You do realize when the cat's on camera, no one's paying attention to what you're saying.... right? LOL 😀

100%. My photography took leaps and bounds after I got my Fujifilm X100V. It's a camera that makes me want to reach for it, and take it with me whenever I head out the door. My Sony system is technically better, but it just doesn't spark joy in the same way Aesthetics and ergonomics drives me more than any technical aspect. I take better shots, not because the lens is quicker and sharper, but because I'm having fun with the camera in my hands

Even if you are a pro, there is some equipment that is just plain FUN to use. When I look into the wlf of my Mamiya RB67 it is huge, bright and with an oleson split focus screen, it leaps to focus. It puts a smile on my face. When I shoot the voigtlander 58 mm 1.4 on my nikon and look at the lcd I always say wow. When I see a 16" print from a porta 400 mf negative roll out of the printer, it is a wonderful moment. Holding the print on heavy epson cold press bright paper, is just a wonderful tactile feeling. Opening the developing tank and pulling the developed film of the reel I feel an overwhelming sense of relief when the negs are properly dense. And exactly 65 years later a couple weeks ago, I remember the wonder watching an image appear in the tray. I was hooked. And the other birthday present was a trip to the next town to tour the Kodak plant. I was in awe. And I am getting set to make the first prints in 16 years of a make a wish shoot since the original prints were on his coffin. The image has made grown men cry. I couldn't see through the viewfinder for the tears. Yes, photography can bring all sorts of joy and emotion.

If someone designed a professional digital camera that only shot raw and no video, the menu could be simple and straightforward.

For almost 34 years I owned CANON (Rebel, EOS1 film, 5 MKII (2), 5D RS, a great selection of L lenses and suddenly I found myself taking 70 percent of my pictures with my iPhone…, note I said pictures and not photographs and that was exactly the problem, I had lost the interest in photography as it was not a challenge. So I took a drastic decision, sold all my gear and bought a Leica SL2S ( a detachment left me with difficulties to focus with a range finder so I rely on focus peak detection to fine tune my selection and use only M lenses so I am I control of all the time ( all the gear second hand ) , and now I am back taking PHOTOGRAPHS, taking my time to choose what and how I want to register what I see… Oh how I love photography!…

I would advise people to check with some friends & youtube for general information. Depending what you select as type of camera you need or want; check if you can rent one. This allows you to have a feel and some use before you decide. Be honest with yourself why you need it and write it down; it will be easier to make choice when combined with your notes. Do not forget the second hand market! Often there are secondhand solutions with warranty; also a good idea for lenses or other equipment. ... lastly, if it is a wish, a dream and it is possible, enjoy your dream and get it!

This is precisely why I love my Argus 75’s. Solidly crafted, feels very nice in your hands, interesting to look at and the top-down perspective of image making through a twin lens is so much fun!

You bringing out that Retina IIIC made me look at the Retina IIIS that my dad left me. I haven't shot it in at least 30 years, and probably more. I loved it in its time. Now I love it for my memories of my dad. P.S. - happy 50th!

For every job there is the right tool. I understand what you miss in modern cameras. If I want to have fun on a family trip or walk and there is no pressure, I may reach out to Pentacon Six or Praktica I inherited from my dad, and I do from time to time. But when I shoot a studio session or a wedding, I am really glad to have a D750 or a D850 in my hand, as I know these cameras will deliver no matter what and I know they will save my a** any time. All four cameras are fun to shoot with, every one of them for a different reason. The thing is, I can take fun shots on a family trip with a D850, but I couldn't shoot a wedding with the Pentacon as it can't even meter the exposure. Anyway, great content Alex, please keep it coming. Everyone talking gear, you and a few others talking the important stuff. Thank you for that.

I recently discovered this some myself. And will probably lean back towards analog more in the future or even the modern vintage camera coming out. I love my Nikon Z7 II and the images I can make with it but its has no real soul to it. I picked up a Minolta x-700 and fell instantly in love with it. I could have spent the rest of the day shooting on it if I hadn't run out of film. And since I'm amateur and will always be one, future purchases need to be more about the feel. While I want to make damned good photos, I want to enjoy the process even more. Why continue to chase perfection at the cost of soul?

I use custom settings on my cameras to "dumb them down" to analog levels. Set the metering to spot (like my old Canon FTbn) and go. Fortunately, the bodies I have allow for mechanical aperture and shutter speed. If I don’t do this, I waste a lot of time wading through options I never use.

