What camera is best?
I get that question a
lot. Or I get the comment that my equipment looks so much better
than what they are shooing with so my pictures are going to be
better than theirs. My reply to both is “It depends”
Many people believe the
myth that bigger, more expensive cameras with the largest formats
(either film or digital) will produce the best pictures. NOT
TRUE! To me, the best images are captured when the photographer
understands the advantages and disadvantages of the equipment they
are using, understand the operation of that equipment, and then
compose images that take advantage of the abilities of the
equipment. 99% of photography is composition, not how big or
expensive the equipment is. Here are 3 panoramic images. They
are all digitally stitched and were taken with 3 different
cameras. One is with my Pentax PZ1 35mm on Velvia 50 film, one
with my Canon 20D (8mp Digital SLR), and one with my Canon Powershot
A80 (4mp digital point and shoot). I’ll tell you which is which at
the end of this.
|
Blackwater Canyon |
 |
| View
From Long Point |
 |
| North
Bend Reflection |
 |
The “advantage” to the
larger format, fancier camera systems is that when understood by the
photographer they give you more options to be creative in composing
images as well as producing prints. No doubt that a medium format
film camera shooting 50ASA Velvia will be able to produce a much
larger sharper print than a 2mp point and shoot digital camera. But
the quality of the image is not dependent on this. It relies on the
photographer’s skills at composing an image within the advantages
and disadvantages of the equipment being using. For example, an
image taken of a deer 100yds away with a 2mp point and shoot will
look like a brown spot on a green field. But take that same camera
and shoot a well composed sunrise or sunset and you’ve got a great
shot.
Now for the images.
“View from Long Point” was taken with my 35mm system , “Blackwater
Canyon Pan” was taken with my 20D Digital, and “North Bend
Reflections” was taken with my Powershot. As a side note, that
image was selected as part of the bi-annual West Virginia artists
Juried exhibition for 2005. I was always afraid if I told them
what camera I took it with they would have pulled it off the wall of
the gallery.
