It's been quite a while when EOS 7D appeared in stores, i have had no time to look at it closely. When i played with it at first time i liked ergonomically redesigned layout, and that's it. Today i had another look, and look at some key points, and actually i am even more impressed with this camera, and its price tag.
Viewfinder, its great. Big and clear, its like on my 5d, which i am used to, so i did not realized in first place that viewfinder of APS-C sensor sized camera (like my 40D) should be much smaller compared to full frame camera. In 7D its superb. Great for action, where new focusing system does fantastic job, big viewfinder its essential to follow displayed info on new transmissive LCD inside, which is nikon-like, which was one of biggest benefits of nikon. Not anymore.
As it is aimed at fast-moving-objects photography, its almost like EOS 1D mkIII with 8 FPS for around half the price, with focusing system more like on EOS 1Ds mkIII.
Build quality is on very high standard, as usually well done. Well sealed. only 1D series might take more.
As they have redesigned layout of the buttons slightly, it will take while for you to get used t o it, also they have added 2 new buttons, handy.
If i will be going to buy something like 50D range, i would think again. The question is, what the spec would be for 60D? Pretty much the same except focusing system (will stay as original 9 point), slighlty slower (standard xxD series, around 6-7 FPS) and maybe no 18 MP? Is there point making two different cameras with just very few different features? xxxxD, xxxD, xxD, xD? 1000D its effectively 400D in new shell, 500D it great, but why to have 450 and 1000D available at same time? 50D, good, step forward, and 5D, affordable full frame, and pro 1D series, which are effectively as good as let say 50D and 5D picture-quality wise, but lack features and build quality.
I tell you, next thing that will be color choice for SLR cameras, as it is on the compacts now. Pentax already started, if someone else will do it, every one will, sooner or later.
There is to much choice, previously there were entry, mid and pro levels, now the scale gets wider an wider. Like with compact cameras.
Favorite photogear
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Please post in comments what are your camera system preferences and why.
I have chosen Canon, and i wasn't well planned, haven't done lot of research, but i am so happy now that i have made right choice. After years, when i started working in camera shop and i had opportunity to check and compare different systems , i realized how good choice i have made. There are lots of people arguing about which system is better over the other, but empty words does not mean anything.
Canon is the best brand overall, most affordable, not overpriced, then nikon, where quality is not the same, especially on entry level models, high end models are relatively good, but i would never sacrifice myself to work with it as a pro just to pretend how good it is after realizing it is not as brilliant as you could get for the same money from canon. They are still good cameras, but require a lot of patience to achieve desired effect, and i hate its color reproduction, it always need adjusting, as few people i worked with, showed of their best, which was really disappointing (or i am just not used to it?).
Then move on on to Sony Alpha series. They ok for amateur who does not want to go any further into photography, because they cheap. Sony is powerful corporation, they can afford a lot of things, buy new technologies, because they almost never manufacture their own. Pro range from sony is bit disappointing in low light, though is good only in studio, where you can use your own lighting to achieve good results. I dislike build quality, and hate hot-shoe. Disaster for event photographer. One piece of plastic attached onto the other.
Then other brands, like Samsung and Pentax, total disappointment, its completely piece of rubbish, the quality is terrible, i would have to spend half of day trying to bring it back to some standards in photoshop. Sensor its like from mobile phone, and screens they are using from past century, terrible color reproduction, brightness, resolution and viewing angle. Only thing is acceptable its build quality. Not most important for taking good shots.
Olympus, it tend to scale things down, and many people thing "such a great idea, why to have big bulky camera?" but then you are going back to compact camera. Again. Miniaturized optics, maximum quality? No thanks. Doesn't really work. Why is that you can better photos (forget photographer) using lager sensor camera? In this case bigger is better, almost always. Tried to achieve medium format camera effect using your ipod nano? Failed? If you want better small compact camera you are better off buying bridge camera which gives good zoom (i know, quality is not the same like on primes, but) that does not cost as much as proper DSLR. And you do not need to spend money for tiny toy lenses, which cost still quite a lot. And the same applies to their micro 4/3 as well as to Panasonic.
Yes. Panasonic. That is complete waste of money. I don't know how in other countries, but where i used to live in europe there a lot of Panasonic adverts in cinemas or on tv, and people wants them because they are shown as good cameras. That is power of advertising and it works very well. But i hate that lumix G1, micro 4/3 DSLR camera. No, its not.
From Wikipedia:
"A digital single-lens reflex camera (digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that uses a mechanical mirror system and pentaprism to direct light from the lens to an optical viewfinder on the back of the camera."
