BryanHansel said,
"Jack - I don't understand what you mean by my expectations; what I wrote is that the D200 is "just not enough of an upgrade from the D200.'"
No, you wrote the D300 is "just not enough of an upgrade from the D200." I saw what you wrote, Bryan, there is no need to repeat it back to me. I merely pointed out that virtually everyone else disagrees with you on the D300, and that I have really enjoyed an "alive" G9.
BryanHansel said,
"Do I need to rewrite post number 17 where I go into the fact that this is my opinion for the style of shooting I do, etc... and apply it to the D200?"
Again, there is no need for you to repeat yourself; I really wasn't all that interested in "helping you" to begin with, only in sharing my own experiences with the G9 with others on this forum (as well as in pointing out the divergence with reality that your opinion on the D300 seems to have).
BryanHansel said,
"Please, understand that this is a rhetorical question. No answer needed."
So you don't even want to have a discussion then? You just want to get online and say things to 'yourself,' basically
BryanHansel said,
Frankly, I could care less if I'm the first person that you've read that wrote this. It's my subjective opinion and not an objective truth."
What you might be surprised to learn is that I could care less about your opinion also. And not for a minute did I believe anything you've said here would qualify as "objective truth."
BryanHansel said,
And who am I?"
Well, based on your tone, I have a retort that comes to mind as to who you are, but perhaps I will take your cue and just "say nothing" at this point.
BryanHansel said,
Just some dude that used to shoot all the time as a pro, but I've been getting out of that. I'm a dime a dozen, so why should you care? Please, understand that this is a rhetorical question. No answer needed."
Again, you just wish to talk to yourself it seems. But again, please understand that I really don't care about you at all, I just wanted to post up my own experiences with the G9 in contrast to yours. You also might want to understand that I don't need your "permission to respond" either, and that it really is okay to let other people share their own experiences on "your" thread.
BryanHansel said,
"Also, I could care less if you've beaten you're G9. And your experience isn't the "polar opposite" of mine; my G9 has simply died, which has given me a great opportunity to rethink the choice I made."
Again, I could care less about you per se; I merely pointed out my much different experience with the G9.
Also, you again have a problem with reality. My experience "is" in fact the polar opposite of yours: your G9 is dead while my G9 is alive. LOL
BryanHansel said,
"I don't have an issue with the ruggedness of a G9, I think it's just fine. I didn't baby it. I didn't really treat it any different that any other camera. In fact, the first weekend I had it, it joined me on several ice climbs, including a 180 foot climb that we set a two rope top-rope on and were showered by falling chunks of ice all day long. It's been on kayak trips with me, backpacking, etc... That isn't the issue for this thread."
There are many "issues" in this thread, from your personal interest in locating the right camera for yourself (about which I personally have no interest), and the issue raised about the quality of the G9 product in general (about which I do have an interest). I merely focused on painting a different picture of the G9's quality as a camera from what you painted, and my target reader wasn't you, it was the other folks who might have gotten a slanted perspective based on your unique and unfavorable experience.
BryanHansel said,
"So, please, no one get the idea that this thread is about that. If that is something that you're interested in, then, let's start a new thread and we can discuss how much we actually beat all our cameras and how tough they are. It might be interesting."
You really have a "control freak" problem it seems. Why can't you accept the fact that other people might be interested in other experiences with the G9, and likewise accept that these kinds of discussion might crop up on "your" thread?
BryanHansel said,
"The issue in *this thread* was what replacements should I look for. Your valid observations do nothing to help address the question that *I* asked in *my* thread."
LOL, this is funny really
It also begs the question, "Didn't you clarify all this in your mind once before, when you bought the G9?"
BryanHansel said,
"Anyway, I think that it has been narrowed down to three cameras: a G9, LX2, and W300. Can we, please, stay on target? Because, we've all seen where LL threads that don't stay on target end up."
BryanHansel said,
"If I give your post a charitable reading I think you're saying, "The G9 is fine in image quality, our experience is the same, and it takes a beating, which is what you need in your line of work. You should totally stay with the G9. I can't even believe that you're thinking anything else, dude." "
If I give your laughable post an even more charitable response: No, that is not what I was saying at all. Again, thoughts of you and "your next purchase" were not central to my posting here. Pointing out how much I liked my own G9, and how it has stood up to a lot of abuse, was the central theme to my own contribution. It was to show other viewers an opposite experience from your own.
BryanHansel said,
"Can I assume that you think I should buy a new G9?"
No, you can assume that I don't care what you buy.
...
BryanHansel said,
"Anyway, thanks everyone. If you have other suggestions for cameras to look at, please, post them. Or opinions comparing the G9, LX2, W300, please, post those. But can we, please, keep this thread to those questions? Thanks."
Well, since you asked so nicely this time, I will answer this question directly as best I can. It seems to me you have a problem with the realities of camera features within your limited price range. The saying, "Champagne taste with a beer budget," comes to mind.
If you are searching for all of the very best camera features available, I simply think you're going to have to set your sights a little higher than the P&S segment. Hell, you didn't even think the Nikon D300 was a worthy upgrade "for your purposes," so how in the hell do you think you're going to find satisfaction in a P&S?
What you are going to have to do, Bryan, is hit your hip pocket and get you a top-notch photographic tool ... or ... you are going to have to re-define those "purposes" of yours a bit to conform to the realities of your beer budget.
In closing, please understand that this is a rhetorical statement. No answer needed
Jack
.