Do you care about others?

Funny though how if you show someone a realy good shot and they like it the first thing they do is ask what camera you use and what lens you use or in the old days what film you used. Some of my best shots were taken with an old Pentax K1000 using Ilford B&W film. I got used to comments like "what do you expect to get with that antique"
Comments like "my auto focus is so fast it can track a Ferrari coming at me at 100mph and still get a sharp shot" were the norm, funny thing coming from someone who's taking landscape shots at the time, and I've never seen one of their Ferrari pics .
A camera and lens can only capture what the imagination sees I say.
Some of the best pictures I've ever seen were done with a pinhole camera.

I love new toys, so I'm always getting something else for my camera bag(s). And, I like talking to the other photo geeks about their gear. I don't feel challenged in any way by what they have. If I see something I want, I usually just go get one. What really irks me, though, are the negative comments I occasionally hear from wannabe photographers, who come up and start a conversation trying to compare my equipment to the "latest and greatest" they just read about in some photo magazine. Usually, those guys don't even have a camera with them!

For the next little bit, I'm going to rebadge my D60. Yup, gonna make my own sticker and all.

And to those that see a print of mine, and want to know what body took it, I'm gonna tell them or show them my new 40D MkII.

That will get them going......

ROFL!!

Or just move the D to the back

Quite so!

I would probably comment on someone else's gear if the occasion arose, but never in a derisive or put-down way. For all I know they could run rings around me with my current gear.

Recently I spoke to a professional photographer who was taking pictures of me and my guys at an event I was attending (as a guest). Guess what. Nikon film user with Tokina 28-70 f/2.8. Not even a power winder, he was using the film advance lever. I haven't had the opportunity to look at the pics yet (I was supposed to receive a copy) but I bet they're pretty dang good.

He did notice my 350D slung over my shoulder and commented that he would prefer digital, but that he'd been asked to use film for some reason. (work's like that, you don't always get to choose, I guess)


There are some other times though, when I would prefer people NOT notice my 5D.. you get the green eyed monster of jealousy following you around. Quite a number of my friends think I have a 350D with 17-85 lens, even on the days when I'm carrying my 5D and 24-105. Seems like they didn't look carefully, or notice the labels and the red ring

Gotta go along with Photosguy in principle. I generally eyeball the other guys camera, more out of curiosity. If it is an older camera that I have owned, I try to make a positive statement regarding the capabilities of the gear. Why shove yourself in front of someone at their expense? What goes around does really come around, so be careful. After 40 years of shooting, I can't get excited about 'new & shiney' like I used to.

To me its who can take the better pictures not who has what equipment.
A camera alone does not take good pics however the person behind the camera can make the big difference.
Great deal for you on the sales of your pics.


Sonya

I have to admit that I do get lens envy when I see the big white lenses ... I shot with a 100-400 L or a couple weeks while my new lens was on order. Man, even people that don't know about cameras get exited when they see white. I almost bought that lens, not so much that it was the best lens I ever had on my camera, but I kind of liked the attention ( I know pretty childish). I ended up getting the 70-300IS as it really is all I need for what I shoot. I do look at what others are shooting with, but don't judge them good or bad because of what they shoot with. There was a kid in a photography class that I took last semester that shots with a 40 year old 4x5 camera and his shots will absolutely blow your mind.. It is all good in my opinion...

I do check out what people are using... normally i dont really care, but I have to say I get REALLY racked off when I see someone with $10000's of equipment and absolutely NO idea how to use it... that REALLY gets me....

*goes and pours cold water on his head...* :-p

I went to a "Meet the Reps" day at a local camera store & the guy in front of me wanted a 20D 'cause his neighbor had one. From what he said, he'll never get it off the green box?! (If he can even find it, that is!)

I look and ask questions to see what people are using and why that particular item. I am a very curious person by nature and lots of times I can learn things that help me.

I'll take a look at what they have. If there's a big white lens, I'll get a case of lens envy, but I leave them alone. I carefully selected my equipment & know how to use it well--and know that I can produce good images--that's all that really matters to me.

I find it more amusing than anything else when I see someone with a huge pile of top quality gear & no clue. I figure it's kind of like the gold-chain set that buy Ferraris so they can cruise down whatever high-priced block in the area at 20mph.