For some it is not a matter of if to buy a new camera, but when. Dou you wait for the promised new model due soon, or go for the current model?
With a big photographic job looming the need for a second digital camera body became more urgent. Then there is the usual rush of new photo gear set for announcement at PMA in Las Vegas. The rumors of a new camera for my system started about the time I got an assignment to cover my state’s major horse racing carnival.
While camera failures are rare, they do happen. I needed the security of a spare, and the film bodies just do not cut any more in the world of photojournalism. The ability to review shots on location to ensure that there is a good shot on the memory card is now essential. So, a new digital body it was.
Once a photographer collects a number of lenses for their particular brand of SLR camera they usually stay with that brand, as starting from scratch can be expensive and time consuming. The choice was easy, a new top of line digital body for my lens collection that started in 1975.
Then rumors started about a new camera due to go on show in Las Vegas in January at PMA 08. The new camera sounded very good according to the rumors and while it is an improvement on the current model, I needed one now. The changes were not enough to wait months for it to become available.
On the job, I soon appreciated the advantage of having two camera bodies. Constantly changing lenses in the field became outdated, now I could just pick up the other body and keep shooting. There are zoom lenses available covering a wide range of focal lengths, but this involves to sacrifice in image quality to get the extended range. With two bodies I can cover a wide focal length without sacrificing quality.
