#2612F

I’m deep in a rabbit hole about cameras. This is a recurring fixation, that bubbles up when I’m dissatisfied or feel boxed in. Photography is a keystone of my sense of balance and satisfaction, so when life gets a bit difficult, I try to make myself feel better with taking more pictures.

Thinking that new gear will solve my dissatisfaction is not unique to me of course. It’s such a trope that it’s almost boring to bring up the fallacy of this assumption. Good pictures happen when you’re in balance and can fully focus on what you’re photographing. Stress, distraction destroy focus and pictures come out forced, sloppy. Equipment does affect mood however. There are inspiring and uninspiring cameras, and feeling good about holding your tools can help tune in to the work you’re doing.

So I am trying to figure out what camera I will get myself once I have the money to do it. This makes it even more futile, since I’m prepondering a decision I can’t yet make. Regardless, I’m thinking about it all the time.

I have a DSLR kit I’m happy with, for times I am fully in photographer mode. I also have a Ricoh GR, a pocket-sized camera perfect for off-the-cuff shooting when I’m doing something else primarily. But there is a hole between the two cameras, something in between that’s missing.

This “middle camera” needs to be small. Not jeans pocket small, but small enough that I can carry it everywhere and it doesn’t feel too serious, too professional when I point it at someone. I shoot a lot of street photography, and I’m most comfortable when I can shoot unnoticed or at least easily ignored. This also points to a small and quiet camera. While the GR fits this perfectly, it doesn’t feel controlled enough to shoot. I’m used to more decisive controls and a viewfinder. It’s also lacking in focusing speed and accuracy, especially at dusk and other dimly lit situations.

I imagine a one camera - one lens kit for this in-between kit, so focal length is also a question. I go back and forth between 28mm and 35mm, which are fairly close, but feel quite different to compose with. I do have the GR at 28mm however, so it feels a bit redundant to get another kit in the same field of view. Especially, because it tends to be a little too wide for me in the types of everyday shooting situations I would use the new kit in.

As you can see, I’ve made this question pretty complicated for myself.

I have a shortlist of cameras I’m considering: a Canon RP, a FujiFilm X-T or X-E series, or (if I happen to win the lottery) a Leica Q. The simplest solution would be the Fuji X100V, but even that is quite a bit outside my budget for something that’s not strictly a necessary purchase.

The RP would be ideal for tones and colors, it’s almost identical to my DSLR (a 5D mark III), which I love for its organic, balanced look. The best lens for that however (both in size and price) would be a 28mm, which would require more engagement with my subjects than I’m looking for. A native 35mm exists, but it’s a bit too large for the casual, secondary role I wand the new camera to play.

The Fujis aren’t the best on price, an older body and lens would cost me about the same (or more) as the RP, which has the colors and tonality I like more than Fuji’s.

Another option I’ve not yet considered seriously is a newer GR, with better low light capabilities, equipped with a grip and a coldshoe viewfinder to help me frame in a more natural way. This is also not the best option however, it wouldn’t feel as substantial and “second nature” as the other options.

The most frustrating aspect of all this is that I currently don’t have the funds to splurge on a third camera. In the past I’ve always found a way to make gear purchases work, but this time my only real option would be to sell my existing kit and go all-in on the new one. The smart answer of course is to wait and save up a bit, but that’s pretty difficult for me. Patience is not something I’m good at.

Well, anyways.