Does the camera really make any difference?

kshapero

kshapero

South Florida Man
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We know that lenses can affect the outcome and quality of an image. Which type or brand of film also affects outcome. The exposure meter plays a part. And certainly the skill, the eye of the photographer plays a mafor part. But does the camera body itself, whether it is a Pentax or a Leica really make a difference?
 
It does in a few ways. First, if it has a built in meter, the quality of that meter is important. Second, it is important that the control layout is one you are happy, comfortable, and fast with. Third, the reliability matters. If you can't trust your camera to work consistently, you need a different camera.
 
I would say that your favourite camera makes the process of making/taking photos much more enjoyable compared to other cameras.

In my case, I certainly enjoy more using my Leica cameras than using my Canon DSLR cameras even if I already have the Canon EOS 5D Mark II :p
 
yes and no... the only way a body itself affects image quality is by being free of light leaks...keeping the film plane flat and level and by keeping the mounted lens parallel to the film plane without wobble. And of course by having accurate shutter speeds and accurate metering.

But a body also has many less definable ways it affects images. Ergonomics are huge... I've tried quite a few LTM and M mount RF's and some are a terrible and some are brilliant. If I was stuck with one of the terrible ones, I don't know if I'd be inclined and motivated to take pictures as much. The ones that are a joy to use make me want to go out and take pictures just for the pure joy of taking them... I've got some of my favorite shots because of this.

How easy the body is to use will also give you more keepers. You can miss many a shot if you're struggling to get the body to do what you want it to. All things being equal... no... if you mount the same lens on ten different bodies that are all mechanically sound and point them at the same thing, withe the same metering, all the pics should be identical. But that's reducing the body to just being a light tight box... in practice there's many more factors that need to be considered.
 
If the body fails, then yes, it has played a very large part. Then there's the part about needing an M-mount body to use M-mount lenses.

I have a number of bodies to won't do 1/1000 or higher shutter speeds and/or limited in their metering range (a few I don't trust the meter under low light).

Pentax vs Leica is also a SLR vs RF question. For certain types of photography, it does matter, but mostly it doesn't.
 
Yes, and no. Plain and simple.

Edit: My Muse intercedes: "What you meant to say was "it depends." I cede to her.


- Barrett
 
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The camera-body is the main "control-unit" in the process of taking a picture so ... yes, it makes some difference.
 
Authenticocity requires that the body must be Leica. You must also bow in the direction of Solms prior to taking the shot or your out of focus blurred photo won't count as art. Of course, it is less important that you take photos; more emphasis is to put on clutching camera.
 
Solms ? Not Wetzlar ?? .... ;)

bmattock said:
Authenticocity requires that the body must be Leica. You must also bow in the direction of Solms prior to taking the shot or your out of focus blurred photo won't count as art. Of course, it is less important that you take photos; more emphasis is to put on clutching camera.
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Other than the point everyone has mentioned above, yes it still does.

Well, i can't say i've been a sucker for nice bags and cameras.
Takin' my pimpin camera outta my pimpin bag is just sweet.

No but seriously, the camera body itself DOES make a difference. Despite the difference in a Leica shutter and Bessa shutter being not all that life-changing, it sure does affect the mentality of a person getting a shot at close-quarters.

And perhaps, the feeling of having a more durable camera that tells me "i can take this anywhere". I know the Bessa isn't fragile, but i'm not as adventurous on it as i do for my K200d or 500c/m
 
As a previous poster mentioned, metering matters. How flat the film is held makes a difference, hence the Contax RTS III vacuum plate system. Reflex vs. rangefinder makes a difference because of mirror slap. In rangefinders, the accuracy of the RF matters for critical focus.
 
To a pro photographer it doesn't as long as it's reliable. I think pros would use anything - even a disposable in worst case, and get at least a decent picture.

Then there are the amateurs, who have photography as a hobby. To us it certainly makes a difference...
I would say that your favourite camera makes the process of making/taking photos much more enjoyable compared to other cameras.
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But wouldn't it be more essential for pros to know the camera off pat ? Reliability, sure but really knowing the camera off pat is essential to get the paid photo, IMHO. A pro could use anything to take a photo but my guess is that these guys only use what they have used for ages and what has been working best for them.

Spyderman said:
To a pro photographer it doesn't as long as it's reliable. I think pros would use anything - even a disposable in worst case, and get at least a decent picture.

Then there are the amateurs, who have photography as a hobby. To us it certainly makes a difference...
Click to expand...
 
It is not so much the camera body itself that matters but whether it is silver or black and the color of the covering. And, of course, the bag you carry it in.
 
Most people can hand-hold a direct vision camera steadier than a reflex, for no reason I have ever been able to figure out, so yes, refles vs. RF does matter unless you always shoot in good light.

With an RF, effective base length matters, so you don't want a Noctilux or a 75 Summilux on any Bessa, or even a 50/1.5 on most of them if you're shooting close at full aperture. Longest EBL is the Zeiss, but Leicas are long enough.

If you want a meter, some are a lot better than others; I don't much care for the ZI meter (except on the SW).

After these practical considerations, it's easier to get good picture with the camera you like most, so yes, it matters in that sense, but equally, it doesn't preclude getting good picures with any other camera.

Cheers,

R.
 
Yes it does matter. To the extent that if you have a number of bodies there are always a certain few you keep using more than others for whatever reason. You just enjoy them more than others and are also more inclined to take them along and have a camera ready for any opportunity that occurs.

Bob
 
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