A friendly discussion often occurs between photographers. What's the best camera? It's not a new topic as I heard the debate when I took my first photography course in college in 1970. Decades ago, I thought the best camera was the one I could afford. My very first camera was a Kodak Instamatic with tiny negatives. My step up from that was a used 35mm Canon FP that we bought at a pawn shop in Evansville, Indiana. I think it had been dropped once upon a time, maybe several times, as its operation was quite sporadic and the photos inconsistent. Before long, I purchased a new Yashica D, twin lens reflex camera that produced 2 1/4-inch square negatives for $60. I still own it. I bought it because I couldn't afford the Rolleiiflex or the Hasselblad that was hundreds of dollars more. Over the years, the price of cameras has climbed ever higher. I now have a substantial sum invested in cameras and the assorted equipment, including multiple tripods. And I could put forth numerous reasons why I think I have made the best brand choice.

But the real answer to the question of the best camera is the one you have with you. And in this case, I was walking with Judy and friends in Door County, Wisconsin, and came across this marvelous tree in wonderful light and used my iPhone 12 Pro Max to take the photo.

Could I have taken a better photo with my expensive Sony camera and expensive lens? Maybe. But I like this one, at just the right time.