I have a complicated camera, but I have set it up the way I like it and I don't go to the main menu too much. It works.

I have to disagree with you about the 6D mk2. I got one about 18 months ago and think it’s a great camera. It has everything that I want in a camera and once I got it set up the way I wanted I seldom have to go back into the menus - and if it takes an out of focus image then it’s down to user error rather than the camera. It is, however, almost exactly the same as every other Canon camera in recent years in appearance and I do kind of hanker after the more retro look and feel of older cameras like my Pentax Super A. The manufacturers are slowly realising this and the Nikon ZF and Fujifilm X100 line are taking that lead - nice though these are, for someone who’s invested a sizeable amount of money in Canon L series lenses, the change to another brand isn’t something that is likely to happen for me anyway. But I do agree that a camera’s aesthetics and ease of use play a big part in whether you want to use it.

The first camera I ever used was my mothers Kodak Instamatic, followed by an Olympus Trip that I learned black and white film development! Much loved, never forgotten! Cheers from Australia 🇦🇺 all

You are so right about loving the camera. All of my favourite cameras (Konica IIA, Kodak Retina 1B/IIc, Leica M3, Rolleiflex T, Pentax K/H2/S3, Nikon F, Olympus Pen D3) are late 50's, early 60's. All beautifully made, very cool to look at and wonderful to operate all the various mechanical levers and dials. The closest modern camera would be my Fujifilm X-E1 or X-T1 but they cannot deliver on the shutter action criteria.

I have the opposite problem, too many cameras make me smile and it’s difficult to decide which one to grab! No retinas but my first camera was / is a Retinette 1B, just had it serviced so it may be time to take it out for some fun.

Happy 50th Alex ❤ I have rico griii snd hate it most of the time but sometimes I really like it lol. Also have have the Fuji XT3 which I really love. The Acros simulation is excellent 👍Don’t forget to get a photo of you blowing all those candles out 😂

I love my Fujifilm XT4 and GFX 50R medium format. For me they give that tactile, retro film camera feel and I simply adore the images they produce and the Fuji colour science is right for me. Over the years I’ve shot Canon, Sony, Nikon and Olympus, but Fuji is my favourite, they do make me want to pick them up and take pictures. Great video as always.

I often watch videos where they say the gear doesn't matter but I don't really buy that logic. Last year, I bought a used Nikon D7200 and it's horrendously heavy so I might put it in storage soon

I would love a digital version of the Pentax Super A.

Miss my Hasselblad, but I'm glad i sold it to a Photography student and it will be appreciated. Love the noise of the shutter.

after a few years of jumping around camera brands and types, i've finally found my favorite: older, cheap and robust ILCs. i'm quite a clumsy guy (just snapped the front housing on my 2-week old MF lens lol) so if my camera is able to withstand the beatings from my person and the environment, i dont need to worry about babying my camera which in turn helps me enjoy the the process and art of snapshotting. plus most cameras within the past decade is more than powerful enough for me. for photos, i'm currently using the OG Sony A7s and even tho it's heavier, i've had much more fun using it than my ZV1. and for videos, still using my IP13 Pro; cant beat the portability and IBIS of that thing.

I really feel what you are talking about. My previous camera was a Panasonic GX8, I was in love with this camera. That was not too big, not too small, simple...Everything was enjoyable. It was not perfect, the autofocus was ok, you couldn't go high in ISO, ... But still I loved it. But I had unremovable dust on the sensor so I thought "ok after 8 years, it's time to buy a new camera". I choose a Panasonic G9, and even if I can't deny that it's a good camera, I just don't enjoy it. Yes I can do everything with it but it's too big for me, too many buttons everywhere, ... Going out with it is not fun. It's a great piece of technology, which is really versatile but it's not fun. So now, I'm thinking about buying a used GX9 to find back that simplicity, fun and even imperfections I used to have with my GX8. Cameras are made by technicians and engineers, they want to push the technology and capabilities to the max, and it suits some people and feel specific needs, but they forgot that sometimes, photographers just want to take photos (using nothing more than ISO, exposure, shutter speed) not launching a rocket. (last parenthesis they also don't think of people like me, small women with tiny hands, bigger camera means bigger backpack and with a big backpack I look like a turtle carrying her shell}.

