You are 200% honest, salute! We only need the most essential, versatile, functional and ergonomic tool for anything to get job well done. I never understand why people love to buy vintage looking cameras with a ton of disadvantages and cost them a lot of fortune. It's more like showing the world, hey now I can afford something that I couldn't buy years ago when I was a broke chap with a lot of dreams.

I know another myth: The best achievements are made when you are still a free single guy.

When Kirk decided to turn off his blog. In sadness I deleted VSB bookmark on my browser. Later I experienced that Kirk start to write again from Mike's site. So you writers and we readers are somehow interconnected. Now Visual Science Blog comes back in my bookmark list. PS: I group my bookmarks under several disciplines and go through each morning with my coffee whenever I have time. The list is synched with the firefox server so I can find the same bookmark list on any computer I use.

Since my childhood the name Nikon means "future proof professional quality". I think this is still valid for the "1". I strongly believe that: 1. "1" will get Camera Awards everywhere for it's unconventional and new features. 2. Nikon's big name will attract customer prefer Nikon "1" system. 3. Asian particularly will be the markets since Asian loves to explore new things. 4. Big "1" user base will not only bring cash but also learning curve for new technologies embedded in V1 and J1 5. Everything works in "1" will be seen in future DSLRs I read people's anger everywhere against "1" system. I think most people always look back and cannot digest that things continously change and people have to adapt to it as well.

I see many people have problem with explanation with framework like this: "A is A, but A is not A. Considering the assumption to each conclusion depends on which approach of time-space method is being used" To have a lethal debate over technical stuff at least some science and mathematical thinking is involved. Not just like religious mindset which only recognizes black or white, good or evil :). Keep going on Ctein!

The samples are good though. It tempts me :) But price is bad.

Yeah, So Funny! For more than 15 years I have only one Nikon F3 with 3 lenses. And reluctantly survived the digital wave attack until Coolpix 5100 popped up after my son's birth. Unsatisfied with the quality, I started searching wildly over Internet and found sites such as uncle Ken's and Dpreview's. The Mind Infiltration phase has just started. I bought 2 Nikon DSLRs, 5 new lenses one old Elmarit R. Guess, I am reading the reviews from the site and still unhappy. Now I sold all my VR junks, and keep only my old manual lenses and pro grade AF-D and slowly using more negative film again. Today I just bought one Mamiya 645 Pro TL via ebay. And next week I plan to order one Epson V600 for scanning film. I feel like a stupid Hamster running in a 'please trade again' cage. Digital Photography is not a discipline of art but consumer electronic business where "Keep Buying New Models" is the main objective. PS: Phase One still tempts me :)

What usually happens to me: people look at your shots. They like it, envy you and want such a shot desperately. Finally they will ask you what equipment you have or they should buy. Then with a good thing in mind and expensive equipments in your hand you will start with the classic opening speech: Good equipment doesn't guarantee good results ... The problem is usually they will get angry thinking why you are hindering people to make good photographs by telling them not to buy things we owned. In rage they will copy our equipment, spend couple thousand of dollars and wondering at the end why the result is different.

I think we can raise our quality of life by reducing several 'needs' such as bringing gadgets which at the end more like a burden than a help. A good reference regarding this issue is 'To Have or To Be from Erich Fromm' Thanks. PS: I am also in high-tech sector but try to minimize gadgets in my personal life.