The Forbidden Colored Camera

Incredibly, the professional photography world mocks and belittles the colored camera. I find it so odd that a profession that is in the art realm would take offense to a colorful camera. The claim is that the color will not change the quality of the image that it produces. Ok, they got me there. The colored camera can open doors, make a child more likely to small, and cause those being photographed to smile just a little more and not take the situation so seriously.

Photographer with the taboo red Nikon superzoom camera. 

The photo above is a young lady with a red Nikon superzoom. Would a pilot be more open to her with her little amateur camera or a big Canon 5D with a mega-lens on it? My money would be on the shiny red camera. It looks more fun and less intimidating than that of the typical professional. Not to mention, in skilled hands, it's capable of very good photos.

It's true, a black one will take technically the same photos, but the red one will change the mood of the shoot. In photography where no human subject is involved, any color will do, but if you're working with people, some color can actually do a little bit to change the attitudes of people.

Colored cameras are a marketing ploy, but that same emotion they're pulling from the buyer works on those photographed with it too. If you have or want a colored camera, get one! Don't let a pro tell you differently. If you're drawn to them, appearance is one more thing to aid in figuring out what type of camera to buy.

If you like the look of this camera, it's a really good 30x zoom from Nikon at an affordable price.

Photography Gear Envy Websites

If a photographer wants a camera, the overwhelming majority of photography websites are geared towards helping you empty your wallet. They give you every single specification and opinion of "professional" photographers for every new camera available. I stay away from as many of these websites as possible. If the focus is equipment, forget the website.

Don't let the new, out-of-the-box, camera dream get in the way of your photography. 

If it's impossible to keep from the lure of lusting through these websites, here a few points to ponder.

• Why is a "professional" photographer taking more interest in showing you a shiny new camera than in showing their photos? 
• Read reviews of a camera from 5 years ago. For the exception of the specifications with lesser numbers, they make the old cameras seem just as appealing. These "reviews" are designed, either consciously or sub-consciously to make you want to purchase new cameras. 
• The websites earn money either when you click through an add or on a commission when you click through to a retailer and buy equipment. It's in their interest to make you just want to buy and a reason is not required. 
• You are wasting time that could be spent learning a skill. No great photo was ever made while researching specifications for a new camera. 
• I have never witnessed a photographer happy about vastly improved photos due to their new camera. In fact, their sample photos to show off their new camera are usually really pointless snapshots. 

The actual photography lessons on many of these gear websites are severely lacking. The website owners know that many readers are far more convinced that a new camera is the pathway to improved photos and articles leaning to that line of thought are far more lucrative. Limit your exposure to these sites and concentrate on more instructional photography websites.

Choosing A Brand Of Camera

This is always a hot topic in the photo forums that is good time well wasted. What is the best brand of camera? What's the best model? I've found it freeing to just pick one and go with that brand.

To determine your favorite brand of camera, spend a lot of time at a dealer just goofing around with the camera. Do you like the way it looks and feels? It's more important that you would think. The more you like the aesthetics, the more you'll want to use the camera. Do you like the menu system? This is also key because more intuitive that you find the menu system, the more likely you are to explore the camera's capabilities and the easier it will be to remember where to change settings.

But isn't the quality of the photo the most important thing? It's important, but there's only a few manufacturers and it's not uncommon to find out that they use some of the same parts across brands. The differences in quality are marginal and I find that to be the least of my worries about the camera.

Of course, price is a factor. If you have to make payments, it's the wrong camera for you. Save your money for experiences and educational material rather than on equipment.

Once you've chosen a brand of camera, stick with it. It's beneficial because the general layout of the menu system doesn't change much and when it does, the company sticks with the general flow of operation. I learned to reap the benefits after buying a used Canon DSLR. I wanted a smaller point and shoot, so I purchased a Canon G15. Although many years had passed between the Canon 20D and the G15, there was still a familiar feel to how to get through the menus. There is a general feel to the photos they produce when I post-process too. After that, I bought a Canon SX50 super-zoom that has settings nearly identical to the G15 which made things very easy.

Before learning that GAS(Gear Acquisition Syndrome) is a expensive problem that kills creativity, I had a few cameras from Panasonic that shared many similar features. I could have went the same way with Panasonic, I just prefer everything about Canon out of personal preference, but both companies make fine cameras.