THANK YOU! I have been looking at three different cameras and after watching this video I dropped one from the list because it is too menu driven. The two left are like my current camera, they are digital with the film camera dials so you don’t need the menus to change shutter speed etc.

Besides being a nostalgia thing and a relatively expensive path to go, medium format film camera's have obliged me to slow down with my photography. They're all manual for most of them, so you need to consider every aspect of making an image, focus, light metering, film choice before making an image. The Rolleiflex TLR I use is showing a mirrored image, so you have to reconsider your composition once looking in the viewing loupe, the Fujica 690 I use only has 8 shots on a 120 film roll ... all these aspects force you to slow down, re-evaluate your shots BEFORE taking them, reconsider your choices ... When I have a digital photo session I'm taking about 100 images per hour and I have about 10 keepers, when having a film session I do 12 shots max per hour (one film on a 6x6 camera) and I have about 10 keepers. When I'm on vacation I very much enjoy this slow process that keeps your brain active but on a slow pace. I'm now considering going to 4x5 for an even more 'stepped back' approach to making images.

Pentax MX & LX + SMC lenses, Hasselblad 503CX, Carl Zeiss 50, 80,150mm, EOS 5D IV. : )

My Canon A-1 was stolen as well, from my car in the Japanese Tea Garden, San Francisco in the 80's... I was in the garden shooting with my T90 at the time. 35 years later I purchased another A-1 but found that I no longer cared for the user interface, which was unique, and I found that I enjoyed using my Nikon film SLRs much more.

I found this peripatetic episode to be quite charming . I love the concept of buying a camera based on emotion as much as on technical prowess.

I use a Fujifilm X100 when running worshops, just to document the day. So many attendees have to go into menus to change settings. I like the external dials, fast and intuitive for the scene. Definitely worth buying a camera which makes you want to use it.

My first proper camera I owned was the Canon A-1. Still have. Still use it. It makes me smile. I'm connected to it. Too many great photo memories to ever give it up.

My first "real" camera after a string of very early point-and-shoots was an Olympus OM-10; my brother-in-law used one as well but he's kept his through the years (whereas I did not). He recently gave his to me and it's been a real treat! For those that are not familiar with it, it's a hefty camera that's essentially aperture-priority only unless you buy an adapter with which you can change the shutter speed. As it is, though, it determines the appropriate exposure by automagically adjusting the shutter speed. It feels great in the hands. I'm currently using up a 20-year-old roll of Fuji colour film and looking forward to seeing the results.

This is such an important discussion amongst us photographers in this era of consumerism where a new camera is being dropped every month and even becoming trendy on social media platforms. Having fun is, and must be, an important piece of the puzzle in any artistic journey and I agree, we need to have fun with our tools, with the camera in our hands. Its great to emphasise: emotions over tech. Thats what drives us all to create, in the end, does it. Thanks for sharing.

Happy birthday Alex! I really enjoy your work, thanks a lot.

There is a famous saying in Germany. When your only tool is a hammer, every screw will turn into a nail😉

Spot on. The more mechanical the better. I had the Leica M4 and have the M246. The latter of course looks similar to the M4, but the M4 experience is much better, due to the more tactile feeling the mechanical mechanisms give.

I fail to get the excitement over cameras. The camera is a tool. It should do what you need it to do, with as little fuzz as possible. Case in point: A friend and I decided to do a photo session where we improvised based on a theme: A Film Noir/Highlander-inspired Fantasy cross-over. We packed props and photo equipment, went to the site we had picked, my friend called the police and told them what we were doing. We did get some good shots. My favorite is a dutch angle shot of the two of us, two middle aged guys in suits and fedoras, battling each other with swords. We actually had a sequence of shots, with an improvised story. For the shot, I improvised the lighting, using a gate with iron bars as a cucoloris, to cast a shadow pattern on a wall behind us. I put the camera on a tripod, low, and with a dutch angle. Since I would have to be in the shot, I pre-focused, and used a remote control to trigger the camera. I used another flash to lift the shadows a bit, so our clothes would not be completely black. It worked great, and we had a lot of fun. It doesn't matter which camera I used. Any DSLR or mirrorless camera could be used to make the shot, and there would be no significant differences. The really important things: * Having a friend who is also interested in pictures like the one we shot * Having studied Film Noir and Film Noir cinematography * Knowing about Highlander, which is a Neo Noir Fantasy movie * Having the needed equipment: Camera, hotshoe flashes, tripod, light stands, light modifiers (I used an umbrella for lifting the shadows), swords, hats, jackets, tie, bowtie * Knowing how to get permission from the police for a photo session with weapons * Location scouting * The ability to improvise on location * The motivation needed to do all the work * The necessary post processing skills and software Worth noting that if I had not had the necessary photo gear for the shot, we would have come up with an idea that required less gear, so the gear is not by any means the most important ingredient. Using a different camera would neither have added, nor subtracted to the fun, or the results, as long as the camera works.

