5D MKIII and financial status

Yes AF system alone worth the upgrade.But again that's depend on what you use for it. Most people confuse with what you need and what you want.

If doesn't matter if the new gear you can afford it or it's <10% from your income. If it doesn't serve your need or it has lots of features that you don't need it, what's the point?

On the contray, if it cost few months of your income, but by having that you could boost your income or take the shoot that you never has the ability to take before.

Now that I am retired, my 5DIII is more than my official monthly income. The wife told me to order one to celebrate my retirement and birthday. Also it is a "thank you" because I saved her life last October in Jackson Hole when she went into atrial fibrilllation. Of course the real gift was just continuing to have her around.

I'm a student... working part-time and putting my schoularship money (that I usually always get) towards it, it'd take me a couple months.

Tempting... but an older BMW 3-series is also tempting...

I might sound a bit philosophical to many, but if for 30% of people this camera costs more than a monthly salary, and most folks do not do award winning photography (otherwise salaries would have been different), maybe there is something wrong with the values in life?
All in all, big companies have learned to use human ego to maximum to get their marketing strategies working - "you are worth it....."

With my part time job it would take me a little bit over a month to earn it - but I just got a 5D mark 2 so I don't think I'll even consider the mark 3 until towards the end of the year. I have a couple of paid events lined up but I'd rather spend that money on a new lens than a body at the moment.

It's always nice to update equipment whenever possible otherwise working on technique is still top of the list as an enthusiast.

light_pilgrim wrote in post #14435358
I might sound a bit philosophical to many, but if for 30% of people this camera costs more than a monthly salary, and most folks do not do award winning photography (otherwise salaries would have been different), maybe there is something wrong with the values in life?
All in all, big companies have learned to use human ego to maximum to get their marketing strategies working - "you are worth it....."

lol I think we do this all the time... some people just like new shiny things, even if they don't "need" them

light_pilgrim wrote in post #14435358
I might sound a bit philosophical to many, but if for 30% of people this camera costs more than a monthly salary, and most folks do not do award winning photography (otherwise salaries would have been different), maybe there is something wrong with the values in life?
All in all, big companies have learned to use human ego to maximum to get their marketing strategies working - "you are worth it....."

have you just discovered the concept of conspicuous consumption? coined in the late 1800s, this type of behavior is human nature and has nothing to do with big companies and their marketing strategies. it has to do with how people act and what others to perceive them. it has to do with how they perceive themselves. big companies do not have to try to exploit the ego, the ego exploits the mind.

marketing strategies are only so the individual can choose which company they will act out the motions they were already going to do. marketing is not only to lead you to the company but away from the other companies, without actually saying so. your going to buy something, but what?

No 5D MKIII for me! I've been unemployed since July 2010 so I had to "settle" for a 5DMKII (or 2)

light_pilgrim wrote in post #14435358
I might sound a bit philosophical to many, but if for 30% of people this camera costs more than a monthly salary, and most folks do not do award winning photography (otherwise salaries would have been different), maybe there is something wrong with the values in life?
All in all, big companies have learned to use human ego to maximum to get their marketing strategies working - "you are worth it....."

Why is it a negative? Your values aren't my values which isn't my neighbors values.