3 days til my Canon 5D...
Sunday, August 24 2008
arrives!
I've known for quite some time that I've needed to get a backup camera. I've actually been having nightmares about it. Sounds crazy, doesn't it? I'd actually wake up in the morning thinking I had somehow ruined a wedding or portrait session because my camera had failed. Died. Kicked the bucket. These dreams made absolutely no sense because my current camera, a Canon 400d (Rebel XTI) has had absolutely NO PROBLEMS what so ever. But despite the reality of no problems, my head and my heart were starting to panic.
I'd been thinking of upgrading for a while. Ok, I'll be honest. I've been thinking of upgrading practically since the day I got my XTI last fall. I guess that's the geek in me - when you get your new toy - oops, gadget - you start thinking of the next cool toy - oops again, piece of equipment - that you can get/afford next.
The first camera I was drawn to was the Canon EOS 5D. I was not, however, drawn to the price. So I looked at other cameras. As I am just starting out professionally, I decided it would make sense for me to look at the competitors, Nikon, Olympus, etc... I shot with a Nikon when I was a second shooter with the Englers back in July at the DuPont Country Club. It was pretty easy to use and I did like it. However, it wasn't a Canon. And I love my Canon. I loved my previous film Canon cameras. So, despite the fact that I became an "official business" only a few months ago, I've shot for years with Canon. I knew I really wanted a Canon.
The camera below the Canon 5D spec-wise and price-wise is the 40D or the 30D depending on sales and who you ask in the business. I did my research and read countless reviews, etc... and both had decent comments from users all over the world. But neither one is a full-frame camera - which means no cropping! - and I really wanted my next camera to be a full-frame camera.
So I put the thought of upgrading to the back of my head for now. Realistically, it just wasn't in the cards financially at the moment. The most important thing to me, personally, as I build my business, is that I am financially smart about it. That means that I don't go out and buy the latest and greatest just because it's the latest and greatest, and it also means that I hold myself to a strict, and I mean strict, cash only budget.
But earlier last week, my Mom called and wanted to know what my plans were in regards to having a backup camera for my upcoming wedding. I so wanted to tell her, "Don't worry Mom, I have it covered" because I was embarrassed to admit that I didn't have a real backup yet. Don't get me wrong, my little Sony point and shoot ROCKS, but I was trying to avoid thinking about the possibility of yanking it out during a reception (although in those dreams I mentioned about I did and it was a TERRIBLE experience). So I fessed up. I admitted I didn't have one yet.
My Mom was so supportive. She always is, as is my Dad. I frequently feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have parents like mine. They never judge, they just give advice (sometimes too much, but they wouldn't be parents if they didn't have a lot of advice, right?) and sometimes offer their life experiences as compared to my circumstances. They both really wanted me to have a backup camera. And after a lot of convincing on her part, and a few questions on mine, we came to agree on common ground: my backup dream needed to become a reality.
My 5D arrives Wednesday. I am so blessed.
