Lens, Camera, Challenge? After reading a ton of discussions on this site about whether it's the lens, the camera, the photographer, I don't know if it confuses most newbies, challenges...

deer2ker Loc: Nashville, TN

After reading a ton of discussions on this site about whether it's the lens, the camera, the photographer, I don't know if it confuses most newbies, challenges them, intimidates them, enlightens them, or makes them want to run screaming for the hills lol, it may be all of the above. What I've come up with is THANK YOU - It challenges me. There will never be a clear cut answer to these discussions until you become a professional photographer and then of course it is ALL about the photographer. I know I have gotten some "luck" shots that had nothing to do with me but because I had a really good lens and a camera that made it easy for me.

I have challenged myself to take the cheapest lens I have (I just found an old 28-80mm Nikkor from 1999 that sells on Ebay for $20) and come up with the best shots I can.

I think it would be fun to have a challenge out there for everyone to take their best shot with their cheapest lens they have. Pull it out of their closet, dust it off, and see where their skill lay!

george torjussen

Sounds like a fun challenge that would certainly emphasize the artistic talent, eye or skills of the photographer over lucky shots with very expensive equipment - - -

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

Could be interesting. However, I've made plenty of bad shots using state of the art equipment. I'm challenged every time I pick up one of my cameras and select a lens appropriate for what I am planning to shoot. I don't want to make a silk purse out of an inferior selection of equipment.

deer2ker wrote:

After reading a ton of discussions on this site ab... (show quote)

deer2ker Loc: Nashville, TN

Yes - I just want to get better personally. Of course I want the best equipment I can afford to make my life easier and am having a blast with post processing in Lightroom but all in all, I want to challenge myself too.

george torjussen wrote:

Sounds like a fun challenge that would certainly emphasize the artistic talent, eye or skills of the photographer over lucky shots with very expensive equipment - - -

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

How many great looking photos have you seen on this forum, taken by a smartphone or iPhone? Makes you wonder sometimes. That it is indeed the photographer and not always the equipment. Old vintage manual lenses, many of them manual focus, still produced great images then and now. Especially the older Minolta lenses of yesteryears. And some older Nikon AI and AI-S yesteryears lenses. I'm curious about them though. None purchased yet by me.

deer2ker Loc: Nashville, TN

I agree totally (It's a good thing I'm not going through film anymore!) I just thought it would be fun to see what people come up with because so many great lenses are out there that get discounted because they are out of date.

DavidPine wrote:

Could be interesting. However, I've made plenty of bad shots using state of the art equipment. I'm challenged every time I pick up one of my cameras and select a lens appropriate for what I am planning to shoot. I don't want to make a silk purse out of an inferior selection of equipment.

deer2ker Loc: Nashville, TN

You are so correct - technology has come so far with the smartphones it makes you wonder......

mas24 wrote:

How many great looking photos have you seen on this forum, taken by a smartphone or iPhone? Makes you wonder sometimes. That it is indeed the photographer and not always the equipment. Old vintage manual lenses, many of them manual focus, still produced great images then and now. Especially the older Minolta lenses of yesteryears. And some older Nikon AI and AI-S yesteryears lenses. I'm curious about them though. None purchased yet by me.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

deer2ker wrote:

You are so correct - technology has come so far with the smartphones it makes you wonder......

And they get better with each successive models. That's the killer. But, I'm not going to abandon my DSLR and lenses yet. Too much money already invested since late 2008.

travelwp Loc: New Jersey

I just bought a new camera and this was my personal challenge: leave the zooms at home and just take the 45mm prime on a shoot. It's been a little over a month now and I find that I am paying more attention to composing my shots.

deer2ker Loc: Nashville, TN

Definitely - I am loving my primes more and more as I use them - move those feet!

travelwp wrote:

I just bought a new camera and this was my personal challenge: leave the zooms at home and just take the 45mm prime on a shoot. It's been a little over a month now and I find that I am paying more attention to composing my shots.

Leitz Loc: Solms

deer2ker wrote:

I think it would be fun to have a challenge out there for everyone to take their best shot with their cheapest lens they have.

That's a cop-out. Use your best lens and you'll have no excuse!

deer2ker Loc: Nashville, TN

Lol - maybe for you

Leitz wrote:

That's a cop-out. Use your best lens and you'll have no excuse!

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Hey deer2ker - I'm traveling this week without my 20+ year old EF 50 f/1.8. At $125 ish used, this original EF nifty 50 (released 1987) produces excellent results. Hopefully, this addition is in the spirit of your challange even if not in the timeframe. Here's one from a few years ago on the original EOS 7D. I'm in the "it's the photographer" crowd. But, cameras and lenses have never been better than today's equipment, entry-level thru top tier. Nikon has profiles for all their lenses and Canon is catching up on their higher-end bodies. The older lenses now shoot "better" today than they did when initially released.

Proofreading my comment, maybe I come across with a foot in both camps ... photographers do best with great cameras and great lens?

DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun by Paul Sager, on Flickr
http://farm1.staticflickr.com/782/22793906863_0842b28860_b.jpg

wilsondl2 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

Cheap does not mean poor quality images. The Nikon 28-80 was a kit lens for Nikon film cameras. It has been brought up on the Hog a few times and turns out to be a very good lens. Being a Pro does not have anything to do with how good a photographer you are. Store shooters were trained in a day - about an hour on setting the camera and lights and background up. (always the same) and the rest of the time posing and learning tricks to get good expressions. I have always worked to get the best with the equipment I've had and then when I found I was missing a lot of shots with what I had I would get what I needed to get those shots. - Dave

deer2ker Loc: Nashville, TN

Exactly in the spirit of my challenge - This shot is exquisite! I know to be a better photographer, I need to get out of "my camera and lens will take care of the shot" and get back to the "focus on the subject" time. This was not meant to be a serious challenge, just a fun one, and maybe will help me not obsess with the newest and greatest thing out there - thank you!

CHG_CANON wrote:

Hey deer2ker - I'm traveling this week without my ... (show quote)