i like stories like these. I like to shoot in our local zoo, just for my own fun. I do have some 'pro' gear with large lenses, but i often like to go light so i take a small body with me with a small standard telezoom. Once i had a nikon D40 with me with a 70-300 lens. There was another guy walking around with two camera bodies one with a huge lens, he walked up to me to photograph right beside me. He was 'aiming' his huge lens at some animals like he was on a hunt with a shotgun. Then he fired away in burst of 5 fps (or something like that). between his burst he took a moment to look at me. then aiming again and firing, he did that for at least 4 or 5 times. and everytime he looked at me. finally he asked me if i'd care to try his shockingly good camera. I told him that i would love to hold his piece so there i stood with his pride and joy. But instead of trying to make a picture i decided to look at his silly burst results They had a bad composition and a lot where OOF. I showed him my picture of the same animal; Look what i have on my tiny SD card He said that i was looking at RAW photo's, they need to be developed first. Aaah i see. he grabbed his toy and moved on. I love that...
I rarely carry a camera bag and when I do, it is not a camera bag as such, just a normal bag which I stuff a lens or two and a flashgun in there. Certainly not big enough to put the camera in too. So I walk around with my camera over my shoulder and when we do sit down somewhere I'll put it on the table as it obviously doesn't fit in the bag and I don't want it hanging off the back of the chair.
Is that flaunting it? The D2H with the 17-35 certainly has the mass to appear impressive to most people.
So, if we are into patronising then how about this: don't you just hate those big Americans with their huge camera backpacks and fanny-packs (that sounds so funny in the UK...) who push everyone around when they try to get in a bus/metro/small cafe?
And I won't even go to those with these belt/strap/harness things...
so there i stood with his pride and joy. But instead of trying to make a picture i decided to look at his silly burst results 
