3.16.2012

Wisdom and intelligence are not the same. I'd choose wise over smart any day. If I had a choice.


I'm having fun today.
I put all of my Canon equipment in a big, big box and
sold it.  All of it.  Every flash. Every body.
Every lens. Even the little flash sync cords.
No more L lenses.  No more 
promotional camera straps.
Where do I go from here?

Stay tuned.

58 comments:

mshafik said...

Wow, you are ... Different. Can't wait to hear your justification, I still remember your "Why do I keep my 5D Mark II?" blog post.

Xavier said...

More money to buy and try new things, or just an exercise in frugality ?

GreggMack54 said...

Wow! Is it on consignment down at Precision Camera? If so, I'm headed down there right now to see what I can get!

Edward Yezekian said...

Yawn...

Spencer H said...

Obviously moving to medium format...

ginsbu said...

Yowzers! Even the Zeiss glass?

This ought to make for good reading... Now you've got my expectations up!

Kirk, Photographer/Writer said...

agreed.

Kirk, Photographer/Writer said...

Interesting.

gjhimages said...

Let me guess
sony for studio after your recent blog
m 4/3 for rest
Been reading you for 3 months now- - keep up the good work always interesting
Gave up on google+ , seems to be all photogs blogs 'i followed who moved to google+ sold out to the 'internet masses', ie begging for donations of money or gear and became boring

Anonymous said...

There's something about a Pen........???!

Kirk, Photographer/Writer said...

I might suggest a book but you won't find much begging for donations around here. Not my style.

wjl (Wolfgang Lonien) said...

"Wisdom hangs on. It knew your face when you were young." (John Gorka)

Markus Johnson said...

Well, assuming you still want/need a DSLR for picky clients, I am going to guess you are getting a Sigma SD1 and a 70mm 2.8 macro...at least that's what i'd do (and am thinking about it except I would have to do it sight unseen). I know you are a shill for "un-accorded" and under-appreciated cameras...the consummate naysayer (all meant in a good way!) Selfishly I hope this is what you are doing, I'd love to hear about your experiences. As noted, I am thinking about taking the plunge but am having a hard time justifying it, considering I would loose video (even though I really don't shoot it much)...I just don't know if it will be THAT much better than my 5dII and without a REAL camera store in Detroit I am left to admire from afar and wonder what could be.

Unknown said...

I'm betting it's the new, pocketable, 8x10 Deardorff, with autofocus, autotilt, autoswing, autoshift, and 2.3-billion points matrix metering.

Unknown said...

Life with a single Domke bag sounds pretty good to me.

Unknown said...

I know, I know! Good seeing you today, Kirk. Enjoy the new gear!

josh h images said...

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! My God, sir, you are a character – that you are! There's never any telling what you'll say or do next."
http://tinyurl.com/linefrommaltesefalcon

Unknown said...

You quit photography and want this tungsten rake with a carbon handle to start zen stone gardening?

D said...

You've finally made the move to iPhone?

Anonymous said...

If you give him enough LED lights, he could.

Drew said...

I've just read this post after coming home from a long walk around the lake, having great fun plinking with my NEX 5N, and mulling over whether to upgrade to a Canon 5D MkIII, and acquire a new Zeiss 15mm ZE. The idea of which, frankly, provoked a deep heavy feeling, bordering on revulsion.

I did decide, however, that it probably REALLY IS (past) time to sell my 4x5 gear! Ha.

I am going to be very interested to find out what you're up to, Kirk!

Kirk, Photographer/Writer said...

Drew. You better look at the next post.....

Drew said...

OK, this is weird, my 4x5 is a Linhof Tecknikarden!

diforbes said...

Now you've really piqued my curiosity.

Brad C said...

And to think I was putting my money on the Pentax Q :)

curmudgeon said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
AlexG said...

Your going to cut down on cameras, only using the µ43 and a Hassleblad? or perhaps a Fuji X or Nex7? You could use the sale money for a cracking trip for your family, now that is money well spent!

curmudgeon said...

Wow! I love following your blog. I can't wait to see what you do next. Please don't keep us in suspense long. I can't bear it.

AlexG said...

Or how about the whole lot on Tri-X and storage facilities?

Steve said...

This should be fun to watch from the sidelines. Where'd I put the popcorn?

Michael Ferron said...

You are the only one I know who swaps out gear faster than I do.

c.d.embrey said...

I see you were as impressed with the DPReview OM-G E-5M IQ tests as I was. ;-)

c.d.embrey

stefano60 said...

Markus, funny, i just did that a couple of weeks ago, been shooting with it now for a week (but i got the 50/1.4 and the 15-50 zoom, it is an APS size sensor after all. might get a 20 or a 30 and the 85 and call it a day).
i am very impressed so far - but then again, i also have the small dp2,and have owned other sigmas in the past, so i am biased towards the foveon :-)

Kirk, whatever people may say about you, they sure cannot say that you do not stand by your beliefs! Congratulations!

I was just listening to Victor Wooten now and remembered what he always tells anyone who asks him about the best guitars:

"the instrument doesn't make the music ... you do"

Unknown said...

Only been reading for a couple of weeks but very interested to see your next move! Great blogposts by the way.

Jack said...

"...pocketable, 8x10 Deardorff..." Those are darn big pockets. :~p

Cheers

Kevin Mayo said...

Up here in Red Sox nation we had a saying for manny Ramirez's escapades "Manny being Manny" so this is Kirk being Kirk which makes for fascinating reading.

Dave said...

