Norman,
i'm not a pro either, i'm just a very enthusiastic amateur hoping to turn pro. there's a lot of advertising propaganda out there trying to steer people into branding, hopefully i can at least help out here by explaining exactly why certain brands are different, but that difference should not matter to most consumers who are just looking to take a good photograph. owning a Hasselblad or Leica does not mean they can automatically take great photos.
ssal,
consider http://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/rotation360-backpack.aspx
and add on one of the ThinkTank camera straps so it hang on the neck as well as buckles onto the shoulder harnesses. it makes a lot less strain for the neck. myself, i'm considering not using a backpack at all now, instead putting all the weight onto a harness and belt system, which would allow me to switch between primes quickly and free up my back for a beefier water+rations+towel+accessories pack. i've tried a few vests and they almost all suck, the pockets are more catered to tiny things like cards and stuff, great for sport photographers, but i want space to put small lenses like the 24mm f2.8 primes, or a spare flash unit, etc...
about the size of the D3/D3s series, i agree on the weight, it's definitely quite hefty, but i like the weight because it counterbalances the "big 3" lens(14-24/24-70/70-200 f2.8) quite well, and the weight helps steady shots. my stance allows me to rest the left bottom of the camera against my left shoulder with my left arm basically tight against my chest holding the lens barrel, and my right hand is for altering settings and pressing the shutter. it's extremely steady and hard for people to bump into me, and since most of the weight of the FF camera rests on my shoulder, it's not really tiring at all when shooting, but then... i'm one for handheld shooting with my D3s + Bigmos(Sigma 150-500mm), so maybe i'm not the one to talk to about equipment weight. ^_^ |