Which is better? A, B, C, or is it D?

Today I had a great discussion with a few of my students. They kept going at it with one another on who has the better camera. Instead of just butting in to the conversation, I decided that I would sit back for a moment, and just listen.
I rarely if ever tell a student that they have a better camera than the next. Today I kind of had to step in and clear the air of the "My camera is better than yours" conversation. I am guessing that in the eyes of the students, it's the mega pixels, lens speed/size, brand, size, and a 10 page list of functions that determines if their camera trumps the others.
After about 10 minutes of listening to them bicker at each other I decided to tell them that they are all wrong. Their eyes became big, and I was looked at as if I just kicked the family dog, or even left it on top of the car in a kennel during a family road trip. One of the students decided that she was going to stand up to say "You are wrong Mr. Librarian!" I thought to myself that maybe this is her first time coming in contact with me. One of the students to her right gently elbowed her, and said "You idiot, he is a photographer!" I asked that they not use unnecessary language when speaking to a class mate, but yes I am a photographer. Well, if your a photographer, why are you working at a school? Thinking to myself do I really need to explain this, I tried to make it short and sweet. "Well, when you get older you will realize that being an artist is not as easy as you may think it is, also I wanted to have something to fall back on when business wasn't paying all the bills."
Nothing was said by her after that, just a few awful looks here and there. I ended the conversation, and feud, by saying to the students, "The best camera is the camera you have in your hands. You make and create the photograph using framing, composition, selected subject matter, and much more by using your eyes, and artistic creativity. The camera just documents what you see, and how you see it."
The girl that wanted to crack me over the head with her D70 said "I guess that sounds right."
As I started to walk off I asked that they critique one anther's work, not the functions of their camera, but showing each other respect. I walked to my desk the students followed, and placed about 30 images on my desk, and asked if I would critique their work. I thought to myself, OH SHIT!!!!!!