money and yes buy myself the 300mm f2.8 lens so that I could look like Yusuf That is my picture below

View attachment 149257

While on this trip there were a couple of knobs who had Leica rangefinders with them and they were in the back of the bus talking Leica this and Leica that, to which Yusuf would say I cant wait to see your bull racing pictures taken with your bling bling shiny Leica cameras and laughing away.............I couldn't help but notice these little shinny cameras looked quite Neil like so I made some more enquiries and the following trip I bought myself my first of many Leica M cameras and lenses. By this time I was hooked on the Leica brand and to Yusuf disgust he would alway rib me about how most of my pictures were either out of focus or the composition was off or anything. Another very good photographer called Hamni was a Nikon guy, he had a D3s the same as me and we would go out shooting street photography in China Town in KL. He would have his D3s and 70/200 and I would be fumbling around with my M9 and Noctilux 0.95 missing shots and getting frustrated every time Hamni came up to me with a WOW picture on the back of his LCD.

By this time I was friendly with the owner of the Leica store in KL and vented my frustrations of why Yusuf and Hamni could always get better pictures with there Nikon/Canon gear that what I could with my Leica gear, to which he replied it probably had something to do with the speed of the AF verse the fiddly rangefinder.............2 days later I had a new Leica S006 and 3 new S lenses.

The following trip me and my wife went back to Scotland for a family vacation and I took my new shinny Leica S gear with me, on day 2 of the trip the S70mm auto focus **** itself followed 3 days later by the S30mm lens. I was gutted and yes very pissed off. When I arrived back in KL I dropped the two lenses off at Leica and was told I would get them back in a few weeks...........2 1/2 months later I got them back.

The following trip me and my wife went to switzerland and this time the camera lasted 4 or 5 days before the S120 mm lens **** itself not only that but I was spending more time pulling the battery than taking pictures.

Speaking of photographing my wife at first she was cool with me taking beautiful portrait style pictures, now when I point a camera at her she scours at me and hands me her iphone to take her picture.

So where is all this leading to. Both my mates Yusuf and Hamni still shoot with there Canon and Nikon cameras and take amazing pictures of everything. Wildlife, pretty girls landscape street photography everything. Whereas I have spent 100s of thousands of dollars chasing a dream picture that I keep getting with my Nikon gear and every now and then with my H6D100c or my S007 or my M10 Q2 and more.

Since being diagnosed with PTSD back in 2017 I no longer enjoy street photography and limit my photography to wildlife, birds and nature so the trusty Nikon gear is my camera of choice. Yesterday I sold my D810 and bought a new D850 (I guess I haven't lost the urge to spend spend spend) but at least its in the 3k range rather than the 30k range

I have sold all the Leica M gear the H6D gear and Im left with my Nikon D850 a few lenses and my film gear (maybe one day I will venture out and try my hand at that side of photography) The Leica S gear is still with me but due to the fact that it all cost me ~$40k and is now only worth 4k I will keep it and give it to one of my kids if they show any interest in Photography.

While on lockdown I decided to make a new website just for the hell of it and to pass time stuck in the house https://neilwilliamsfineart.com/ There is a mixture of FF MF LF and 120 film, but for me my favorite pictures are shot with a Nikon FF camera.

Sorry for the long post but hopefully this will answer some of your questions

Neil

Hi Neil
After reading your long story and seen your very, beautiful and wonderful pictures, I will just say one thing...please stay with your Nikon !!...period.
Nikon is to me the outmost trustworthy experience, camerawise I have had in my life, and it just...deliver. And it's the most easy camera for me to handle, and therefore the most effective.
Does it therefore become a bit boring?, getting hit by the presence of other nice gear, in front of the computer screen, then the cure might be, leave the screen and get out..and age is helping, finally to realize to..it's just not so bad to forsake, and stay put, or at least try..
do stay put to your Nikon and show us your lovely pictures..:thumbup:
(beside my Nikons, I just have to try out some small Hassy-things, so no saint here, I will just add)
KR Thorkil