Howzit from California! I just did a very sad making thing: I packed all my film cameras and assorted accessories in preparation for a move. (The DSLR is not packed away at least, so if time permits a foray with it, I can get to it.) The sad is because there is a genuine delight in the sensory experience those cameras give me when I take them out, from the clever simplicity of the Kodak No. 2 folding camera to the mechanical precision feel of the Ansco Speedex 4.5 Special, to the smart metering system and whisper soft leaf shutter of the Yashica Electro 35 GS. They all feel good in hand, they're all great fun to shoot. The smile factor, even when you're guessing at what's in that postage stamp viewfinder way down at waist height - is very high with all of them. Not to pooh pooh my old Nikon, which I'm very happy with even if it's 14 years old and heavy by modern standards. I hope you find a camera that sparks smiles.

I hope you run some film through the Retina IIIc (small c) soon. True, the viewfinder on the "small c" is a bit dim, so get a shoe-mount viewfinder-they are wonderful and look cool. Also a small 6x6 that's bonkers sharp is the Voigtlander Perkeo I or II. It is practically the same size as the Retina, fits in your pocket.

I still enjoy using my Mamiya RB67 and my Canon EOS3. I started out with an Argus 127 then the Canon AE-1. I currently use the Canon 7D MKII and the 5D MKIII for my professional work. I like you find that they don’t inspire me like my older cameras. I think it’s because they do too much for me. When I’m shooting the older cameras, I have to be engaged in the making of the image. Exposure, composition, are still relevant with the newer cameras, but with the older ones I have to stop and think more, I can’t be on autopilot and be thinking about what I’m going to have for lunch while I’m shooting.

IMO there’s a fine line between falling for the novelty of a new camera and being inspired, compelled by a new camera. Perhaps on way to do a litmus test is to see if we are somehow trying to justify buying the camera. Or if we find ourselves thinking “if only/once I have this, then I can X”. No issues if we can afford it but for many pros, there is not an uncommon and real struggle with finances. Also avoid the should/popular sentiment and go with our own sensibilities around whether we actually like the camera. IMO one likely make or break factor is whether the camera draws confidence. Be it build quality, reliability, performance quality etc. IMO most of us will quickly dislike a camera if it fails often and/or easily

I am starting to find that there are things I want to do with my professional work and modern cameras have the things I am looking for. But, I also find myself when I am out I just want simple, something textile. I barely shoot film because how expensive it is to process.. and I kinda can’t put myself in that position right now.. but nothing beats just walking around and having something catch your eye and hearing that shutter click on a film camera. I think that the point you made about having a piece of gear someone can be happy with is super important, I love my d750 with the battery grip, but I also love my AE-1 program. (I know most won’t read this comment, but I am gonna vent a bit) I also have a x-pro1 I picked up a couple of years ago, but that camera is a bit on comfortable holding, the lenses are a bit expensive and had to settle for a third party lens that is Eh, I’ve tried to walk around and shoot with it, but I don’t know.. it isn’t there for me anymore.. maybe I just need to save and get myself a Fuji lens and it would probably change the camera completely.

I would put it this way: A professional photographer needs the right tool for the job, but as an amateur (in the original sense of the word) I need a camera I *like* and can love, with all its pros and cons.

Wow, the Kodak Retina III c is the camera that got me hooked on photography 55 years ago when I was 12. It was my dad's camera. I still have it and it still works.

Love the video, that exactly how I rate camera's on the smile factor, in this world where most camera's are more than adequate (your Canon a notable exception) having a camera that you just want to use is so important, a motivate to get up and shoot! A few years ago I bought a Hasselblad 501cm and love using it.... as you mentioned the feel, the awesome build quality let alone the look of the images, makes me use the camera, there can be no finer a complement to the designers !

