In my daily routine managing projects I always come across problems where decisions have to be made and there is never an optimum solution to the problem – only the best recommended way forward within specific constraints. Every solution is a compromise.

Yet from time to time there are situations when things are moving according to plan and you are left with several options on hand, all of them good ones. When this happens, I always tell my team “this is a good problem to have”.

My good problem

I’m packing my stuff for a short Christmas break and here comes the dilemma of what camera to bring with me. It’s a family trip and I don’t want something heavy and cumbersome. Yet I don’t want to compromise image quality.

It’s a recurrent, well-known (good) problem and things get more complicated the more cameras you own. Then there is Gear Acquisition Syndrome because a trip is always a good justification to buy new stuff.

What the heck. Under normal circumstances my Fuji X-E3 would tick the boxes. I could even bring with me 2 lenses for added flexibility, say the XF 35mm f/1.4 and the XF 18mm f/2 to cover both normal and wide views.

But I admit I’m badly influenced by the “bigger is better” syndrome and the megapixel mania as well. So I decided the X-E3 with its APS-C size sensor is not good enough. Likewise, forget the Leica V-Lux 4 and its versatility, because it has a small 1-inch sensor. Yikes. Nowadays I want full-frame or medium format… How arrogant!

As so, I thought, the best for both portability and image quality is no other than the Fuji GFX 50R with the pancake GF 50mm f/3.5 lens. That’s it. Only that I don’t own this lens. Great for GAS then, let’s buy this lens. Problem solved.

Purchase order issued and I’m told by my camera store that the lens will only arrive after my departure. Ok then, I’m shrugging my shoulders… Bought the lens, money (well) spent but not available for my trip… Smart move…

Now what?

Not sure. I even thought about buying a Fuji X-T30 (yeah I know, don’t ask) cause it would be fun to test the camera on a trip. But this is apparently not happening. I’m probably taking my Sony RX1R II. Full frame 42MP, fast aperture 35mm lens, what’s not to like?

But then comes the Leica M-E and that feeling of guilt of spending so much money on a camera – including her trip to Wetzlar to replace the CCD sensor – and not taking her out on trips. Ai…

This is always a good problem.