thedailypic•Yr4•288/365•Upgrade

I am often told (not asked) “You must have a nice camera” it happens at least once a week. Someone sees the blog pic, or notices something I took and it is bound to come up.  “So, this is what a good camera can do?”, “How much does a camera that can take a picture like this cost?”, or my favorite “I could get shots like these, but I just do not have the right camera.” Trust me, I know no one means to be insulting, I know where the questions/statements come from, I find them amusing.  Sometimes I correct them, most of the time I just let it go.  I know it drives many photographers crazy though. The comebacks I have heard (and maybe used once or twice are even better) – “This is a great meal, you must have a nice stove”, “I could win the marathon, I just need better sneakers”. All fun, but there is some truth to it, the camera and even more, the lens does make a difference. I look at many photos online and when one jumps out and makes me stop, I have had the thought – I wonder what they shot that with?

I see pictures, then I use my camera to capture them. It has always been that way, I say all the time, I was a photographer long before I had a camera. To this day, if I were forced to pick some of my ‘favorite shots’ I instantly think of 2-3 that I took with a Pentax K1000. It took a watch battery, completely manual and had one hair-wide stick that acted as a meter in the viewfinder. At the time I thought I had peaked, I had the best camera on the planet, I was going places! Now I sit here at 9:30pm 20 years later, waiting for a battery, heavier than the K1000, to take the hours it needs to charge, so I can snap my first photo with my new camera.

No disrespect to all the cameras I have had before, and still have – they never leave me. As it was with each of them, this is the best camera I have owned, I am going places! Well, not really.  I probably could have gone to the same places with the last camera, at least to same street. This camera was a long purchase, those close to me have felt the pain – I am not a spontaneous buyer, I drag every major decision out far too long and torture not only myself, but those around me with research, details, and a pure unsureness that is second to none. Those that know who you are, I am sorry and thank you for the tolerance.

So, what did I get? I now own a Nikon D4, a 16.2 megapixel​·Full Frame Sensor DSLR released in 2012. Why did I get it? Because I wanted it. I recently rented one to test and we got along great, I love how it reacts, how it feels and the quality of not only images, but video too. I needed a second body for weddings, the D700 which I have used for a couple of years, will make a fine companion to the new master of the house. I am excited to play with it. It has been in my possession for over 3 hours and all I have done is unboxed it, shot photos of it (tradition for each new member of the camera family) and placed the battery in the charger. Tomorrow will be its first outing. For a first, I think it is time to officially name my camera. That was the thought that popped in my head as I took it out of the box. I am not sure, my gut tells me it should be a girl, names like Nikkie (Nikon), Clarice (not sure why) have come up.  But then I also like Simon (in honor of Paul and ‘I got a Nikon camera I love to take a photographs’ ), then there was Thor, just because. We will see, suggestions welcomed, maybe you guys can come up with something.  I think I have used up my ability to make a decision for a while.

PS: The following photo is a normal shot of my dining room table, this was not set up, the only thing added was the new D4, just a glimpse of what it is like to live with me. Send your sympathy to my wife.

tr/trp