Like you I like a manual mechanical film camera with a bit of heft from well engineered components. I also like the new Camp Snap screenless digital camera I bought and used at my wife's bithday party, pint shoot and life filled photographs result.

I feel this way with my Polaroids. I too shoot black and white with them! Good to see Poe!😺

Happy birthday sir. And once again, thanks for your videos. I believe you have a truly unique channel , as in no other photography related channel that I've seen does what you do - speak about photography from a philosophical standpoint. It's all gear reviews and technique - which is ok, but I feel like the topic has been exhausted at this point.

Woo. I had a Canon 6D MkII too. For some reason, like you, I did not get on with it at all. I couldn't rely on it to do the right thing at the right time. The focus was the main thing I guess. Even my wife noticed that there was something wrong when I used that camera. Weird isn't it ? I swapped for a 1DX MkII and never looked back.

Agree 100%. My olympus trip 35 which i bought just before I moved away from my parents was an absolute joy. Was it the camera, was it me having no obligations and enjoying my new life? Who knows.... And thats the thing: how do you find a camera that suits the person you are right now or soon will become?

I think you are being a little unkind about the 6D I use a 6D Mk 1, not many bells and whistles but fully functional including the focus. I can't see any benefit in having an update, it does everything I require from a camera and I've taken many thousands of photos with it. No worries, I'm happy.

100% agree. I mostly shoot street (sports sometimes) and I do it with Canon 7D mark II (maybe the worst choose for street photography), but I like it's size, ergonomics, built quality and autofocus so much, I can't imagine myself using something smaller like M50. I owned one back then and I couldn't use it because I didn't like it despite the fact it's small, very light, has fast burst rate and even better DPAF.

I think photography as an art form is being challenged by technology , thus camera manufacturers and many influencers are focussed on the technology within a camera than the art and process of photography. Sometimes we all get taken in by it and then feel lost in the process. Personally i sold my Sony and also returned a few recent purchases and got myself a Fuji X Pro 3 and XT5, you can shoot fully manually, so what if the autofocus was a little off when doing street photography, not the end of the world, at least i love picking up my camera and shooting with it.

While I have digital cameras, I cut my teeth on 4x5. These days, I have been using 645, and 6x6 med format more often than not. I am not a gear junkie, although, i have kept many of the cameras I have bought over the years. I am now 63, and retired, so it is time to get some of the older 35mm, and TLRs out and dust them off too. Thanks for the engaging video!

I think on your Canon camera you should be able to adjust the focus point to just the center focus point. I had so many "eh" photos until I did that-including some vacation shots that I really liked. I know where "I" want to focus, and the camera doesn't. I also shoot in P mode so I can control D.O.F or shutter speed as "I" want. I think the designers were searching for an answer to a problem that hadn't been asked...Just a thought from my shooting style, might help you use the Canon more...LOL.

You may be a bit too harsh to yourself ;-) .... However, one more thought: I understand all the complexity of menus etc. However, isn't the other side of the same coin that this allows you customizing it to your needs and then just forget about all other options? Meaning: does anybody every use all this complexity just for the sake of using it, when it does not fit ones photographic style and approach?

For my client work, I don't need to enjoy the cameras I use, they're just tools to help get the job done. But for personal work, there's nothing nicer than reaching for a camera I love to hold and use.

The Leica Q (original) does it for me. Absolutely love using it, and it makes me want to take photos. The feel, the look, the simplicity, the images. Brilliant imo. Also have a Nikon D850, which is a great camera, but doesn’t have the ‘pull factor’ of the Leica. Started with a Chinon CE4, wish I still had it for nostalgia sake.

