I was checking the searches that were used when people found this site and discovered that many had searched for a specific camera model. One popular search was “Nikon D700 vs the Leica M9.” I figured it would be a good time to talk about cameras. People are always asking me for camera buying advice so here’s my two cents. BTW, no companies pay me (darn it) or let me test their equipment (yet), so these are my unbiased opinions. This is just a general discussion. I am not going to go into camera models too much.
Just as Ansel Adams concluded, the Tachihara 4×5 (or any 4×5) film camera is unbeatable for sharp, colorful images. Digital resolution does not compare to film. Since I take most of my pictures cycling, a big 4×5 camera is out of the question. Also. I like to shoot, download and blog quickly. It takes time to compose a picture on the ground glass of a 4×5. I jump off the bike shoot, wipe the sweat and go before setting a 4×5 on the tripod, not to mention sending the film off to be developed. But let me say, the best quality is from big sheet film, hands down.
Remember cameras are tools. I can buy all the best carpentry tools, that won’t make me a good carpenter. The best camera equipment will not guarantee great images. It is the photographer that is great, not the camera. Some of my best shots came from my old Canon AE-1 that I had in high school and college. Don’t let the salespeople convince you into certain features or more megapixels (MP), none of that matters for a great image.
The best camera for you depends on what you will use it for. Family snaps? Go get any Canon point and shoot. They are high quality and easy to use. Go play with one in the store and make sure it is fast enough and zooms enough for your taste. Don’t worry about MP count or any other bogus features. These cameras will usually be used on auto and you will grab it and shoot a quick snap. Don’t over analyze which camera to buy at this level. Four things I would worry about are:
Speed: you want the picture to be captured when you press the button, not a second or two after. Make sure the camera shoots a picture quick, but don’t stress on the frame per second (FPS) count. If you are worried about that, move up to an SLR.
Zoom: Want to shoot things in the living room or from a distance? You can save a lot of money with a camera with minimal zoom capabilities. But if you want to shoot things that are far away from time to time, get a camera that has a decent zoom. For an example, I can shoot a normal portrait anywhere from 35-100mm, my son pitching at 200mm and soccer or football needs 300-600mm.
ISO/ASA Range: This used to designate film speed, but now it designates sensor sensitivity. Higher numbers mean more sensor sensitivity to gather more light in dark environments. (The sharpest images are shot at low ISOs, so always shoot at the lowest ISO possible.) I like a camera that that shoots high ISOs when needed. School programs in the gym or theater and parties in a dim room need higher ISOs. I wouldn’t buy a camera that won’t go to at least ISO 1600.
Comfortability: I always tell people to go to a store and handle the camera. Some are too big and some may be too small. Also, the menu system should be easy to use. You shouldn’t have to fiddle for minutes every time you grab the camera. If there’s a feature or capability you can’t live without make sure the camera has it too.
Personally at the point and shoot level, I have found the Canons to be acceptable. The others are also good and image quality is similar at this level, but the Canons seem to be a little easier to use to me. Canon quality is great. You can’t go wrong with companies like Canon, Nikon, Pentax, and Olympus, but overall I recommend the Canons for point and shoots.
That said, I hate using point and shoot cameras. I want to tell the camera what to do, not the other way around. If you want to be more creative, have more control, shoot 7+ FPS, spend more money on cameras and lenses and/or go semi-pro, a digital SLR is for you.
Digital SLRs
I use these because of a the larger sensor (more important than MP) and better photographic control over the image. At this level I like Nikons. I have also used Canons and Kodaks and find the Nikons easier to use and more pleasing in their color rendition. It seems like an engineer designed the Canons and photographers designed the Nikons when it comes to ease of use. I am a little partial to the Nikons, but I would use a Canon without reservation. They are both very good and offer excellent lens choices.
For portraits, weddings, and most everything else, the Nikon D700 is the best buy for the money. Unsurpassed image quality, especially at extremely high ISOs (excellent for weddings), full frame sensor, ease of use and great lenses make this my favorite today. If you are a professional and overuse your equipment, or shoot sports, you may want to move up to the Nikon D3. It is full frame and has a higher FPS count. The D700 has a great price point and the high ISO images are incredible. Image quality is excellent.
Those of you that are starting out, the Nikon D40 is a great buy. It is inexpensive and image quality is very good. Remember, all those thousands of settings and menu options don’t mean diddly. A photographer adjusts ISO, shutter speed, and f-stop, focuses and captures a great image. The rest is for techies more than photographers. Oh, I know how to use everything my camera offers, but most of it is unnecessary. Which is why I am looking at a camera I will mention later.
Currently, I own a Nikon D300. It was out before the D700. It is great, but does not have a full frame sensor or the high ISO capabilities of the D700. With the Nikon AF-S lenses it focuses so fast, it’s insane. I swear it follows a baseball AS it is being pitched! This is for another post, but lenses are more important than the camera. Seriously. Don’t buy a nice camera and put some cheap off brand lens on it, please! I like professional lenses that stop down to at least 2.8 to control depth of field. Nikon and Canon make cheap and expensive lenses. There is a reason for that. Remember, you can keep your lenses forever, but digital cameras need to be upgraded or just replaced after so much use.
A camera that has me intrigued is the Leica M9. This camera company is in business to make excellent quality cameras and lenses. The M9 is a rangefinder camera. It would be for slower moving subjects and landscapes. I want to have this in my bag when I shoot from the bicycle. I already posted about this camera earlier and linked to a review if you want to read about it. I believe this camera would be superior for my fine art work, but i will stick to my Nikon SLR for most everything else.
Of course, these cameras all mean nothing without great software. I use Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop only on a Macintosh to create the final images.
Feel free to comment or email me with questions or comments about cameras or anything photographic.
–EB
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