The Nikon FM, a classic 35mm SLR, went into production in 1977, which gives me the distinction of owning -- and cherishing -- a camera that is older than I am. When I hold this camera, I feel more connected to what I am shooting than any other camera I have used, I am more creative, and I get more fulfillment by using it than any other shooting system. It is reliable, slightly awkward in the hands, and fully manual (complete with old-school dials) -- you get a true authentic camera experience.

I go to this camera when I want to shoot black and white, work with macro, or when I just want to feel like a bad-ass real photographer.

I use a classic Nikon E-series 50mm lens, a Vivitar 1:1 100mm macro telephoto lens, and a Samyang 28mm wide-angle lens. I prefer to shoot with Kodak T-MAX black and white film or FujiFilm color film. I prefer to develop my black and white prints myself, but have lacked access to equipment for several years. I dream of owning my own home and installing a darkroom.

The Nikon D50 is my most recent camera acquisition. A powerful 6.1 megapixel digital SLR, this camera fills niches and voids that my Nikon FM cannot fill: instant feedback, added shooting modes (full auto, shutter priority, aperture priority) that allow picture taking in a wider variety of situations, and the free shooting -- as much as I would like to shoot film exclusively, I simply can't afford to.

This camera has allowed me to get shots I never would have been able to get on the Nikon FM -- targets of opportunity such as humpback whales are proof enough of this. I feel more emboldened and more prone to experiment when using this camera because I know I'm not wasting money or film.

I use a 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor lens, a 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens, and a 70-300mm f/4-5.6G AF Zoom-Nikkor lens (which I am thinking about upgrading to a Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom Nikkor lens). In case anyone feels like dropping $900 on me, I am lusting after the 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Zoom-Nikkor lens.

I have posted pictures taken with other cameras, such as the Nikon CoolPix 3100, on this site. I acquired the CoolPix several years ago in college and was particularly dissatisfied with it because frankly, once you've shot with an SLR you can't go back.

Other cameras have made brief cameos on here -- in these instances I was simply borrowing a camera that a companion had on them.

I am clearly a Nikon whore. I've never seriously entertained the notion of owning any other SLR camera system.

Long Live the Nikon King.