Where neither Olympus or Panasonic have. But the prices are high. Because there is market for that. Lucky them. I would spend half of that price on high end fuji camera or get canon powershot G11 instead.
And other brands, Sigma, and their foveon sensor seemed as nice alternative didn't make it, or Fuji, based on Nikon cameras, all well good, with Nikon hard shell and Fuji internals. Attractive alternative but limited market.
Conlusion
One of my friends stated, if the company is not well developed, it will struggle to get potential buyers, and to research new technologies, or to buy them, will need a lot of money, so usually they final product will be more expensive to compensate that. With big brands, that sell loads of their products, they can lower production cost because they sell larger quantities of their products, and therefore will make enough money for further improvements, and technologies. They cheaper because they are popular, and at some point they may deliver better product at lower cost than competitors. That what canon does. Nikon is lower in ranking, and they are not as good value for money, and 3rd Sony is catching up selling larger quantities of their cheaper products, because they can afford it, too.
More popular system you choose, cheaper will it be to maintain, more choice with second hand stuff, 3rd party accessories, and servicing. Choose wisely as it will most probably last for your entire career, and that is up to you if you will struggle, or struggle more.
Comment what you think.
I have chosen Canon, and i wasn't well planned, haven't done lot of research, but i am so happy now that i have made right choice. After years, when i started working in camera shop and i had opportunity to check and compare different systems , i realized how good choice i have made. There are lots of people arguing about which system is better over the other, but empty words does not mean anything.
Canon is the best brand overall, most affordable, not overpriced, then nikon, where quality is not the same, especially on entry level models, high end models are relatively good, but i would never sacrifice myself to work with it as a pro just to pretend how good it is after realizing it is not as brilliant as you could get for the same money from canon. They are still good cameras, but require a lot of patience to achieve desired effect, and i hate its color reproduction, it always need adjusting, as few people i worked with, showed of their best, which was really disappointing (or i am just not used to it?).
Then move on on to Sony Alpha series. They ok for amateur who does not want to go any further into photography, because they cheap. Sony is powerful corporation, they can afford a lot of things, buy new technologies, because they almost never manufacture their own. Pro range from sony is bit disappointing in low light, though is good only in studio, where you can use your own lighting to achieve good results. I dislike build quality, and hate hot-shoe. Disaster for event photographer. One piece of plastic attached onto the other.
Then other brands, like Samsung and Pentax, total disappointment, its completely piece of rubbish, the quality is terrible, i would have to spend half of day trying to bring it back to some standards in photoshop. Sensor its like from mobile phone, and screens they are using from past century, terrible color reproduction, brightness, resolution and viewing angle. Only thing is acceptable its build quality. Not most important for taking good shots.
Olympus, it tend to scale things down, and many people thing "such a great idea, why to have big bulky camera?" but then you are going back to compact camera. Again. Miniaturized optics, maximum quality? No thanks. Doesn't really work. Why is that you can better photos (forget photographer) using lager sensor camera? In this case bigger is better, almost always. Tried to achieve medium format camera effect using your ipod nano? Failed? If you want better small compact camera you are better off buying bridge camera which gives good zoom (i know, quality is not the same like on primes, but) that does not cost as much as proper DSLR. And you do not need to spend money for tiny toy lenses, which cost still quite a lot. And the same applies to their micro 4/3 as well as to Panasonic.
Yes. Panasonic. That is complete waste of money. I don't know how in other countries, but where i used to live in europe there a lot of Panasonic adverts in cinemas or on tv, and people wants them because they are shown as good cameras. That is power of advertising and it works very well. But i hate that lumix G1, micro 4/3 DSLR camera. No, its not.
From Wikipedia:
"A digital single-lens reflex camera (digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that uses a mechanical mirror system and pentaprism to direct light from the lens to an optical viewfinder on the back of the camera."
Where neither Olympus or Panasonic have. But the prices are high. Because there is market for that. Lucky them. I would spend half of that price on high end fuji camera or get canon powershot G11 instead.
And other brands, Sigma, and their foveon sensor seemed as nice alternative didn't make it, or Fuji, based on Nikon cameras, all well good, with Nikon hard shell and Fuji internals. Attractive alternative but limited market.
Conlusion
One of my friends stated, if the company is not well developed, it will struggle to get potential buyers, and to research new technologies, or to buy them, will need a lot of money, so usually they final product will be more expensive to compensate that. With big brands, that sell loads of their products, they can lower production cost because they sell larger quantities of their products, and therefore will make enough money for further improvements, and technologies. They cheaper because they are popular, and at some point they may deliver better product at lower cost than competitors. That what canon does. Nikon is lower in ranking, and they are not as good value for money, and 3rd Sony is catching up selling larger quantities of their cheaper products, because they can afford it, too.
