P3D Mint vs. bargain, part II

["Dr. George A. Themelis" <DrT-3d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Most people don't like to drive a beater"... Are they driving it 
to show off or to enjoy the ride?  Are they using the camera to take
pictures or to impress their friends?  Is the pleasure coming from 
looking at good pictures or from walking around with the camera?  
I know people with fancy cameras but no pictures to show. 

As Mike said, if you use the camera a lot, then the mint camera 
will not be mint any more.  Unless you are extremely careful
not to abuse or put the camera in any danger, in which case you
care more about the camera than potential interesting pictures.  

The laws of physics say that the Realist lens cover will not last 
for ever.  (Come to think about it, Don Peck's Realist had a generic
lens cover - no Realist logo)  I've said that before:  There are many 
situations where this lens cover gets in the way of taking pictures, 
especially when shooting through glass as in airports, airplanes, 
cars, aquariums, at the zoo, various displays, etc.  

The other day I driving and it was a lovely day so I tried to take a 
picture with my Realist while driving (try this at your OWN risk! :-))
I guessed the exposure at sunny day minus one (for light reflected/
absorbed by the window).  Just got the roll and it looks great and 
perfect exposure.  However, part of the sun was coming in through the
window and I could see reflections.  Because of the lens' cover, I 
could not put the lenses as close to the window as possible.  These 
reflections might have ruined the picture as they have done in the 
past.  I am ready to take this damn cover off the Realist!!!

Same with the flash bump.  It gets in the way of the flash.  Why carry
expensive adapters and inconvenience yourself when all you need is
to file down the bump?  Because you don't want to harm your mint
Realist?  Another example of looks getting in the way of use.

And how about this mint case?  How long is it going to stay mint?
If you use the camera a lot, the process of getting it in and out
of the case will cause the case to wear out and break.  I have never
used a case for my Realists.  They are heavy, bulky, and make the
camera "never ready".  I use a small camera bag to carry the camera
and other tools (flash etc.)  I can very easily pull the camera
in and out and be ready to shoot in seconds, even while driving!

-- George Themelis


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