Your equipment DOES NOT affect the quality of your image. The less time and effort you spend worrying about your equipment the more time and effort you can spend creating great images. The right equipment just makes it easier, faster or more convenient for you to get the results you need.
So
says Ken Rockwell, in this rather nice essay. He goes on to tell you that "The camera's only job is to get out of the way of making photographs" and this:
What happens is that for the first 20 years or so that you study any art you just know that if you had a better instrument, camera or surfboard that you would be just as good as the pros. You waste a lot of time worrying about your equipment and trying to afford better. After that first 20 years you finally get as good as all the other world-renowned artists, and one day when someone comes up to you asking for advice you have an epiphany where you realize that it's never been the equipment at all.
And he quotes Ernst Haas thusly:
Leica, schmeica. The camera doesn't make a bit of difference. All of them can record what you are seeing. But, you have to SEE.
and
Best wide-angle lens? Two steps backward.
Hm, we've been contemplating buying ourselves a new camera, since our old Minolta point-and-shoot is now showing signs of age after more than fifteen years of faithful service. We're sad. We got some
good pictures outa the little sweetheart. But now, perhaps, we shall bow to technology, skip the SLR stage and go straight to digital. Any suggestions?
Nikon's coolpix series is easy to use and they are small, nifty devices. If you want a fancy one with all the bells and whistles Nikon D70 is a great camera, but it is unwieldly...like a regular, professional camera, and then you might want to buy zoom lenses etc. I hardly use my D70 because it takes up a lot of space in my bag.
ReplyDeleteCanon has some nice and great cameras that take great pictures, allow you to record videos for a couple of minutes, and they are small and easy to carry.
Best of luck with buying your new camera.
Kamla
I use a Nikon Coolpix 3100. can't recommend it enough (Me photos - for some sample. And a shameless plug)
ReplyDeleteBut if you can spare the moolah, Nikon D70/100...it's both digital. and an SLR. D100 some say is the best camera ever made. Ever.
On my junior copywriter's salary, it would take me like the next century to buy it. But some savings, ICICI personal loan and a generous father should kick in soon. D70 is my future.
The D70 is great. Wonderful lens, features, speed. But it's also big and unwieldy.
ReplyDeleteMy discovery is the Nikon S8700. Not an SLR, but where else would I get 8MP resolution with a 8x optical zoom, all for half the price of the D70? The only down-side is a longer recovery time in low light situations i.e. poor shot-to-shot speed (and no burst setting)
Check it out. It works for me.
J.A.P.
Patrix, Kamla, Ravages,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips. Will do some serious checking soon.
And Ravs, on the Jr Copywriter's salary bit? My sympathies. Been there. Wrote the T-shirt.
Things get better, is all I'll say. :)