More popular system you choose, cheaper will it be to maintain, more choice with second hand stuff, 3rd party accessories, and servicing. Choose wisely as it will most probably last for your entire career, and that is up to you if you will struggle, or struggle more.
Comment what you think.
Photo and other artwork online showroom
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I have tried to figure out what is the nicest place to check out others work. I though picassa web albums, maybe canon gateway, but at the moment the best one is deviantART. You can enjoy work of very talented artists, photographers and others, its very inspirational with its endless resources. If you know something even better, let me know. I have seen some other places like this but i can not remember them.
Reliable photography resources
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How many times you were looking for some info on photo gear?
There are more and more websites that sell this kind of equipment, but where to look for good tests and advices?
I want to share list of websites i'm using for cameras/lenses reviews, that are neutral and do not promote one bran over the others.
First of all, its
that is very helpful with their extensive lenses database, you can find a lot of basic informations of many types of lenses (going back to m42) like release date, weight, filter size and some other technical informations.
Many lenses have extensive test, where chromatic aberration, distortion and resolution and others are measured, that is very useful to compare and choose best lens for you. Also you can see sample photos from different lenses, that give you idea how lens performs in difficult light conditions, for example. Definitely worth checking out and leaving a comment for lenses you are using, that also help other readers.
A little bit similar to lenstip, but gives you more details about cameras in general than lenses only, where lenses tests are poor, in fact, but you can read in depth review of some cameras, and get general database of almost all cameras available. There is a forum, that allows you to ask other about their equipment and experience, but its old school and not very user friendly.
Very nice canon website, which gives you in-depth preview in work of some well-known photographers, gives nice tips for beginners and allow you to access really nice inspirational gallery. Technical informations on their products, and detailed info-bank, that is something that you normally would find scattered all over the internet, here nicely gathered in to one place, nicely arranged. Website itself it's simple in design, but i was surprised how much useful information can be found there. And there are video interviews and master-classes with other pros, that is real joy to watch. Must check it yourself.
Photography vs Crapography
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What irritates me these days that people think if they have good equipment they are good photographers.
WRONG!
You can see "professional" photographers popping out like never before. Are they professional because they spend thousands on their equipment? It obvious that expensive camera will deliver far better results than mobile phone, but then you need to know how to use it properly.
Im not negating that they want to be photographers, if they are talented and aspiring, everyone must start somewhere, but after using digital compact for some time (and getting "good" shoots and comments from friend they photos are great) if someone will get an professional camera it doesn't mean he will get its title with it! Its very sad but its also very true that you can see "pros" with the pro only in title, not in results.
I think that so many people doing that now that we will get use to it, and that will become some kind of standard.
I used to do some assignment work with other photographers, and i know that standards are going down.
But as long we cant change them, we can keep our own standard, and that, hopefully, will distinguish us.
Good shoot could be shown in % as follows:
25% Situation
25% Equipment
25% Skills
24% Post processing
1% Luck
As we are in digital are now post processing in important, even if you think that well skilled photographer don't need to retouch his work, think again.
Photographs were processed since photography have been invented. But now its digital, and gives some more advantages.
If you are real professional, show it and stop that grow on pseudo-professionals that will eventually fill up the market, where we struggle enough already.
Don't say you are professional. Be professional.
Future projects list
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Sometimes when I'm wandering around i thing about some new exciting project i could do if i had time.
Keep forgetting them though, but i will try to fill this list up, and - eventually- realize them.
Eventually give some more descriptions when it comes closer to realization.
- Love Hate Jersey
- Skatin' JSY
- Second Sight
- Chicago story
Opening
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Photography in it's finest form. There is need for it. Everything and almost everyone is capable of taking photos now, with they mobile, watch or music player. Photography as we knew it is gone, or at least its my impression, but i know there are people who know how to use camera as they were part of it, think-react way. They know the light. They know how to use it, how to control it. There is a light, there is photography. Its getting harder to distinguish if photographs were taken by professional, or by advanced everythingsuperinteligentauto compact camera, as they're getting smarter, better, faster whit all these auto goodies. But there is distinctive line that divide these two.
Aspiring shooter and professional photographer.
I will try to maintain high standard in this falling photo community, with appropriate equipment and knowledge i will try to develop outstanding images with unique feel, and its own magic. Because thats true spirit of photography, if your photographs draw someone's attention by being different with that professional feel, in huge ocean of photos on the net.
Being professional doesn't mean just capturing, it means capturing it in beautiful way, whatever the subject.
Quality is everything.
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