You get what you pay for……….

When I was a young man in the 1950’s I can remember hearing my Dad and Grandfather say that phrase.  As I grew up I heard a lot of others say it and after a while I just accepted it as fact.  To this day, I still think it holds a lot of weight.  In photography we spend a lot of money on camera bodies, lenses, accessories, tripods, ball heads, and on and on.  Even if you had more money than you knew what to do with, you still want to spend it wisely! How does this old quote relate to camera buying?   Let’s take the illustration above of three current Nikon cameras; Top, the Nikon D3s our best professional high speed camera, second down is the Nikon D7000 our top DX DSLR, and at the bottom, the Nikon Coolpix P7100, the most advanced, performance Coolpix.  The D3s sells for around $5,300. the D7000 for around $1,200. and the P7100 for around $499.  That is a large spread of pricing.  Can you apply that old saw to these three cameras?  Do you really get what you pay for?

Before we tackle that, let me state a pet theory about the value of anything to the buyer.  I think there are several factors that will answer that question, the buyer says; I like it.  I love it!  I want it!  I need it!  I can afford it!  The combination to your answer to those questions will determine what you buy.  Is there a difference between theses three cameras?  Is there a difference between a S Class Mercedes and a Ford Focus?  Of course, but the real question is how much do the differences mean to you?  If you budget for a new car is less than $20,000., there is no sense in even test driving the S Class.   We all know where to draw the line on what we can afford and that answers much of the question.  The problem comes in when we “can” afford any of the choices.  Admittedly it’s a good problem, but a problem none the less.

O.K. let’s break this down.  if you “need” high speed, very heavy duty build quality, the ultimate in imaging quality, especially at high ISO and you can afford it, the D3s is the ticket, no question about it.  If you don’t need the super high speed and buffer of the D3s, and don’t shoot at very high ISOs on a regular basis (I consider very high ISOs above 1600), then the D7000 will do you very nicely, and at a great savings in money and weight to have to carry around!    If you just want a near pocketable camera that will give you great images, but will not break the bank the P7100 is real steal at less than $500.  Can you see the difference between the images made with all three?  Yes, but, it will depend on a number of factors.  If you shoot very high ISO, above 1600 a lot, you will definitely see the advantage of the D3s over the other two.  If you travel a great deal and carry your camera over you shoulder all the time, you will definitely feel the difference between the D3s and the D7000/P7100.  If you mostly show your images on your computer, in emails and small prints, small than 20X24, you will not notice hardly any difference between the three!   If you make a living shooting billboards and making 4X6 foot prints, the D3s will be a big, big advantage!  Now if you just won the lottery, or had a great year with your investment portfolio, buy all three!

So do you get what you pay for?  Yes with qualifiers.  Can you make wonderful images with all three cameras?  You bet.

Now it’s almost Christmas and you are probably wondering why there is no spiritual content to this blog entry!?  You just didn’t read far enough!

There is one time you can get something of incredible value, that you don’t have to pay for at all!  Jesus has paid for it in full already!  Your salvation, your forgiveness, your acceptance into the family of God are all arranged for already.  That present is already wrapped and is under your tree, ready to be opened!  You’ve received an invitation, especially if you have read the blog more than three times……. to accept that gift.  All that is required of you is to realize you need it, you truly desire it, you recognize Jesus as God’s Only Son.  The last part is the hardest for man, to bow down and ask Him to come into your life.  If you do, you will get the most valuable thing you have ever received and you will get what He paid for.

Merry Christmas,

the pilgrim