Tag Archives: nikon

Commentary, Ideas

Things that sometimes baffle me about photographers and photography

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This is by no means a complete list, but inspired by seeing one of these oddities in a post earlier today I thought I’d write it up.

  • “Unboxing videos” of new cameras. Why would someone make a 5 or 10 minute video of the act of opening the box that their new camera came in and then lovingly taking out… the manual, the USB cables, the styrofoam inserts, the warranty card, and on and on and on – often with narration and sometimes even background music. Do people actually watch these?
  • Spending thousands and thousands of dollars on “the best” camera, lens, etc. when one isn’t really a photographer and doesn’t really make photographs all that much and perhaps only shares the odd jpg or letter size print with friends and family.
  • Getting caught up in the “brand wars” between manufacturers like Nikon and Canon. They both make really, really fine equipment. Both are used by a lot of excellent photographers. Really wonderful photographs are produced using both systems every day.
  • Assuming that there is only one best “whatever” in photography. There is no such thing as “The Best… camera, lens, tripod, photographer, memory card, place to shoot, time of day to shoot, filter, brand, store, paper…” First, there are many good versions of each. Second, what is best for one person may not be best for another.
  • Obsessing over very tiny and insignificant equipment “flaws” or differences. The classic is, of course, choosing a less functional lens over a more functional lens because the less functional lens might measure .001% better resolution at 100% magnification on the test bench. Related are obsessions over very tiny differences in noise in digital cameras, concern about small difference in camera burst rate, worry that your lens might vignette some…
  • Thinking that you have to “take a position” on zooms versus primes. (Zooms and primes are both great, and you have my permission to use both… ;-)
  • Secret shooting locations – unless the area is fragile and too much use would damage it, if ten good photographers shoot it you’ll get ten different interpretations.

Anyone else?

Commentary, Equipment

Canon 50D Announced: Competition is a Good Thing

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News of Canon’s announcement of the new EOS 5D cropped sensor mid-range DSLR is all over the web today – well, at least all over the photographic portion of the web. The new body updates the X0D line from the recent 40D, primarily by updating the 1.6x cropped sensor to 15 megapixels. According to Canon this was done while increasing the performance at high ISOs, keeping the burst rate almost the same as that of the 40D, and maintaining image quality by the use of “gapless microlenses” that can capture more light than would have been the case with older designs. There are other feature updates as well, and it looks like the price will be roughly but not precisely in the same ballpark as that of the 50D… at least once the prices drop a few months after the introduction of the new camera.

What does this mean for the DSLR buyer? The answer is, “It depends.” Continue reading Canon 50D Announced: Competition is a Good Thing →