Does the camera matter? (Page 9): Enjoyed your little quiz. You did fool me on this one, as your P&S shot was clearly the poorest of the bunch and I was sure you were trying to mislead...

architect Loc: Chattanooga

architect wrote:

quote=PIXChuck Negative Hypo Breath. The first o... (show quote)

Top pic of ramp was taken with a Nikon Coolpix P80.
Landscape was taken with a Panasonic DMC TZ3 (same camera as the post by Alaskan).
Dandelion was taken with a Canon S70... all point and shoots.

George H Loc: Brooklyn, New York

johnr9999 wrote:

quote=lesdmd "The camera doesn't make the ph... (show quote)

I tend to disagree. I have not seen a great pinhole photograph. I have not seen a great cell phone photograph. I don't remember seeing a great p&s photo. My brother, who does mostly large format photography, state after an Ansel Adams exhibit the he felt like he should throw his camera gear away. You know great when you see it, read it or hear it.[/quote]

JOHN,
I doubt you have seen that many pinhole camera photos, I have taken at least a few hundred and some of the were very nice. Now great photos are what the majority would consider great not one person. Some of the point and shoot photos presented here have been great photos, again personal preference takes precedence. Your brother probably takes beautiful and great photos, what he does not have is the creative ability Ansel Adams had in the darkroom. Adams was a genius, there are not many of those around.

George H Loc: Brooklyn, New York

architect wrote:

quote=architect quote=PIXChuck Negative Hypo Bre... (show quote)

Greg-Colo Loc: Fort Collins,Co

They say it's not only the tool,it's how you use it. A hammer and chisel in the hands of an idiot makes woodchips... in the hands of a master, makes a masterpiece

Stanley

I think Bob is right on the money. as you go forward, in the field of photography, you will come to a point were the "point and shoot" will no longer produce your creativity, and you will want the value of a more feature laden camera so you can recreate your vision.
If you live close to, or in New York City, there is a huge photoexpo at Jacob Javits center,(photoexplus) I signed up for the basic expo package, general admission. yo can go on-line at photoexpoplus and get more information. the last day is tomorrow Oct. 28,2011. I only mentioned this because: if can go to these types of shows you can get a better perspective when comparing and contrasting P&s v DSLRs
-Stanley

TomballLegend Loc: Tomball, Texas

architect wrote:

quote=PIXChuck Negative Hypo Breath. The first o... (show quote)

>>>CTP: Quite honestly as "He" said in Gone With The Wind, "I don't give a damn"! You see, sir, when it comes to art, I"m not a snob. It's all in the eye and mind, not ego. Obviously you liked them or you would not have held on to them. By the way, I judge my Winged Victory the best thing I've ever produced and every picture I take has to live up to this 35mm frame, personally developed and enlarged in my darkroom over 30 years ago hand held and bulb exposed manual count down shot.!.........CTP

RiverNan Loc: Eastern Pa

so...are we born with personalities or are we blank slates??? How about this: Someone with a good eye, basic skill set, patience, lots of luck and a camera that they know and love is likely to get a pretty decent photo every now and then. The Camera and the Shooter both matter.

George H Loc: Brooklyn, New York

Stanley wrote:

I think Bob is right on the money. as you go forwa... (show quote)

Stanley,
The last day is Saturday the 29th. I have a friend that is exhibiting at the show.

George

lesdmd Loc: Middleton Wi via N.Y.C. & Cleveland

rivernan wrote:

so...are we born with personalities or are we blank slates??? How about this: Someone with a good eye, basic skill set, patience, lots of luck and a camera that they know and love is likely to get a pretty decent photo every now and then. The Camera and the Shooter both matter.

Live as long as I, have children and grandchildren, and I think you will agree that we are born with personalities, traits, and qualities that can be developed, overcome, and massaged, but largely determine who we are. Otherwise, I completely agree with what you say. If one does photography for personal gratification, rather than having to earn money from it, then the qualities necessary for taking great photos are far less important.

montanadreamer55

there you said it, P/S's are ok for some things but for those of us that want to produce /capture the essence of what we are seeing we need more that wham bam

photogrl57 Loc: Tennessee

Does the camera matter?
This might seem rather anal ... but my brain tells me that I have much more potential for excellent photos if I use my Canon as opposed to the cell phone camera. However, it really comes down to what do you have in your possession at the moment that *The* opportunity comes along unexpectedly. In that perspective, any port in a storm right? Better to get the *lucky* shot with a lousy camera and enhance than to miss the opportunity to save it for posterity. Just my opinion of course.

johnr9999 Loc: Carlton, OR

lesdmd wrote:

quote=rivernan so...are we born with personalitie... (show quote)

Isn't that almost the difference between a snapshot and a photograph? The reason I became a computer programmer was that I realized that programmers impose their views on the user and don't always bother to learn what the user needs. These are the people that are making decisions for you on automatic in either a point and shoot or a dslr. When I purchased my first good camera (a Nikon F2) I wanted something that would challenge me and I wouldn't outgrow. My favorite camera is a view camera.

architect Loc: Chattanooga

johnr9999 wrote:

Isn't that almost the difference between a snapshot and a photograph? The reason I became a computer programmer was that I realized that programmers impose their views on the user and don't always bother to learn what the user needs. These are the people that are making decisions for you on automatic in either a point and shoot or a dslr. When I purchased my first good camera (a Nikon F2) I wanted something that would challenge me and I wouldn't outgrow. My favorite camera is a view camera.

I felt that way about my (pre F2) Nikon FTN. It did not even have a hinged back so you could load film easily. I have worked with professional photographers with 4 x 5 view cameras doing architectural shots of my designs. So I know what is involved in taking a professional quality architectural shot, and the time it takes.

Back then, we drafted architectural drawings with pen and ink on vellum. Changes took hours or days. AutoCad software made that process a thousand times simpler and more effective (OK, a hundred times). Same with digital plus Photoshop, versus film plus darkrooms.

So my point is (for you waiting patiently) the camera does matter. It is a valuable tool to achieving the capture of your artistic vision. But just as in architectural design, the vision is more important than the tool, but both matter.

johnr9999 Loc: Carlton, OR

architect wrote:

quote=johnr9999 Isn't that almost the difference ... (show quote)

The interesting thing is that, the concensus of advice when newbies asks how to improve their photography they are told to put their cameras on manual and reduce their electronic marvels to the 35mm days with the only advantage being no more film processing. Now a person can get immediate feedback on their efforts or shoot a couple hundred bad shots and learn nothing.

TomJ Loc: Kansas

Better tools provide a higher probability for many of us with lesser skills to take better photographs. Would you like your surgeon to use a steak knife and pliers or surgical tools?