Driven?

outdoor scene

Driven people drive themselves to the brink as a consequence of their passion for experience and knowledge and other intrinsic motivators that are equally hard to quantify. I am intrigued and delighted when I meet other such instigators who are always in motion and cannot be stopped but for brief moments where rest is an absolute necessity.

The question that I wrestle with and have been wrestling with for years is simply this: At what cost? At what cost do I follow my pursuits with a religiosity and zeal that is blinding to most people? And what exactly am I trying to achieve? John Saddington

I think John's blog post arrived in my Reeder feed client at just the right time. Except, I'm not questioning my motivations because I'm driven toward a specific goal. I'm asking a different question. What do I want my legacy to be? Right now, I feel that I am leading an average life and I want a great life.

I don't have time -- of course not -- to reflect on this now, but I think I need to set aside sometime to think deeply about this.

two key elements in photography

The release of the X-T1 Fuji addressed two key elements in photography.

First and foremost, an extra-large EVF allows you to concentrate on composition, light and subject in a way that is not possible with the optical viewfinder (which we also like to use). You can actually see the image before you take it! Of course, the EVF is not a new idea but it is beyond my comprehension that as of today, neither Nikon nor Canon has implemented this important technology in their leading cameras.

Second, access to all-important dials such as shutter speed or exposure compensation is at your fingertips. No, it is not hidden in the menus but in front of you! You can change them without dragging your eyes away from the scene.Olaf Sztaba

I think the same can be said of any retro range finder style compact system camera. The newer Fuji X series and OM-D M series both have this going for them. I think that's why I'm so drawn to these cameras. Having access to aperture and shutter and ISO controls right at my fingertips means I can focus on my photography. I think Nikon understood this when they introduced the Df. However, while the Nikon Df has the dials and optical viewfinder, Nikon didn't think about the other features that are also important. Size and weight.

The Sony α7, Fuji X-T1 and OM-D M1 are all roughly the same size and weight.