Don't lose sight of what really matters.

beltzclan

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--

It's not about the camera. It's not even about the glass. It's about YOU. The user. The one with a vision.

Check this image out below. This was shot with a 4mp Canon A-Series point and shoot camera bought at WalMart for $175.00 US. It's not the camera....



This one was the Canon 300D Rebel. The original. The Lens was the kit lens.

 
I shoot with a Holga lens and videocamera wide angle adapter on my Sinar 4X5 just for that reason, Unusual combinations such as this can produce some interesting images that you would'nt get any other way. I have also used this combination in the studio with pocketwizards and lightbanks for portraits.

Have also made 8X10 pinhole cameras out of FedEx boxes.
--
gmorioka
moriokaphoto.com
 
Very true, but lest we forget that its always easier with the proper tool for the job.

Just as a metaphor, can you solder electronics with a soldering iron made for plumbing?
Sure.
Is it harder and are you likely to mess up a higher proportion of the time?

Definitely.

But I agree with the thought - the best glass with a crappy photographer behind it will still produce crappy shots.
--
It's not about the camera. It's not even about the glass. It's about
YOU. The user. The one with a vision.

Check this image out below. This was shot with a 4mp Canon A-Series
point and shoot camera bought at WalMart for $175.00 US. It's not the
camera....
 
It's not about the camera. It's not even about the glass. It's about
YOU. The user. The one with a vision.
It's both. Tools without a carpenter just sit there. A carpenter without tools just sits there, too. You need to combine the two.

The images you show do make your point, however. The first image is slightly misframed, with the left bouquet disturbingly cut off just at its edge and too much irrelevant black space on the right. The second image shows complete burnout from the too-bright sun along with posterization in the colors of the sunset.

So, yes, these two images are examples where a better photographer would have done a better job.

In general, though, individual photos contribute nothing to this argument because they leave out a big part of situation: the photos that were never taken because the camera wasn't up to the task. Since most modern cameras are capable of taking excellent photos in at least some and usually many circumstances, it's always possible to find such photos. You then have a selective set that appears to indicate that such cameras can do anything in the right hands. In actuality, they can do many things in the right hands but not as many things as some other cameras ... the difference being the missing photos not shown.

I can always find someone who's jumped successfully from a 3rd story window. This doesn't tell us that the right person is capable of doing anything ... just that a person was able to accomplish something in a specific case. The full story would require also showing the pile of dead people below the window who tried and failed because conditions weren't right when they tried.

Davidvid
 
--
It's not about the camera. It's not even about the glass. It's about
YOU. The user. The one with a vision.

Check this image out below. This was shot with a 4mp Canon A-Series
point and shoot camera bought at WalMart for $175.00 US. It's not the
camera....



This one was the Canon 300D Rebel. The original. The Lens was the kit
lens.

 
It's all about ME.

It's about time folks started recognizing that. You're just ahead of the curve. ;)

--
...Bob, NYC

'Well, sometimes the magic works. Sometimes, it doesn't.' - Little Big Man

Galleries: http://www.pbase.com/btullis
 
It's both. Tools without a carpenter just sit there. A carpenter
without tools just sits there, too. You need to combine the two.
True. You cannot outperform your equipment. But lack of equipment costing thousands of dollars is not a hinderance either.
The images you show do make your point, however. The first image is
slightly misframed, with the left bouquet disturbingly cut off just
at its edge and too much irrelevant black space on the right.
I guess it is about taste, but can see your point of view. i actually wanted the negative space. But again see your point and it is valid.
The second image shows complete burnout from the too-bright sun along
with posterization in the colors of the sunset.
Again about vision. I wanted burnout. Posterization in the water reflection I had no control over. I have not tried this again with my 5D so I am not sure if that one difference would even show. In fact i had not even noticed that one aspect, so maybe you have a point. In this case maybe more expensive gear would have made this one image more sellable...
So, yes, these two images are examples where a better photographer
would have done a better job.

In general, though, individual photos contribute nothing to this
argument because they leave out a big part of situation: the photos
that were never taken because the camera wasn't up to the task. Since
most modern cameras are capable of taking excellent photos in at
least some and usually many circumstances, it's always possible to
find such photos. You then have a selective set that appears to
indicate that such cameras can do anything in the right hands. In
actuality, they can do many things in the right hands but not as many
things as some other cameras ... the difference being the missing
photos not shown.

I can always find someone who's jumped successfully from a 3rd story
window. This doesn't tell us that the right person is capable of
doing anything ... just that a person was able to accomplish
something in a specific case. The full story would require also
showing the pile of dead people below the window who tried and failed
because conditions weren't right when they tried.

Davidvid
OK good point. And I agree. Totally. I just see way to many people on here thinking that they have to have a certain piece of equipment in order to be successfull. They don't. But you can only perform as well as your equipment too. The point i was making is the former.

I NEED the new 5DmkII because I have exceeded my current capabilities. Particularly in the high ISO improvement. I shoot natural light, low light weddings. But I have limped along just fine with what I have now and produced lots of great results.
 
I was making that kind of comments some time ago, but
I finally undestood that in this and others forums people talk about a lot of

things that they really like: cameras, lens, flashes, Nikons, Canons..., not photography.
Everyone likes photography, but this isn't the question.
 
It's very easy to come up with acceptable shots with a P&S, so one can say 'it's all about the user' casually.

Imagine yourself covering a wedding photojournalism style with that awesome A-series P&S. While you struggle to get a few in-focus shots, the brides' brother probably fire away with his D700 or 1DIII and end up have 20x more keepers than you.

Sometimes peoples complain that their customers are gear snobs who don't take the photog seriously when they see the photog show up with lesser gear than the customer's relatives brought. Well sometimes they are right.

When people are new, they believe it's the gear that's taking the pic for them. When they learned some, then they'll think they are beyond the gear talk. When they get REALLY good, they'll realise their gear DOES limit their vision.

Max
--
It's not about the camera. It's not even about the glass. It's about
YOU. The user. The one with a vision.

Check this image out below. This was shot with a 4mp Canon A-Series
point and shoot camera bought at WalMart for $175.00 US. It's not the
camera....



This one was the Canon 300D Rebel. The original. The Lens was the kit
lens.

 

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