Entering Photography: Must have items.
Discussion
racing green said:
It doesn't matter what you got its what you do with them that counts.
Up to a point...But when a better camera permits you to capture more light or the sensor technology has moved on such that image quality has improved then there can be genuine reasons for considering what camera you have.
When I got my D3 the sensor allowed me to take photographs in far more challenging light conditions than my old D70, such that it fundamentally changed the way I thought about photography and what was possible. I actively went out looking for difficult lighting situations, just because I could.
But I do agree that things like the megapixie count is quite often hyped beyond all common sense. Dad and I took two very similar pictures, him with my old D70 and me with my D3. Yes there were subtleties to the image quality which made the D3 'nicer' to look at, but for all the world when you looked at both of them on the wall from about 6 feet away you would have been hard pressed to say which was the 12MP full frame image and which was the 6MP cropped sensor one.
RobDickinson said:
I seriously considered a FX body last upgrade.
TBH unless you need maximum shallow DOF (i.e. not acheicable with f1.4 on crop)
or you need 1+ stops better low light than a crop
or you want maximum resolution for larger print (5D2, D3x etc)
Otherwise theres little point in FX.
From a purely technical point of view, yes, you're probably correct.TBH unless you need maximum shallow DOF (i.e. not acheicable with f1.4 on crop)
or you need 1+ stops better low light than a crop
or you want maximum resolution for larger print (5D2, D3x etc)
Otherwise theres little point in FX.
But there is a certain 'something' about the images I get out of the D3 relative to those from a cropped sensor where the pixel density is higher. The image quality is affected in ways which the purely technical arguments above don't entirely recognise.
RobDickinson said:
Otherwise theres little point in FX.
FX (with sensible amounts of mp) has COMPLETELY changed the way I use a digital camera. Being able to use high ISO settings with little noise has almost made my tripod redundant. Often now, the first thing I change is the ISO. No more 640+ paranoia. The triangle of ISO, speed and aperture is finally 'balanced'. I still have two DX bodies and find myself irritated as my new 'workflow' is seriously compromised. Being able to utilise high ISO gives me so much more control over DOF.Apart from that, I can now take photos indoors on dark days without flash, that turn out pin sharp.
I could never go back to DX.
I think this thread has just paid for itself already 
Basically having played with an FX, GC has just summed up why I was looking at the FX over DX. I guess it does depend on what you shoot and how you like to do so but time and time again I find myself in situations where I want to shoot in low light without flash, or want high iso without the appalling noise I get on my D60.
I did wonder if the D60 was just particularly bad at it and a higher spec body wouldn't suffer so bad.
My dad was a professional photographer before retirement.
The biggest print on display in his house was taken with a disposable camera.
There is pleasure to be had in building a collection of kit to suit your photographic style and budget.
Don't forget though that it is not what you have, but the images you produce that are important.
The biggest print on display in his house was taken with a disposable camera.
There is pleasure to be had in building a collection of kit to suit your photographic style and budget.
Don't forget though that it is not what you have, but the images you produce that are important.
oniznorb said:
There is pleasure to be had in building a collection of kit to suit your photographic style and budget.
Don't forget though that it is not what you have, but the images you produce that are important.
This again is something I've been discussing. If lighting, situation etc are in your favour I absolutely agree that a pin hole box could do the job and produce acclaimed images. Question for me is what do you do when your chosen style puts you in conditions that type of camera cannot cope with.Don't forget though that it is not what you have, but the images you produce that are important.
Photography is all about light, difficult conditions are often due to lack of available light.
I like to work with low ISO and prefer large aperture prime lenses or a tripod.
I accept that this is limits my capabilities in some conditions, but I can't justify the cost of studio lighting or off-camera flash.
I like to work with low ISO and prefer large aperture prime lenses or a tripod.
I accept that this is limits my capabilities in some conditions, but I can't justify the cost of studio lighting or off-camera flash.
Davi said:
Question for me is what do you do when your chosen style puts you in conditions that type of camera cannot cope with.
Make sure you have spare memory cards and spare batteries and shoot hundreds - changing the settings and practicing the art of taking a hotograph without moving. Liken it to the four marksmanship principals hold it enough to support it, naturally aim (get comfortable), look through the glass and compose, then press the shutter without moving and follow through, ie dont move until the shutter has closed.A similar technique is taught to shoot a rifle.
Bob
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