What a cool camera that guy has! That's the Canon EOS 5D Mark II. Oh, and that's the President of the United States holding it. Official White House Photo by Pete Souza.
I was looking around for images of a couple of cameras after which I lust. Yes I know, I’m awakening attachment ya danged Buddhist! A guy can dream, can’t he? Anyway, I found some nice shots of the Canon EOS 7D which I could reasonably afford new some day. The 7D has really good specs, though not a full-frame sensor, and according to DPReview.com: “… in terms of build quality, speed of operation, ergonomics and image quality, a cut above Canon’s previous APS-C flagship, the EOS 50D.” I love my 50D. Canon’s EOS 5D Mark II, however, is my dream machine: 21 megapixels of tasty imaging power and a superbe full-frame sensor for my wide-angle pleasure! I mean it… I can dream about spending $2,500+ on a camera; if I told my spouse I spent that kind of money on one, I’d soon be out cold, in dreamland alright!
One of the photos I ran across stopped me in my digital tracks. The guy holding the Mark II looked somehow familiar. I glanced up from my little Android tablet at the TV screen and who should I see there, chewing out Congress, but the same person I’d just discovered in a photograph holding my object of desire … the President of the United States!
Apparently, back in February 2009, POTUS was waiting around backstage at Dobson High School in Mesa, Arizona, prior to delivering remarks about providing mortgage payment relief. There in the wings, he asked to take a look at the camera a photographer was holding. Are you really going to refuse if the President of the United States says he wants to take a look at your camera? Here you go!
Nice camera, fella!
PhotonStopper 
That would be amazing, wouldn’t it, to run into the president back stage (or anywhere for that matter). I am enjoying my EOS Rebel T2i EOS 550D camera a lot. It takes action shots so much better than the model before this one. But you are talking about higher priced camera’s that I looked at. Some of the expensive ones look so awesome!
I’ve been in the presence of several very famous people but I’ve always stayed on my side of the camera. Thing is, though, they’re just people like us that we’ve elevated to some unique position. Some of the famous are friendly and casual offstage; Obama strikes me as one of that type. Then, there are the others…
Regarding cameras: Don’t be deceived! The Canon EOS Rebel series cameras are excellent “beginner” digital SLRs. The things that most improve the images they produce are better “glass” –lenses that aren’t the cheapest available– and the skill of the photographer. The lenses you can buy, budget allowing. The skill you must grow yourself. — JG