On my main site here, most of the images have been shot using a Canon 1 D mk II camera…this beast

a fine camera. Unfortunately big, heavy and limited.

My real love in cameras are either large format cameras such as my aged Crown Graphic or range finders such as the great Olympus SP

Large format gives me control over all aspects of image creation, whilst the rangefinder offers fast lenses, ease of hand holding, speed of manual focus and the ability to not be noticed.
Modern dSLR’s with high end lenses are expensive, conspicuous and more or less useless with manual focus. Great for sports and wildlife, but really a compromise for everything else.
If money was no object then a Leica M9 and some fast Leica lenses combined with a Phase one digital back for a large format camera, would give me the purest of joy…however as this combination of technology would cost more than a house in some parts of Birmingham, the Panasonic GF-1 will have to do.
And unlike Phase one backs, it can take video. When hacked it can actually produce true HD video to compete with any stills camera around. And any lens can be made to fit the GF-1…the screen allowing for accurate and speedy manual focus.

A tilt adapter and a shift adapter…give me image control
Fast lenses are no problem, even decent zoom lenses for video

Most of what will be on this site will be using this camera as the 1 D mk II tends to stay in the bag these days.
In fact the 1 D mk II is now being sold off along with some very expensive L glass. I plan on getting a second hand GH-1, now that the GH-2 has been released. Once hacked this is a great video camera and partner for the GF-1. My days of using big, overpriced dSLR’s are at an end. The m 4:3′s cameras really seem to be awake to the potential of digital imaging, rather than just trying to continue to produce film cameras with a digital sensor. Quality imaging at affordable prices allowing the use of quality lenses without the need for expensive overweight and oversized CaniKon glass.