Worth the money?

[tbob]

Trevor, I am surprised at your lack of planning and security. Your wife should never have had the opportunity to witness such shocking numeric notations on the visa account. Maybe you could buy her a Nikon 80-400mm lens and if she is still not happy get her a 105mm Macro or a wide angle zoom just as a token of recompense.

Enjoy the camera - stroke it, admire it, maybe read the manual and if you are feeling particularly brave take a photo of it (oops! I meant with it).

I think my wife had a momentary lapse of good judgement (although that thought will never be spoken aloud, even thinking it may be risky). I used the "Think of how useful such a device would be to distribute pictures of your relatives, especially the old ones in a box in the study (pictures; not the relatives. Although her sister , hmmm) " argument. For some reason, it worked. Although when I came back with the camera, I was greeted with "I thought we were just discussing the possibilities , I did not expect you would buy it".

So now I have messed up on two fronts. Acted irresponsibly and boxed her into a corner where it was by her doing. This cannot end well.

By the way I am horrified you would deign to read a manual, or even suggest it. Takes all the sport out of the endeavour.

[pnodrog]

--------

By the way I am horrified you would deign to read a manual, or even suggest it. Takes all the sport out of the endeavour.

Reading the manual would not necessarily make you an outstanding photographer but you would certainly become one of a select few that have proved they can even find the manual after the initial few days of drooling over the camera.

The rest of your observations are just a normal part of all sorts of marital negotiations. I am sure your wife will benefit from your accumulated sense of guilt in many future rounds of negotiations.

[xpatUSA]

IMHO your assessment of your skill is way off. I enjoy your work.
You know the (modified) saying, it isn't the "gear" that makes the photographer. You can have a $10,000 camera, and still take crap photos.

A belated "thank you!", Sharon.

[NorthernFocus]

Well, Trevor, if you've been shooting a D700 until now Id say you deserve a new camera. As far as convincing your wife of the wisdom of the purchase, I hope you pointed out the economics.

The D700 was released in 2008 at the same list price as the new D850. Over those ten years inflation in Canada has averaged about 1.5 percent. So in adjusted dollars the D850 only cost about 60 percent of what the D700 did. On top of that it has four times the resolution. 60 divide by 4 is 15 so considering cost per pixel you really only paid 15 percent for the D850 of what the D700 cost. Current pricing for used D700s run about 10-20 percent of original. So you can sell the D700 and the net result is that the D850 was essentially a free upgrade. So when it comes down to it buying the new camera is likely one of the best financial decisions one could make. It's perfectly logical.

Just a word of caution. I ran this argument by my bride. If you wife's method of reasoning is similar it falls apart at the mention of how much you paid for the D700 ten years ago

[Donald]

What an economist.

This man should be at a university.

[NorthernFocus]

What an economist.

This man should be at a university.

Or perhaps run for public office?

[LePetomane]

My wife countered my last camera purchase by buying a shotgun that was on her wish list. Thankfully she didn't use it on me.

[DanK]

My wife countered my last camera purchase by buying a shotgun that was on her wish list. Thankfully she didn't use it on me.

Seems fair. After all, one "shoots" with both.

[tbob]

Just a word of caution. I ran this argument by my bride. If you wife's method of reasoning is similar it falls apart at the mention of how much you paid for the D700 ten years ago

I think the equation is: (running total of purchases made multiplied by frivolity of the purchases)/utility of keeping me around. [The last variable is never a constant; I think the term variable was invented for this)

[zen]

Well, Trevor, if you've been shooting a D700 until now Id say you deserve a new camera. As far as convincing your wife of the wisdom of the purchase, I hope you pointed out the economics.

The D700 was released in 2008 at the same list price as the new D850. Over those ten years inflation in Canada has averaged about 1.5 percent. So in adjusted dollars the D850 only cost about 60 percent of what the D700 did. On top of that it has four times the resolution. 60 divide by 4 is 15 so considering cost per pixel you really only paid 15 percent for the D850 of what the D700 cost. Current pricing for used D700s run about 10-20 percent of original. So you can sell the D700 and the net result is that the D850 was essentially a free upgrade. So when it comes down to it buying the new camera is likely one of the best financial decisions one could make. It's perfectly logical.

Just a word of caution. I ran this argument by my bride. If you wife's method of reasoning is similar it falls apart at the mention of how much you paid for the D700 ten years ago

Makes sense to me!

[Wavelength]

All great images