Words are wind
In 2009, I boldly declared that (camera) size matters, and smaller is better, mmmkay? And I can't be bothered to carry a bulky SLR everywhere I go. Hence, the Lumix DMC-LX3: compact, light, small, in my purse and off we go.
In 2010, I loudly complained that ISO-400 or higher sucks big time, that this isn't grain, its goddamn noise, and "...I think I need a better camera. Crap." I didn't do anything about it, I just nagged from time to time.
In 2012, I had the chance to fool around with a Nikon D7000 and a prime 50mm 1.8 lens for about twenty minutes. During these twenty minutes, I was SO happy and excited, that the fate of my trusted Lumix was sealed there and then: it was doomed to become a secondary camera.
So, in 2013, I'm finally upgrading to a DSLR, because (sensor) size matters, and bigger is better, mmmkay? And because a fast prime lens is what I should have been working with years ago, and I didn't, and now I really, really want to.
Greedy motherfucker
The upgrade was rather radical, and it goes like this:
Body: Nikon D5100
Nikkor 35mm F/1.8 G AF-S
(equivalent to the standard 50mm prime, simple and fast)
Nikkor 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 AF-S G VR
(all purpose zoom, from wide angle to short tele)
Nikkor 55-200mm F/4.0-5.6 G AF-S ED VR
(big mean tele, though on the slow side)
I don't know how this happened, I swear I was going to get a body and a 35mm prime for starters and wait months or years for secondary lenses, but I got greedy. And very very excited. And I'm not done yet.
In the long run, I'll definitely get a fast 50mm prime, too. I have my eyes on the Nikkor 50mm F/1.4 D, and I'm waiting for a decent one to appear in the used market. (Everything I've gotten so far is used.) F/1.4, I say. It will be glorious.
Until then, I got plenty of stuff to play with, so beware: new camera and new lenses (plural!) means there's a learning curve ahead. Yay for me, groans from the audience. :)
P.S. I'm not getting rid of the Lumix, mind you. I got to love the pretty little bastard. Image quality notwithstanding, it's a great tool, especially for street photography. I'm not (yet?) comfortable to point a big DSLR to people's faces, and I'm still very fond of stealth mode, so the Lumix stays, proudly.
P.S.S. Thanks, Santa!
