[Jewelltrail]

Rondec: I agree, but it is often an unfair comparison. My brother has a Nikon D50 with a kit lens. His photos are often less than sharp. If I compare mine to his, my initial response is: "Oh, my camera is better than yours." The reality is that if he got better glass, his camera would be fine. On the other hand, he doesn't really seem to care, which is something that I have noticed about Nikon users. They seem content to stick with the kit lens, even if they aren't getting very good results. Unlike me, who am stuck chasing after higher quality lenses.

If your brother is happy, then leave him alone--why mess with happiness? If someone can be happier with less, you need to tip your hat to them. Ultimately, there will always come a point where you too will need to be happy with where you are.

One of the secrets to a happy life is as follows:


"Learn to be happy with what you have, not unhappy with what you don't have."

[alderfall]

Too true... Eventually we should find our "happy place" with our own photos. So many of us continue to chase that holy grail called "perfect" when we might be better served by enjoying "the doing of the thing". I know when I crest a sand dune in the evening air and light and stand there breathing it all in, that is when I am happiest.

I would also suggest however, that there is something to be said about competition and constant improvement from a technical standpoint, as long as it is not the only motivation.

If your brother is happy, then leave him alone--why mess with happiness? If someone can be happier with less, you need to tip your hat to them. Ultimately, there will always come a point where you too will need to be happy with where you are.

One of the secrets to a happy life is as follows:


"Learn to be happy with what you have, not unhappy with what you don't have."

[Rondec]

I agree. Satisfaction is really important -- the pursuit of stuff never made anyone happy; however, it is challenges that make life interesting and the challenge of taking better photos certainly makes photography fun. But, sometimes its pretty fun to get a new lens and stick it on -- it's like seeing the world through a slight different eye.

[newarts]

Producing a photographic image involves some sequential steps. These steps are like links in a chain. And like a simple chain, overall strength is limited by its weakest link.

Sometimes the weak link is the lens, sometimes the sensor, sometimes the display, sometimes the battery, etc. Each must be balanced vis-a-vis the other.

Old Dave

[al_undy]

Glass is most important. I have k100d and am most pleased with the FA35. The FA50 is good but the FA35 is better.