you don't need a big sensor

[DwF]

I remember my son always asking "is that the best" regarding an athlete, a guitarist, a camera, a guitar, a car.

What I always come back to, for example with a musical performance, is that when it is right, when it is happening, the audience isn't asking is this the best. The audience is engaged! Maybe after the excitement of the performance is over one gets into that way of thinking but I bet a lot of that comes from hype and marketing that skews the way we think, or stop thinking. Of course for some tasks, one piece of equipment is better suited to producing a certain result. The beauty of photography is that events are always unfolding and the light is forever changing, affording us an opportunity to engage both in the taking and producing of what we experienced or think we experienced.

If one is really capable of using an iPhone or X100 (pick a letter) to engage a viewer, and whether it is on the monitor or in print, success will be there!

David

 

[raid]

What works for one photographer may not work as well for another photographer.
I often use my iPhone camera, in addition to M 4/3 cameras, digital Leica M cameras, and the MF Hasselblad SWC . It depends on how I feel about photography on that day as I choose a camera for use.

 

[jsrockit]

Unanswerable question ("how many ?") for sure. But I think most people are over-equipped. Though, again, if that's what they "need", okay with me.

But there is nothing wrong with being over-equipped if that is how a person wants to spend their money.

 

[uhoh7]

What works for one photographer may not work as well for another photographer.
I often use my iPhone camera, in addition to M 4/3 cameras, digital Leica M cameras, and the MF Hasselblad SWC . It depends on how I feel about photography on that day as I choose a camera for use.

Exactly 🙂

 

[uhoh7]

I have had many hundreds of university students, and have never found that concept works for me.

Sharper, bigger, more expensive...

It reminds me of the perennial student who asks me, "if I do extra work can I improve my grade?"

"Oh please not more!" 😱

Sounds like burnout to me 😉

 

[daveleo]

Sounds like burnout to me 😉

Not at all.
If you give that option to one student, you must offer it to all your students in all your classes.
Students could even ask for extensions to do more work beyond the grading period.
I only allowed this (when I taught engineering) when a student got an F and the Department approved it.
Not burnout at all.

 

[jsrockit]

I remember my son always asking "is that the best" regarding an athlete, a guitarist, a camera, a guitar, a car.

Yeah, this is innocent in a child, but hard to handle in an adult.

 

[Dektol Dan]

From 1994 Apple Quicktake

From 1994 Apple Quicktake

60K is plenty big enough! **** your damn smart phone!

 

[jsrockit]

^ First digital camera I had ever seen or tried.

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

Of course, equipment makes a difference. But:

First, the best camera for any shot is the one you have with you, we have a lot of good photos from iPhones.

Second, for many, many shots, I'm delighted with the quality from my APS sized 24MPx sensors (Sony and Nikon). Don't feel much need for FX.

Third, for some photos, the tiny lens that results from the tiny sensor is a big DOF advantage. For example, product shots. Or the Instagram in #2.

 

[uhoh7]

Not at all.
If you give that option to one student, you must offer it to all your students in all your classes.
Students could even ask for extensions to do more work beyond the grading period.
I only allowed this (when I taught engineering) when a student got an F and the Department approved it.
Not burnout at all.

mass production instruction has it's own weltanschauung

especially 101: even there any good background will go into detail about all sorts of formats, staring with the "Carmera", a room and a hole. As an exercise tiny sensor photography is fine. "all you ever want is a tiny sensor" is preposterous.

at the graduate level in most fields there is extensive use of advanced tools.

 

[Bill Clark]

Hi Dektol Dan!

Merry Chridtmas.

Very nice photo of the two young ladies.

Holding hands shows love and connection between them. Great!

This is a keeper.

 

[nikonhswebmaster]

The Art world is always looking for a fresh angle and right now, in Photography, it doesn't match the type of photography we enjoy.

We?? 😛

 

[_goodtimez]

The lens counts more than the sensor

The lens counts more than the sensor

Here is an example taken with small sensor today:

Winter sunlight by Joan, on Flickr

 

[willie_901]

What a back hole of subjectivity. Every post is correct and relevant for and to many photographers.

I'd rather have the best tires on my vehicles even though inferior tires are also round.

I'd rather have the most experienced surgeon operate on me even though a very inexperienced surgeon is licensed to perform the same procedure.

I'd rather use medium format film than 35 mm film for studio, portrait and landscape work.

I'd rather use the a camera with a sensor with the largest surface area that's appropriate for the task at hand.

In all these examples we compromise.

I would not fly across the US and pay out-of-pocket for a surgeon who was ranked #1 in the filed when I have more practical access to one who was ranked in the top #500. There are tens of thousands of licensed surgeons. In a dire emergency I would gratefully use a surgeon ranked #10,000.

Sensor surface area is important. A camera's signal-to-noise ratio is important. But neither of these are necessarily required to manifest creativity. Still, at the least these increase the likelihood one's creativity will be well served.

 

[MIkhail]

Anyway ... it's not the size, it's how you use it! 🙂

I would add: if you don't have talent to use it - start stydying bokeh. There is always crowd to argue summicron vs. summilux" subject.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Yeah, I tried larger but I'm back to using 24x36mm miniature format only.

Chris

 

[BillBingham2]

I remember my son always asking "is that the best" regarding an athlete, a guitarist, a camera, a guitar, a car.
........
David

If you have 30 bags of leaves to take to recycling, then the honda fit isn't best. Perhaps a full bed pickup is the best.

If you are driving 75 miles to and from work each day the fit rocks.

If you are driving from Des Moines to Rochester with a sprouse (NYC spelling), two grown kids and two entlebuchers neither of the previous cars are the best.

Then again, if compared to walking.......

B2 (;->

 

[Ko.Fe.]

The reality, on the ground with real people is, their shots improve dramatically moving from APS-C to FF, and they fall in love with photography all over again. I have seen this happen over and over. Which is why I hate this pretentious myth.

"Real people" who are they?

In my family my wife prefers 5MPs FujiFilm P&S, because its full auto works for family portraits better that Crop or FF DSLRs I was trying to introduce her. I can't take portraits as good as she takes them. I can't with any size, FF, 6x6, 4x5...
My daughter likes Canon 5D MKII because it "sucks all of the available light comparing to other", my crop DSLR.
I added FF DSLR after my photography was dramatically improved by getting crop DSLR. I didn't get nothing special from FF, just better IQ and convenience to use normal primes.

Who are they, yours real people who moved to FF and it was improved and they fall in love again? Gearheads?

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Here is an example taken with small sensor today:

Winter sunlight by Joan, on Flickr

FF 🙂. But you could take the same on 20D with 70-200F4. Lens counts more 😉.