About 50 years ago, I shot Hasselblad professionally most of the time, then some 4"*5", 8"*10" and incidentally small format (35mm FF - medium format we defined as smaller than 9 cm * 12 cm and too large for 127 film with 36mm usable width, meaning most of what's called medium format now would be called small format back then: inflation by marketers, fluencers and the naive). Looking at my first 8"*10" Ektachrome Professional on a MacBeth light tray through an 8X magnifying loupe, got me flabbergasted about the saturation in there. The point of film was that it has grain and enlargements not only make the grains visible but also make the empty space between grains visible. Consequently, enlargement takes away from saturation and alters gradation. I don't have that problem in digital. If more pixels are needed for a larger display or print, the software will do the upscaling (like dumb bi-cubic) or it will apply some trained-by-learning-AI that upsamples with understanding of what's in the image (like Gigapixel AI). This means I don't have to lose saturation, but if I need it for artistic reasons I can desaturate. In short, I don't need the hassle of the blad. I also don't need to slow down through film. And I don't need software film emulations that in no way look like the real original. My camera has a Deep Tone Monochrome profile that looks really like my favourite Kodak Tri-X (in 120 confection, 135 was different). Except for the grain. I still have a Zeiss Ikon Ikonta folding bellows camera with coupled range finder that shoots 8 images of 56mm * 84mm on one roll of 120 film. It's compact and fits in a trench coat pocket, but weighs 1 kg. I still have my Sekonic 398 meter and a newer 758. Waiting to come out of the closet. The camera that puts a smile on my face for the first time again after decades is the Z 8. The matching "S" class primes silenced my recurring rant about my F-mount glass: chromatic aberration is gone, tint differences between lenses solved. And as it has no OLPF, so it produces extremely sharp images without the risk of total reflection colour cast in strong backlight. These lenses have so little glare (across the frame) and so little flare (recognisable patterns like sun tor aperture trails) that we need to add them in post if we want these artefacts (I don't). No, the camera does not magically cause my work to get acquired by the National Art Gallery and put on permanent exhibition. It's about the tool to become like a professional server in a restaurant that does their work while not drawing attention. Recognition AI AF allows another way to communicate with the subject/sitter. And it works in low light too. It's about keeper rate that is even more important at very slow shooting paces.

I always love your videos, and this is one of them. It's a little bit different than the others, but I got your point, sir😊

Ones camera of choice is so personal. I really don't like rangefinders cameras & I tried several Leica's, M3 & IIIF, to see if that would make me change my mind. It didn't. But by chance I got my hands on a Cannon 7 & loved it. The only thing that matters is do you like it & do you want to use it.

The cat was an interesting (and fun) distraction, as was the popping-about-the-house jump cuts. ;) Your notes about the complexity of modern digital cameras resonates. I sometimes feel (not think) that I am wasting something because I generally use a very limited set of features of my digital cameras. I tend to shoot RAW and then either produce a JPG using the in-camera processing (I particularly like some of the Fujifilm renderings) or make minor adjustments to brightness/contrast in the computer. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Sell the camera that doesn't make you want to pick it up. I know the pain of regret at selling off my old gear. I miss my AE-1 and AE-1P that served me well in the 1990s. I don't miss my D100 or the host of prosumer cameras I tried in an effort to find something I would carry and that produced satisfactory image quality. My old Argus/Cosina was a mechanical SLR that produced solid images and I have thousands of frames made with it. They might not be good images, but the process of making them and the images themselves made me happy. I do with I hadn't sold it.

Long time ago a YT channel ran a series about challenging professional photographers to shoot their kind of work with a cheap camera. The presenter of DigitalRev TV was Kai W - these parted and AFAIK know Kai moved to the UK and works from their with his own channel. These videos really give a great perspective.

I have a Canon 7d mk2, which I find very good although I am still learning all that it can do. My film cameras are: Canon AE1, Canon EOS300, Olympus OM10(my first camera) and a recently purchased Olympus OM20. My favourite is the OM20. Like you say it just “fits” me.

I would never go to medium format. The DOF is so narrow, that in almost all situations it becomes a bit of a problem. Apart from that, there is no real need for such a high resolution. Quite apart from the fact that there are no really long lenses for this format. As far as an over-kill of menus goes, that is not really a valid argument. My camera certainly has a myriad of menus. BUT. I nearly always choose P, S or A mode on a big wheel. The designers of my camera simulate mechanical controls. There is a ring for aperture that clicks in for each standard stop value, a ring for manual focus and a ring for zoom with the ability to step according to standard focal lengths. The shutter button can take a real mechanical shutter release cord and of course the shutter clicks just like a mechanical shutter. The thing I twiddle most is the chunky mechanical-looking knob for exposure compensation quite near to the shutter button. The Zeiss optical zoom goes from 24mm up to 600mm (equivalent) which makes the camera quite heavy and nice to hold steady in your hands. With this built-in zoom range you never have to change a lens or clean a sensor. The whole apparatus looks and feels like a mechanical camera. The designers certainly had great fun emulating a "mechanical" camera. Although the camera is quite heavy, your camera bag is not. You do not need any extra lenses. Just maybe a polarization filter and an ND filter. Take a pocket-full of rye, sorry, batteries, and off you go. On the other hand, the camera is of course fully electronic with a whole ton of firmware. This means that you can set up your own standard combination of almost anything the camera has to offer and allocate the combination to specific custom button. By the way, I have not mentioned a single video feature or the AF system, which are both in their own right very impressive. And of course, you can set this camera to square aspect ration and see everything as such on the display or through the viewfinder. Did I mention the price? Less than 1500 euros. Brand new. I am sure Alex knows which camera I am talking about. 🙂