Another benefit to sticking with one brand is that there is far less to get excited about. If you watch photography websites and magazines pushing the latest gear, there is always something new and expensive to yearn for. When you buy it, you find out the whiz-bang technology wasn't nearly as big of a deal as advertised. If you're only following one brand, the updates are far less frequent. For example, Canon came out with the new G16. I was a little excited until I found out that it was basically the same camera with Wi-Fi added. That provides about 0 to my creative edge, so I could immediately discount that camera for consideration.

As an amateur, you're looking for small economical edges that push your craft further with minimal effort. Sticking with one brand of camera is one easy way of doing this.

My Case For A Used DSLR

I'm not a DSLR fan. They're heavy, bulky, and expensive. Many features on them are solutions to problems that just don't exist for many photographers. They're a status symbol of sorts that scream, "I'm a professional or at least real serious about photography.", and I just don't need that. I find the many options and setting to be more obtrusive than useful. Even with all of that negativity about them, they do have enough positives for me to own one.

The first positive thing about a DSLR is that owning one does make you want to explore it's vast capabilities. They are capable of any photography that you've seen, it's more of a matter of what you, the photographer, are capable of. They also perform on a much more consistent level when used by a skilled photographer.

Another positive is interchangeable lenses. The ability to change lenses opens up endless options. It's a double edged sword as it also opens up endless possibilities for spending. For the price of most lenses, you could buy another point and shoot.

The status is nice in some situations too. Just holding a big camera gives you unwarranted clout that can create opportunities mere cheap cameras don't. You can fool them with the cheapest DSLR though. Only other photographers will know the difference.

My DSLR puts me more into a photography state of mind when I take it. If I'm lugging it around, I'm out for the intended purpose of photography. There's something about it's large form factor and heavy weight that just draws more focus to what I'm doing.

The only consistent plus that caused me to keep my DSLR around is the cheapest lens that Canon offers, the nifty-fifty. It's 1.8 f-stop and high quality lens gives a look that I love. It's 50mm size sucks in general because it's really like an 80mm lens on my crop sense 20D, but I've learned to work with it. You can get this look from any DSLR with a quality brand prime lens.

Here is a sample of the look I'm referring to.

Motorcycle Gas Tank Taken With A 50mm Prime Lens

The background is blurred and the subject is sharp. There is very little distortion, vignetting, or chromatic aberration.  It's a professional look and  preferred style that places emphasis on the main subject. If that's the look you're after, DSLR or newer 4/3 cameras are what you need. If you want the fast and cheap track to professional technical quality photos, a used DSLR is the setup to get.

Here's the thing though. As professional as this looks, it's just one style of photography. You can get this look with many other zoom lenses, but it's damned expensive! Lesser cameras can still do this style of photography too, they just can't do it consistently with easily predictable results. To me, the trade-offs just aren't worth it to buy the latest DSLR with the plethora of lenses. If my $300 used gear can't make this happen, I'll pass. 

In my opinion you absolutely do not need a DSLR. It's just another nice gadget for many types of photography. So long as the price doesn't get in the way, a DSLR will take your photography to another level if you put in the time to learn how to get the most out of them. Don't consider one unless you've used a lesser camera to a point where you're consistently wanting a result that it's just incapable of delivering.

I still carry my convenient point and shoots even when I have the DSLR with me. If you're goal is sports or wildlife photography, be prepared to part with many thousands of dollars for high quality, high zoom lenses that cost as much as a decent used car. The point and shoots cover a range of lenses that most cannot afford so it's an affordable way to get that lens range and adding the 50mm lens/used DSLR combo provides the capabilities for very high quality photos. 

The Economics Of Amateur Photography

From the time I became interested in photography, the expense of photography has always been a barrier, either real or perceived. I liked photography when I was a kid, but spending my entire allowance one week to buy film and all of it the next week to develop the photos was daunting to a kid with so many interests. The photos I produced with my 110 Instamatic were in no way close to the goals that I looked at in magazines either.

I tried again a few times in my adult years. Film and developing was still a factor, but I did find affordable used SLR cameras and lenses to up my game. Still, nowhere close to the pro images that I admired. I proceeded anyhow, but the pace was slow.

Then, I bought a digital camera. The quality was questionable, but I no longer worried about the cost of film. I began trying new things without the worry of money. It was exciting. The Internet was new and just about any photo of any quality would draw compliments. Having a technical background, it was simple for me to make my photos available to the world. That didn't last long as hordes of photographers jumped on board and posting photos became simple.

Once again, I was just another amateur. As the bar for what makes a great photo kept getting raised, my interests waned. I thought that the hobby was really just a money pit if you wanted to excel at it. My focus on technical quality clouded my judgement for content quality and blocked my ability to simply enjoy my only artistic endeavor.

