the times they are a changing

so said one robert zimmerman long before the reported (sic) death of film

and today, it appears that canikon have thrown gear-grinding monkey-wrenches, feeble though they may be, into the world of camera gear. since the dawn of the digital age, the venerable DSLR has and, for now, continues to rule. the once fabled rangefinder and other formats, have long ago vacated center stage. is today's DSLR the next to follow?

in the past couple weeks, both canon and nikon have launched new mounts - within days of each other. first time ever. ever. as in, that's NEVER happened before. possible hint therein? ya think?

while my canon gear continues to perform, canon's lack of demonstrated commitment over the past several years - their seemingly total unwillingness to offer innovative, pioneering photographic technologies or products - had already had a chilling impact on my willingness to spend additional $$$ on my canon full frame kit.

my last large canon purchase was my 1dx2 - & I still love it! no regrets on that one. I'm still thinking about adding a used 5d4 - but I keep shooting my 5d(classic) & my "nearly broken in (don't ask)" 1d4 as make-shift backups.

Specifically, let's just say I'm holding off purchasing the $13,000 upgrade to my 600/4 II. We don't even know how well the damn R adapters will work with our EF glass (which have now fallen to the diminished status of legacy glass? - RF to EF, as EF to FDn?). Sad.

In this techno-swamp of confusion and change, I've reverted to film for a lot of my current work. I've also slipped back to the dark side, adding a D850 and another FF nikon dslr. And, perhaps not so surprising, I'm shooting these with mostly classic zeiss, voigtländer & native mf/ais glass. Occassionally I even feel like a photographer. Finally, I supplemented my fuji x100s with an x-t1, an x-e1, and a modest collection of glass, both native and adapted. I'm paying close attention to the X-H1 (IBIS for my MF glass? hmmm.), X-T3 and the developing G series.

there's an ancient curse - 'may you live in interesting times'

yep - we're "blessed" with an amazing avalanche of incompatible gear, systems, technologies, and brilliant optics. and enough confusion and fog to compensate.

interesting times.

Interesting.

I've been shooting Canon digital for about 10 years, as a hobbyist/recreational user. I've been making photographs since about 1966. I still have a working (last time I checked) Kodak Brownie Hawkeye flash, and still shoot my Yashica FX-D bodies (upgrades from my FX3-S2Ks). The Kodak has been around since at least 1961 (end of run), and the FX-D is from the early '80s.

I'd love to hear your prognostications on anyone, anywhere, ever using a 57 year old, or a 38 year old, digital camera. I'm not seeing it.

I got my Vivitar Series 1 70-210 f/3.5 for $39. I"m guessing that translates into about $6 in 1980s dollars. Let me know when you're willing to sell your 'legacy' EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM II for $6. I'll take it.

daleg wrote in post #18705880
..... my last large canon purchase was my 1dx2 - & I still love it! no regrets on that one.

I'm still thinking about adding a used 5d4 ...

... I keep shooting my 5d(classic) & my "nearly broken in (don't ask)" 1d4 as make-shift backups.

..... I've reverted to film for a lot of my current work.

... I've also slipped back to the dark side, adding a D850 and another FF nikon dslr.

... Finally, I supplemented my fuji x100s with an x-t1, an x-e1, and a modest collection of glass, both native and adapted.

... I'm paying close attention to the X-H1 (IBIS for my MF glass? hmmm.), X-T3 and the developing G series.

I don't understand something. If you have a 1Dx2, and love it, then why do you have so many other cameras? It sucks to switch back and forth between different types of cameras, unless you absolutely have to. What are all these other cameras doing for you that your 1Dx2 can't do as well?

manual focus, legacy glass, smaller, unobtrusive, etc.

or perhaps an 8 hour walk that yields 3 or 4 careful images. slow sometimes works.

or shooting BIF from our riverside dock or deck with the 1d4 & 400/5.6

appreciating the 1dx2 takes nothing away from the M3 or 503CX

maybe I still have some irrational need to soak film and scan negatives

but mainly, I suppose, after all these years - because I can.

enjoy
dale

4 months later - an update:

since the above post, and without altering those thoughts - except it's too damn cold for long walks, I've since added the Canon 5D4 (when I first picked it up, and held it, it felt like I'd been using it for years - uncanny but true) and a Fujifilm X-H1. Both used, clean, low mileage. Nice.

While I still love the 1DX2 - I don't always enjoy hauling it around with the 28-300L or other red-ringed mega-lens.

Over time, I've accumulated a collection of gear that I enjoy using. It's a blessing and an indulgence. Unapologetically.

Life is too short for junk glass and bad cameras. Carpe lensum.

it's now been over a year since my 9-11-2018 post. so, to keep this current in the broad sense, here's the update. as it's obvious that I'm not getting younger or stronger, bigger and heavier are giving way to smaller and lighter.

this year I sold my 1DX2. also gone is my 1D4 - barely broken in with just over 1.2MM clicks (I'd buy it back tomorrow) and finally the 7D2 - I tired of waiting for Canon to inform us as to its future - so I sold it. soon, I'll begin selling canon glass - lots of it.

as before, I'm splitting workflow between film and digital. for film, I'm mostly between my leica M3, hassy 503CX and numerous Nikons. Most recently added was an original Olympus Pen-F half-frame - 72+ images from a roll of tri-x. and yes, large(r) format remains an unscratched itch. maybe, maybe not.

for digital I added a Leica Q-P with its 28/1.7 'lux - a gateway drug. Most recent arrivals are the M43 Olympus Pen-F and the OM-D E-M1 II with a small number, for now, of mostly diminutive lenses. Aside from a few more Fuji lenses, I succumbed to temptation, adding a single canon lens - an EF 85/1.2L II. the devil made me do it.

at the moment, I'm paused. twice I attempted and almost - both times - took possession of near new leicas. neither happened - odd events - but no hurry. for now, I'm preparing to cut my canon collection of lenses and adapted lenses in half, plus or minus. may also trim my Nikon FFs - that's the D850 & 2.8 trilogy, etc. - a tough call.

as to the "revolutionary" canikon full-frame mirrorless offerings? color me underwhelmed. wasn't mirrorless, once upon a time, about smaller? lighter? affordable (heresy of heresies)? have you looked at the massive pairings of lenses & bodies? and costs? yikes. I've learned to avoid saying "never" - but certainly not yet or now.

that's it for now. as always, more questions than answers. stay tuned, or not.

"... this year I sold my 1DX2. also gone is my 1D4 - barely broken in with just over 1.2MM clicks (I'd buy it back tomorrow) and finally the 7D2 - I tired of waiting for Canon to inform us as to its future ... "

I don't understand your reason for selling the 7D2. How does Canon's plan (or lack of plan) for that body affect its utility?

I have one, and it works just like it did when I bought it, Canon's plans notwithstanding.

Am I missing something?

Canon's ambivalent commitment to its 7DX line reduced my commitment to it. I've moved to other combos to exceed 600mm and longer. All 3 of the mentioned cameras that I sold were fantastic tools. No criticisms intended or implied. Just matters of preference - based on my personal situation, desires and needs.

I didn't see your comments as criticism. I simply don't understand why Canon's apparent/perceived lack of any 7D3 plans should make the MK2 less appealing.

Yes times have changed for sure.
I have moved forward and use digital exclusively.
I'll eventually make a display case for my favorite 35mm cameras.
Finally purchased an EF lens adapter. Now waiting for a sale price mirrorless camera body I might like.