On Wed, 24 Aug 2011 09:50:05 -0700 (PDT), Rich
wrote:

A top-flight consumer digital camera, that will allow you to produce
noticeably better pictures in some circumstances will cost $2000-
$10,000...

So the fact that using better equipment (which is, unsurprisingly,
more expensive) allows imagers to produce better images introduces
some sort of "class system"? You have a bizarre view of reality.

In any case, however, you are wrong. The transition from film to
electronic imaging hasn't significantly changed the requirement for
good optics or a good mount. Even in the film days, if you spent more
for these, you generally got better results. And today, a $2000 camera
gives every bit as good of images as a $10,000 camera.

Money doesn't buy you better images. What it buys you is the ability
to make those images with less work. It buys reliability and ease of
use. Anybody with some skill can produce as good of images with $5,000
worth of equipment (a good scope, a good mount, a good camera) as they
can with $50,000 worth.