What camera do you carry with you all the time

[vandergus]

I carry a satchel to work so I don't have any trouble packing a DSLR. Right now it's a D40 with a normal prime lens.

And I tend to agree with Doug Pardee about the fantasy of always being ready for "the shot". It's the type of mentality that leads to overstuffed backpacks and maxed out credit cards. I much prefer the mindset of picking a specific setup that is tailored to the types of pictures I want to take rather than packing for whatever might pop up. The former is a proactive mindset motivated by intention while the latter is reactive and makes the photographer more dependent on their environment. Not that there's no place for that type of photography. My vacation photos fall more into the reactive category, for example.

[kirbinster]

My D5000 with a Nikon 18-200VR typically rides shotgun with me in the car at all times.

[digirebelva]

my canon XTI is usually with me in my backpack when I go to work and in its own little shoulder pack the other times...would rather have it with me and not need, then need it and not have it and kick myself for days afterward..

[briandee]

Same with me. I use my camera for work, so I have it with me monday-friday 8-5pm. Other than that, I only take my camera with me when I have plans to use it for a reason. I like to enjoy the trip to the park with my family and not carry my camera sometimes :>

Originally Posted by Xposurepro

My day job is a photographer and I don't carry my camera everywhere I go .. in fact I rarely ever carry it unless I'm on my way to a shoot or coming back from one .. aside from road trips and such but in those cases I'm planning to take pictures anyway so they don't count. I have enough pictures to edit as it is without adding more to my todo list. LOL

[Gado]

My camera phone, Nokia N95
I can change things like flash mode, color, exposure comp, sharpness and ISO. It has an 8gb micro sd, so I can take tons of 5mp pictures.

[Bluenoser]

Originally Posted by Doug Pardee

This is a favorite fantasy of a lot of photographers. But it's a fantasy. The odds against it are enormous, probably on the order of being hit by lightning. Virtually all of us will go through our entire lives without ever being anywhere near a "world news event". And "that shot" is almost never something you stumble upon; it's something that is carefully set up, lit, and posed.

Anyway, to answer your question, I carry a cellphone.

A fantasy? Hardly.

A little perspective if I may. I've gotten some great shots "because" I had my camera with me. Shots I wouldn't have gotten had I not had my camera with me. The odds are in my favour that I'll get a great shot, more so than that I won't. My great shots may not be "The Shot", but none the less, they're shots I would never have gotten without my camera.

[Bluenoser]

Originally Posted by vandergus

I carry a satchel to work so I don't have any trouble packing a DSLR. Right now it's a D40 with a normal prime lens.

And I tend to agree with Doug Pardee about the fantasy of always being ready for "the shot". It's the type of mentality that leads to overstuffed backpacks and maxed out credit cards. I much prefer the mindset of picking a specific setup that is tailored to the types of pictures I want to take rather than packing for whatever might pop up. The former is a proactive mindset motivated by intention while the latter is reactive and makes the photographer more dependent on their environment. Not that there's no place for that type of photography. My vacation photos fall more into the reactive category, for example.

Well, I don't carry an overstuffed backpack, nor do I own one. I take my camera and one lens with me, usually my favourite walk around. My credit card isn't maxed out either, I can assure you of that.

Again, a little perspective. I'm not a professional, I'm a hobbyist. That's all I'll ever be. Not everyone likes to pick a specific setup. I'm a retired Veteran. My hobby has nothing to do with a proactive mindset motivated by intention, nor is it reactive. I'm not dependant on my environment, nor do I wish to be. I enjoy taking photographs, period. I'm not looking to advance my photography into becoming a professional. I don't want to spend hours or days looking for something specific to photograph. I like to walk around with my camera and capture interesting things in everyday life.

Your anology probably applies more to the professional who's continuously trying to improve his business and develop specific skills or someone who wishes to take "specific" types of photographs. For the casual hobbyist, sorry but I just don't agree at all.

[vandergus]

I'm a hobbiest, too. An amateur, if you will, in the traditional sense. All I was trying to say was that I tend to be more successful when I have a goal in mind for what I want to photograph. When I limit myself with my equipment and it helps me focus on the end result instead of being distracted by too many choices. Of course what I consider distraction, others may consider exploration or inspiration and that may work for them. Great.

I still don't think an obsession with always being ready for any photographic situation is a healthy one, though. Just make the photographs you want to make and don't sweat what you might miss.

Didn't mean to offend.

[Bluenoser]

Originally Posted by vandergus

I'm a hobbiest, too. An amateur, if you will, in the traditional sense. All I was trying to say was that I tend to be more successful when I have a goal in mind for what I want to photograph. When I limit myself with my equipment and it helps me focus on the end result instead of being distracted by too many choices. Of course what I consider distraction, others may consider exploration or inspiration and that may work for them. Great.

I still don't think an obsession with always being ready for any photographic situation is a healthy one, though. Just make the photographs you want to make and don't sweat what you might miss.

Didn't mean to offend.

Never took offense, just pointing out there are differences and different ideas in photography. Also, it's not an obsession, have no idea what makes you think that. It's a hobby, something I do for fun.

[Xposurepro]

Originally Posted by briandee

Same with me. I use my camera for work, so I have it with me monday-friday 8-5pm. Other than that, I only take my camera with me when I have plans to use it for a reason. I like to enjoy the trip to the park with my family and not carry my camera sometimes :>

Do you hate it when a family event, birthday, christmas, etc rolls around and everybody expects you to take pictures of everything? I absolutely hate that. It's like ummmm I want to kick back and watch my kids open presents instead of taking pictures the whole time .. watching it all through a viewfinder just sucks and takes all the fun out of it. Last Christmas I came out and stuck the DVDCam on a tripod, aimed it at the tree and was like "we can freeze frame shots later for the photo album"