I find the Fujifilm X-T range a good option for me.

We are simple people... We want Hasselblad sensor, 16 bit colour and Hasselblad color science in a Leica M camera body with Leica M size lenses, Sony level autofocus, Panasonic level IBIS, Fujifilm picture profiles... Anyone? Please 🤗

Love my Olympus Trip 35. I’ve only shot one roll thru it so far but i was very surprised with how good the photos came out.

My first camera was a Canon 6D Mark II. While I did take some good pictures with it, I share the opinion that it isn't very inspiring. It was only when I bought an X100V that my activity in street photography really gained traction. In 6 months I took about the same amount of shots with it than I had taken with Canon 6D MII in 3 years. After realising the limitations of X100V, last month I bought an X-T5, which I think will better suit my style. I don't know what to do with the Canon though.

Thanks for sharing.

Loved your BW images. I have also been creating dark bordered and squared strong BW images

The Retina IIIc is a great camera. You have to avoid using the self timer on any of these cameras that use the Synchro-Compur shutter or you'll be rebuilding the shutter.

I love my Nikon cameras for feeling good in my hands,both z and fmount.

Right tool for the right job, I shoot with a Nikon D500 and a D850, recently I've been charged with advising a newbie photographer on the purchase of their first camera. I love my two cameras they do everything I need. It became apparent very quickly that they are not suitable for the person in mind. They want to shoot wildlife but even without the lens they are just too darn heavy. So it went on to MFT systems like Olympus, lighter but still a bit pricey. Now it's a bridge camera. Namely Panasonic, turns out they are perfect for a beginner, complexity they can grow into but features they can explore, wildlife, street, travel, portraiture all with one lens. No messing about with sensor cleaning swabs etc. I hope to have pointed them in the right direction, fingers crossed but all their boxes have been ticked. Lightweight, travel friendly and relatively cheap, even when bought new. A dependable tool with a warranty for extra protection, most likely the Panasonic Lumix FZ82D

I really like your videos, they are so inspiring. I own a Canon R6 II with some of the best lenses out there, which is fine and beautiful for family events or taking pictures of my kids on an athletics contest. But the camera that makes me want to go out and take photos is my Fuji X-T5 with the 35mm f2 lens. The R6 II just feels boring, even if the image quality is far superior to the X-T5. And recently I found my fathers Canon AE-1 when I was visting my mother. It is simply the coolest camera I ever owned, I love to take it out. Thanks for your video!

I have almost sold my C220 many times over the years but always realize it would be a mistake.

The first camera that I've shoot ever, and on which I've learned basics of photography is my dads Retina IIc, which is sadly currently jammed and I can't find anyone in my vicinity who can fix it... ☹️

I want a small point and shoot camera with a modest zoom lens and the ability to have manual control. Something I can carry at all times and to be tempting enough to dump my smartphone. I'm 58 and have shot on film, studio work and digital. The Leica D Lux 8 looks nice, but is it being hyped to death. Likewise the Fujifilm X100's, which I've hired and enjoyed.

I also have a few (?) cameras, I love tiny cameras Like the Olympus XA, Minox 35 and so on. I also have a Rollei 35, it's a good camera but ergonomically a nightmare so I don't use it that often and I wonder if I should sell it. But I'm lousy at selling things 😔 Thanks for another great video.

I have the camera you're fond of. Hahahaha. And I do enjoy using it. Probably because it was a big step up from where I had been with an old Pentax DSLR. And glass that was somewhat better too. But you're right in that if the camera does't feel a good fit, we just won't enjoy using it, and so don't. Hope the celebrations go well.

