If you could...

[rages4calm]

If you could have any camera you wanted... what would it be and why?

I am going to say personally Canon EOS 5D just because I've never owned anything more then a rebel xt and after playing with my friends 20D for a couple weeks I could only imagine what the 5D was capable of.

[pippin]

1DMk II N. Why? I don't really need the extra megapixels from my 20D.. i just need faster frames for the horses i shoot.

[Daniel Bates]

Does it have to be just one camera?


If only one camera, then definitely the Mark II N. It can do pretty much anything. If two cameras, then the Mark II N and the 5D.

[Duffy Pratt]

Hasselblad H2 with a P45 back. Do I get the lenses I want too? And while I'm at it, do I get to move it around with the Aston-Martin I want?

The other camera I want is the 1 Series that Canon will probably announce the release of in the next few months.

Duffy

[gardener]

I know this is close to heresy for not wanting better but I'm actually quite satisfied with my Canon 20D. Odd that you'd bring this up as I've been thinking about it quite a bit of late.

[KeithAlanK]

Like gardener, I'm more than happy with my current camera.
I know it inside and out, plus it has a brand new sensor that's actually better than the original. (Sony replaced it because the old CCD was from the bad batch they made a few years back, and it failed completely this summer. The fix was free including shipping, and turnaround was a mere six days.)

IF I could pick a new camera for free, I think I would have trouble choosing between the 30D and two dark horse candidates, the Olympus E-1 replacement (don't recall the model name) and the Sony Alpha DSLR.
I prefer a 4:3 sensor shape, as it's closer to 8x10 than 3:2 is, for less cropping when printing.
But the Sony has in-camera IS, so all lenses are stabilized.
And I'm spoiled by my fast Zeiss glass and would want a camera that has that option readily available.
Plus, I don't think the higher iso noise everyone complains about on PDReview would bother me much, as I already deal with this issue rather effectively at iso200 and above, so a fairly clean iso800 would seem like heaven to me.

[NathanJK]

It's gotta be a Hasselblad H3D! http://www.hasselbladusa.com/products/h-system/h3d.aspx

[Wes]

Nikon D2Xs.

[Nikolai]

One camera? I'd want my grandfather's twin reflex medium format Yashica back. It got lost in the funeral/moving/cleaning house gig, and if nothing else, I'd like that the most.

[johnastovall]

Next generation of Canon's 1Ds for a walk around camera.

For a bit better an MF, this will do very nicely.

[Cope]

Originally Posted by KeithAlanK

Like gardener, I'm more than happy with my current camera.
I know it inside and out, plus it has a brand new sensor that's actually better than the original. (Sony replaced it because the old CCD was from the bad batch they made a few years back, and it failed completely this summer. The fix was free including shipping, and turnaround was a mere six days.)

IF I could pick a new camera for free, I think I would have trouble choosing between the 30D and two dark horse candidates, the Olympus E-1 replacement (don't recall the model name) and the Sony Alpha DSLR.
I prefer a 4:3 sensor shape, as it's closer to 8x10 than 3:2 is, for less cropping when printing.
But the Sony has in-camera IS, so all lenses are stabilized.
And I'm spoiled by my fast Zeiss glass and would want a camera that has that option readily available.
Plus, I don't think the higher iso noise everyone complains about on PDReview would bother me much, as I already deal with this issue rather effectively at iso200 and above, so a fairly clean iso800 would seem like heaven to me.

I have an investment in Minolta lenses, flashes and accessories, but if my 7D cratered, at this point I might eBay everything and go with the Canon 30D. I have heard that the Alpha is a great camera, but I knw the 7D is superior in most regards, and I know several who sold their 7D and bought the 30D. Other than ergonomics and built in A/S, they say the 30D is better.

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

Just give me this back http://www.leaf-photography.com/page.../aptus75s.aspx that I can put onto my Mamiya RZ67 camera that I already have. Yeah it's a bit too slow for sports work and a bit cumbersome for PJ work but for studio or landscape work it is up there at the top of the heap. Heck I could upgrade my Mamiya body and get this back http://www.phaseone.com/Content/p1di...ks/P%2045.aspx

As to 35mm format I bet there are a few "govt" level cameras out there that Nikon makes that I would love to get my fingers on or otherwise the Nikon DZXs is good enough for me.

Now if I could build a system, the one that John S references above is great and the ability to use any LF lens system is super great-if you want to get that 1850's look use an 1850's lens! Then just pop in your 2006 Schneider lens and get the 2006 look! (weight of an extra lens board is insignificant, and would allow swap out time just a bit longer than it takes to swap out an SLR lens). Only drawback on Johns system is that it is tripod use only while the Leaf system above could be handheld and it would be a bit lighter when taking it down a canyon trail. But if you have both MF and LF set ups both using the same Backs with adaptors you could decide on that days shoot wheather to go with the LF set up or MF set up weight and distance restrictions. Not sure what the backs cost * I would guess in the $25-35+K range but the rest of it is reasonable on the pocket book and the schneider lenses will keep their value since they are pretty much usable for the next 100+ years with just a bit of service on the Copal shutters every so often.

So if santa just wants to drop a digital back down the chimney the Leaf or Pahse one backs would do nicely I can scrounge around to get the rest of the camera.

[CaptainTom]

Originally Posted by NathanJK

It's gotta be a Hasselblad H3D! http://www.hasselbladusa.com/products/h-system/h3d.aspx

Hassy would do it for me.

[Murph]

Mint Deardorff 5x7 view camera w/ Schnieder 210mm f/5.6 in copal, Schnieder 480mm APO Symmar, Schneider Wide Angle 110mm f/5.6 Super-Symmar XL Lens with Copal #1 Shutter, a dozen 5x7 holders, all lenses in lensboards. http://harrysproshop.com/dd57/dd57.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...goryNavigation
I would love to get back into large format photography, but cost and I want a 5x7 rather than a 4x5 to do it again. This is the camera I would get. If the Deardorff was not available, then a Wisner or Wista 5x7 field.