When I was allowed to travel on my own, my parents gave me an Olympus PEN EE half frame, to save on film cost. When my own money, and the kids came, it was time for a Nikon F401. As I was surfing the digital wave from the early modem and ZX Spectrum days, I moved into Fuji for my first digital, which was wonderfully convenient but disappointing quality wise. Then back into Nikon DSRL, largely on advise of Ken Rockwell - great reads at his site : D40/D90 50, 18-200. All passed on now to family members starting out. Getting older, but still loving the mountains, I really needed something lighter for my hikes and got me a used Sony a6000. Can't say it was all pleasure, as the handling is such a step backwards.

The sensor is indeed great for low light - but the good lenses are expensive and/or heavy, and a lot less available 2nd hand. I'm slowly making progress, but never felt as hands-on comfortable as with Nikon.

It's time to replace, and I'm really looking for a silent shutter, and better ergonomics. Fuji seems the path to go now, but I got sidetracked, curious about the affordable Olympus 75-300 which on MFT let's me have a 600 mm, so I ended up buying the E-M10III kit. Love the IBIS, and I just accept it's a good-light/weather setup only. That side track turned into a rabbit hole, and I now have a TG4, an EM5iii and a ridiculous number of m43 lenses. As everyone turns to ff the second hand market gives me one tempting opportunity after the other.

Software has also been a long trek, trying to balance cost & performance, and spending ages of my life tweaking stuff no one else notices... . Photoshop elements, most versions of Paint Shop since the early Jasc days, Topaz, Photomatix, there's even a copy of Lightroom somewhere, followed by DxO for its phenomenal lens correction, and noise removal. I play with Luminar as well - especially if it has to go fast. Photoshop itself always felt too expensive - although the economist in me knows that in total this doesn't add up any more... . I wish I knew how to get decent prints and photobooks. Quality wise, I always feel let down. I keep upgrading my ageing i5 system - SSD prices are a godsend - and a 32" BENQ display is a delight.

Amazed at how much I enjoy the learning - and how it changes the way I look at the world around me. Thanks to all helping me get better, with feedback, blunt critique (you know who you are !) and the patience to let me try capture you ... .