Interesting chat. I still remember bitterly that day when I sold my pair of Contax 167MT bodies and some lenses in a fit of madness. I wish I had them now. You are right, increasingly, as the tech progresses, I find myself wanting it less and less. My only camera currently is an old Nikon aps-c 24mp ( and two lenses) that's stuck in shutter priority (the mode dial broke). I still love using it alongside my phone. Have camera manufacturers gone too far in their search for the next big thing?

With the resurgence of film, the phone camera and AI, maybe the days of the digital camera are numbered.

Reason for liking a Leica M series so much is the feel of the mechanics. My desire to own one (again) dissipated when I joined a gun club…

So what i hear you want better user experience. I know two camera manufactures who sell not cameras but user experience its Hasselblad and Lieca 🤷

I think one needs to be honest about what they really need in a camera as far as features and what kind of ergonomics they like. Don't let someone make you buy something you will be unhappy with and will become a shelf queen. Overall, the camera is a tool to take photos and it should something one likes to use.

Hi Alex, You make Bicycle Lanes and Stairs look cool. Good example the Drill and the Hammer being Tool's. A lot of new cameras are a turn off Especially if you've been using An older camera. It can be difficult to learn all new features that your old Camera didn't have. Thanks Alex for keeping it real 😊

Great vid.

I didn’t see it coming. One day, I was fine with my camera. The next, it was seeming very heavy. I should have seen it; everything is getting harder with age. But what I enjoyed ten years ago, hiking in with my camera, tripod and my camera bag, isn’t so pleasant a sore back, sore hip sore fingers. At least my fingers still fit the grip of the D850. I like the D850. For years I anticipated the round of digital cameras being released; they always included more features, better noise performance and no more megapixels. The trend has slowed. There isn’t as much reason to buy a new camera. The improvements are marginal. But now I want a lighter system..and one just as fun as the D850.

congrats to you both on achieving your 50ieths ... jy's nou 'n ou man, net soos ek!

I mean yes, to an extent, gear doesn’t matter, but also yes, gear drives how you engage with photography.

I gave away my modern Sony camera to a mate and downgraded to a 5d mark II. It's sluggish to use in comparison but I'm having more fun with it than I did with the Sony. I love the shots straight out of camera. I even challenged myself to make more money with it than I did with the Sony for a laugh. Hahaha

I look forward to the day they restart making cameras dedicated to still photography…

Do you get that "special feeling" with any digital camera?

I never could get the reason why menus exist at all. My favorite cameras that are as close to the digital era as possible are the Nikon F90x and F601. They offer all the functions you could want without a ton of menus and an excess of buttons. 4 or 5 buttons on the top left, 2 or 3 buttons on the right, 1 scroll wheel, one power switch (mechanical please) and a tiny top mounted LCD screen. That's it. I just wish manufacturers could make something as simple and powerful.

I really don't know what on earth you are doing with your 6D mark II I have a mark I and it's amazing it doesn't miss a beat or focus, I prefer it to my 5D classic and mark III the colours on the 6D are just as good as the 5D classic and mark II. There is a professional wedding photographer from either Germany or The Netherlands who has 2 and between both of them, they have done well over 1 million shutter count. He has a YT channel with a video showing them. As a professional photographer, you are obviously doing something wrong with that camera because I believe the 6D and the Mark II are two of the most underrated cameras that have ever been. You don't need to flick through all the settings they are not needed they are just BS from the marketing department, if you know the exposure triangle you can use any camera.

A Leica M11 with a 50mm Summicron would make we want to take photos all the time. One problem. I don’t have a spare $11k.

This is why I collect gear but don't get into any of the BS Canon vs. Nikon or other gear debates. I collect gear that I think would be fun to use. And my best pictures come from gear that I like using, whether it's a toy film camera, an '80s point and shoot, or a modern DSLR or mirrorless camera.

If you have a hammer every problem looks like a nail. Of course what you have in your hand and the process you are using govern how you see the world! The problem these days is that digital cameras are all so similar and can do so much. People think that creativity is just a matter of force of will. Liberation is through limitation baby. (Also really don't like Hasselblads and have owned several. A Yashicamat or Rolleiflex sparks much more joy)

and your images all done with a communicating device that reaches anywhere..

Not a very good episode. Quite disappointing, as I think it’s you who make the difference of an image, not the camera. I am using Leica cameras, but I have seen many images taken on a Canon 6MK2 who were as good as any image I have taken on my Leicas.

Roflmao, at around 3 min photos really could had been taken with any camera.