What is the best camera ?

This question comes up a lot on blogs and review channels on YouTube.

Me being an old-timer photography wise have a simple answer, it’s the one you have with you at that moment.

Too much emphasis is put on the technicalities of one brand over another, or even one model over another.

The Americans have a great saying ” It’s the Indian not the arrow”.

Having said this I recently purchased a new camera set up and was criticised by a friend over my choice.

Having lived with it now for six months I think that, for me; I made the correct choice.

The Nikon D5.

Despite being slayed in media by some as a failure and thus a useless choice.

I spent nine months listing what was important to me in a new camera.

Weather resistance, low light capability, solid construction and compatibility with my other equipment.

I had considered switching to Canon, Leica, Pentax, Olympus and Sony.

I narrowed it down to two choices, the D5 and the 1Dx mk2, predominantly for their focusing system, robustness and weather sealing.

Come the big day I went in to Parks cameras in London to try both out, the deciding factor between them was ergonomics; the Canon just didn’t feel as slick as the Nikon and the  operating controls seemed better and more logically placed on the Nikon.

As a side note, my critical friend recently used it and couldn’t believe how well it focused even in low light, tracking a helicopter through the trees at one point.

The images are great and the confidence I have with it surviving a downpour  increases every time I’m caught out by the weather.