Adventures of a Quantum Cowboy

So, fell down a waterfall last weekend… took a few bruises and cuts but no major damage to me. The camera it turns out is not so robust; long story short, the EF-S 18-55mm, the XTi body, a 2GB CF card, and a battery are being chalked up as total losses right now.

I debated replacing the XTi, but came to the conclusion that this is an opportunity to branch out. Thanks to digital, I was able to take hundreds of dud pictures in a row at no expense while I was learning how to use the myriad functions on an SLR camera. Now that I know a bit more about exposure and photography in general, I think I feel more comfortable diving into the real craft of photography… not to mention that semi-pro film SLRs with lots of advanced features are about half the price of even entry-level digital SLRs.

Long story short, in the mail is my new primary kit:
Canon EOS Elan 7ne 35mm film SLR
Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM

I also ordered UV and polarizer filters, as well as a new tripod and several highly reviewed films to try out:

Kodak High Definition 200, for general use.
Fujicolor Superia 100, for landscapes and nature.
Kodak Portra 160NC, for portraiture and people.

I will still be posting digital images, though obviously the workflow has changed somewhat. There is a pro lab in Lancaster that I will be using to get high-def scans of the negatives, or if nothing else I can always use film mailers to the major pro labs.