Smart money would be Sony A77, but the wise money is Olympus OMD. Sony's camera looks awesome but its heavy and the prime lens selection is just so-so. Then again your auld lang syne for 4x5 could throw a spanner in the works.

My bet: Oly OMD and Panasonic GH2/G3 but that you hedge your bet with clients by keeping the A77.

PhotED said...

WOW! Big move. We await with bated breath the next phase...

Thomas said...

Nex-7 + Nikon D800E with a couple of prime lenses...

Kenneth Tanaka said...

I assume that you are serving your professional interests in such a gesture?

Marino Mannarini said...

Now, Kirk, this is why i like so much following your blog, and reading the wandering paths that you photo-soul lead you on searching for new lands. It's refreshing to know somebody else (and not just anybody...)does the same thing i do. I myself am on the verge of selling out all my Nikon stuff to embrace definitively the m43 system. I have had a GF1, a PL1, now a GH2 and the OM-D E-M5 looms dangerously on my wallet. Curious as hell to see what will be your next choice.

Dave said...

I'm revoting. Brownie camera all the way :)

Kirk, Photographer/Writer said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kirk, Photographer/Writer said...

Finally, a real voice of reason.

Kirk, Photographer/Writer said...

Or one could assume that it's just a self destructive gesture....

But, but yeah. I had so many generations of bodies and lenses piling up with all their attendant and diverse batteries and chargers. I'm on a relentless downsizing and rationalizing campaign aimed to clearing out the studio clutter, reducing the decision making process and having one battery type, one menu type and only three lenses. Too many choices and too many diverse control interfaces just slows down the process.

Besides, I'm feeling as though Canon (and Nikon) have missed the boat on the kinds of innovations that work for me. Others will have different needs.

Finally, after using the beautiful EVF's of the Olympus and Panasonic cameras I find it hard to go back to the OVF. I really like Pre-Chimping and Real Time Chimping much better than Post Shot Chimping.

That said my most recent job was shot on MF film. It looks different than what everyone else is shooting.....

Anonymous said...

Thinking out loud, and picking up on many of Kirk’s comments over the past 18months - relative to a few years ago, APS-C (and even m4/3) could be considered the “new full frame”. Sooooo, maybe one simply no longer needs the current crop of bulky powerful full-frame cameras for photos presented on iPad’s, computer screens, and Web sites. Even a double-page magazine spread may be served well by a smaller sensor camera in 2012. I recently purchased a medium format film P&S. The greater depth – and sense of “being there” – observable in photos taken with it is obvious compared to shots with my m4/3 cameras. As countless photographers from the 20th century continue to point out – there is something magical about the rendering/drawing of a quality Medium/Large Format lens on the much larger image circles of those formats. There is no digital sensor that covers 6x6 and above. There is no digital sensor that covers Large Format. So???? :-)

Rob Castro said...

Kirk, you're kidding, right?

Kirk, Photographer/Writer said...

I never kid about something as important as selling off cameras...

Kenneth Tanaka said...

I envy your ambition for change. I, too, have WAY too much unproductive camera equipment choking my office drawers that I really should sell. But I never seem to make the time to do it. Actually, in my case, it's the smaller cameras I want to sell. The E-P2, the NEX-3, the NEX-5 (but not the 5N!), the Panny LX5, et.al. Seems like it would be simple but...

Have fun with your new equipment concept.

cidereye said...

Back to Blad's I reckon when required & M43 for everything else.

Am I warm Kirk?

Dave said...

Would that mean he's moving to the Blad Lands? :)

Ron Nabity said...

Loyalty is for people (and food), not cameras.

I can't wait to hear about your next exploration. I wish there were a way to measure the "ripple effect" on Amazon, B&H, craigslist, etc.

- Ron

cidereye said...

It is so surprising though Ron as to how many sad individuals there are out there with Stockholm Syndrome and seem to swear loyalty to Brand X or Brand Z. Why though??? I just don't get it, I really don't?!?

Some of the sad hate you read from these people because someone is perceived (by them) to switch from or diss a certain brand is just plain crazy. I think this is what the internet has brought us though with such people, those that talk big and those that take pictures. Who cares who makes the camera you are holding? Hey-ho.

Unknown said...

I think the clue is in the exif :-). Nikon 1...

cidereye said...

Nah, he's already sold that system so must be an older shot.

MarkScholey said...

Oddly enough I have done the same thing. Sold up all my Canon gear, 1 series and others. The only thing i kept were the flashes as those I can repurpose those. I've switched to a Panasonic GH2 and a three prime lens setup. I'm going to look at the Fuji once it comes out. For my project work I shoot on MF film, I'm fortunate that in the only paid work i do with my cameras will be ably covered by the Panasonic and one extra long lens.

It will be interesting to see what you switch to.

Dave said...

Please tell me it was for an insanely high price, not like $300 just to dump all that crap and call it a day!

Kirk, Photographer/Writer said...

Naw, you know. Just donated it to whatever charity came to the front door....... Once it's used it's just used.

Post a Comment

We Moderate Comments, Yours might not appear right after you hit return. Be patient; I'm usually pretty quick on getting comments up there. Try not to hit return again and again.... If you disagree with something I've written please do so civilly. Be nice or see your comments fly into the void. Anonymous posters are not given special privileges or dispensation. If technology alone requires you to be anonymous your comments will likely pass through moderation if you "sign" them. A new note: Don't tell me how to write or how to blog! I can't make you comment but I don't want to wade through spam!

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.