Being cheap, I prefer not to spend a lot. Of course, this leads to spending more than I should as I buy/sell gear, so logically it's indefensible. But that's an aside.
I have been trying to find a way to limit the number of cameras I have. One reason is being cheap. The other is battery management (which drives me crazy) and the last reason is tyranny of choice. Sometimes I get bogged down with too many options.
Having shot Canon for a good long while (in and out of the Rebels and a 5D), then m43 and NEX. I have also rented to test, the XPro 1 and Nikon D700 (fantastic camera, the D700. One of the best shooting experiences I have ever had, but the thing is a brick!)
I think I'm coming to a conclusion: I will be unable to "standardize" on one system. There are so many strengths in each one, and so many lens/body combos, it's hard to just stick with one.
So, I'm thinking I'll run with:
- 5D + 85/1.8 for portraits and 70-210 for zoom/action work, and I'm renting a 35/1.4 for Thanksgiving.
- NEX 5n + CV40 for "normal" range, carry-around camera, though I'm still struggling bonding with this camera
- m43 + P20 for square format B&W images. I just really love this combo.
- RX100 for ultra portable pocket camera
That's about 2 more cameras than I wanted, but I don't really see any way around it. NEX AF is weak, so I can't go system on that one. 5D is wonderful, but awful big. The color palette of these two cameras is very different, too. m43 is good, but I always feel like I'm missing just a little more. RX100 is a great compact, but blows highlights too easily, so it's relegated to when I need to be as light as possible.