Equipment

Today's blog entry is about equipment choice.

Over the years I have used MANY types of analog and digital equipment.

There are some brands that seem to stand up against the test of time.

One of the best purchases I ever made was a General Electric air conditioner. I paid $111.00 for it back around 1980. On my last move about 5 years ago I gave it to the local Goodwill and was sorry to see it go. It still worked. At that time it did need a new belt for the fan and as such I let it go. I was sorry to see it go. It was EASILY some of the best money I ever spent.

Many years later Sony introduced a slogan, Sony No Baloney.

They weren't kidding. One of the camera crews I worked with had a very experienced camera operator go out on a boat to do a recording and he dropped a Sony Betacam into the water. Sony Betacams back then were hugely expensive. Like maybe 30 thousand dollars.

The crew brought it home to the TV station where the tech team basically dried it out for several days.

Then they turned it on. And it worked just fine.

It is no wonder why it became the "standard" equipment for the broadcast industry.

Over the years other brands have made their inroads and the Sony name has been somewhat diminished as the go-to brand. Panasonic cameras, for example, tend to have the most pleasing colors, imo.

But, try dropping one in the drink and then make it work later.

It reminds me of my Honda Interceptor. A friend once said you buy Hondas because they will start everytime. That is pretty much the truth. The time mine didn't start Honda paid for the repair, and I think it was off warranty at that point. The reason they took care of it they said: It was impossible for what happened to have happened. So they paid the bill.

It is important to buy good/great quality up front when choosing good equipment.

I have a friend that insists that Canon cameras are the choice of professional still photographers.

But I think my next camera is probably going to be a Sony.