Others started posting their similar grievances. I came across the famous "A Lesser Photographer Manifesto". I found the ideas fascinating even though I do not agree completely with all of them. Better cameras do have their place, but not at the cost of hampering the ability to enjoy creating the art. The main idea of the post is that artists thrive on constraints and that high end cameras do not help. I disagree as I've seen some awesome photos that came out of high end cameras and would not have been possible otherwise. However, there is solid proof that a true photographer does not need expensive equipment so much as the need talent and a love for the art.

Consider that some of the greatest photos in history were taken with equipment far inferior to even the most modest cameras today. This fact alone should inspire you to stop concentrating on any lacking you have in the equipment you use.

I avoid many social groups that concentrate on the camera used. Some Flickr groups won't even allow a post unless you state the camera used, even if it's in the EXIF data. A person caught up in this stuff should self-inquire as to whether they're camera collectors or photographers. Nothing wrong with being a camera collector, but it's not going to produce more interesting photos.

Best advice I received for upgrading your equipment is to by better walking shoes to get to where the photos are.

What Type Of Camera. Let's Get This Out Of The Way.

What Type Of Camera Should I Buy?

I've read hundreds of opinions about what type of camera a person should buy. Even after reading so much of it, I can't give you a good answer and neither can anyone else. I can only tell you what I believe to be true after my purchases. Here's a summary of the different advice I've read.

The One You Have With You

There's a real gem of a piece of advice, unless you don't have a camera yet! 

The point of this is advice is good though. For the common Joe, the more you carry your camera, the more photos you're going to take. Even the best take a huge number of photographs, so it stands to reason that if you always have your camera on you, you'll eventually end up with better photos to share.

Great, but give that advice for a person with interests lying in the sports photography or wildlife photography and they have the right to call you a useless moron in the area of photography. For these interests, you need a huge zoom and you can start with my personal favorite, the Swiss Army Knife of cameras, the Super-Zoom(also known as a bridge camera). I can talk all day about bridge cameras and they are cameras that you can "have with you". This would be the correct answer to just about any new photographer's question about what camera to buy. 

The Highest Tech You Can Afford

Worst advice ever, even if the newbie is a millionaire. The high end cameras require high end training. Without training and many hours of practice, high end cameras can confound some to the point of giving up the hobby. Not to mention, they're often to bulky to have with you often. The new 4/3rd's cameras are changing this fact, but they're still daunting little cameras to master. 

The only person that I would give this advice to would be the type that I know enjoys bragging about his possessions more than he ever enjoys using them, and yes, I know people like this.

The Cheapest Tech

Pass on the cheap camera's too unless you just want to have fun.

It doesn't take long to wish you could shoot in the RAW format. RAW is an important option after you're past the initial learning stages. If you're camera can't do it, you'll be buying another soon.

Here are some basic guidelines when considering a cheap camera - 

• Can it shoot raw?
• The wider it shoots and the more it zooms the better because this gives you flexibility. 
• Battery life and battery availability in common stores. 
• Mega pixels, but not as important as you think. It's a complex subject and more isn't always better. 
• Tripod mount. Most have this. 
• Anti-shake mode that will allow you to leave the tripod at home more often. 
• Warranty
• Accessories if you want to do specialized shots like macro photography. 

My Advice

I've yet to find the perfect camera and I've had quite a few. I've had some that I like a hell of a lot better than others. Here are the qualities that you're looking for. 

• Do you like the way it looks and feels? That's right. It's my most important requirement. The more you like the external aspects, the more you'll want to use it. The more you use it, the more great photos you'll end up with. 
• Do you like the menu system? Learning the settings can make a previously hated camera a great one as you learn to adjust the camera for ever-changing conditions. 
• Can you afford it and still have money to go places to use it? No camera should have a payment plan. 
• If in doubt, buy a bridge camera that can shoot raw. They do everything, the just don't do everything well.
• If you can't find one camera that does what you need, buy a couple. I have a point and shoot, bridge, and an old DSLR. It's a great combination of cameras to cover the gamut of many types of photography. 

In Conclusion

There it is. The first post on my least favorite photography subject, the camera. It probably didn't help much, but maybe I helped you lean towards the idea that it doesn't really matter that much anyhow. If you have a moderately good camera and it's not producing good photos, it's probably you, not the camera. No worries though. If it's you, it's just a matter of the joy of learning to make correct that problem.