I’m all for working with the best tools one can possibly get. I’m in favor of moviing from one “tool” to another to get better results or to accomodate one’s needs , such as lighter or more compact equipment. I purposefully use the term “moving” rather than “upgrading” because I have found that a new “upgrade” is called that but more for the new bells and whistles that manufacturers incorporate or try to improve on which have little if anything to do with the fundamental craft of photography. An upgrade to me would mean a different camera or lens that helps me become a better photographer, that simplifies the photographic experience, that encourages me to shoot more frequently, that adds to my comprehension of what I must do to produce a better image. Some (not all) of the factors that define a real “upgrade” to my mind would be:
1: smaller, lighter, more compact equipment
2: In body and in lense image stabilization that’s so good that I rarely have to bring a tripod anymore.
3: Faster frames per second and bigger buffers that don’t fill up so quickly especially for shooting sports and wildlife
4: Camera ergonomics designed in such a way whereby all controls that affect correct and creative exposure are easily accessible on the camera without digging through multiple levels of menus and submenus, including a fuuly articulared screen with touch control.
5: a camera that lets the photographer focus on the fundamentals of his or her craft and skills and doesn’t do the creative thinking for him or her.
6: The best glass you can get.
7: Continuing education via online courses and workshops with top notch photographers which will help improve our photographic skills to get the most benefit from the “upgrade”.
My 2 cents.
BJW
Strawberry36:
Re D500 with 4 lenses:
Send me a private message thru UHH with your contact info and we can talk.
BJW
Welcome aboard. Exit 160 GSP here. I’m packing a D500 too. Great machine. Recently joined a local camera club but UHH is the place I start every morning. Have learned a ton of good stuff here. Good sailing!
Nice attention to composition elements—leading lines in particular.
Jerry: please report back on the status of the foliage on your train ride. Would love to get a live report as I am planning to drive up to the Berksires fron North Jersey next week. Hopw to see some nice autumn scenes.
If you are fixated on a Canon, that fine. I would suggest a Canon Rebel T6. It’s light, compact and will give you excellent image quality shooting in Automatic mode or any of the other creative modes if you choose to learn them.
What you choose to shoot will determine what lenses to buy, a single focal length or a telescopic or likely one of each.
Go to a good camera store and pick it up, hold it and play with it. If the store has a good return policy, buy it and try it out. Chances are yu will love it and keep it. If not, bring it back and go on to the next one.
You can also check out DPReview.com for excellent and honest reviews for virtually every camera on the market. Another option is TonyNorthup’s youtube videos where he compares many popular cameras.
Here’s wishing you many years of shooting pleasure.
BJW
Sorry I meant manual exposure. In other words if you are shooting in M mode does AE affect the shutter speed and aperture that you have manually selected?
Live and learn. Thanks for that explanation.
How does the AE feature affect manual focus function? Does one over-ride the other?
Sure sounds like BBF to me, which I use on my Nikon D500 to shoot sports (ice hockey). Tthe beauty of BBF in my experience, is that when you depress the back button, it serves as continous focus locks which is great for keeping fast moving subjects in constant focus. BBF simply removes the focus function from the shutter button so those 2 functions—focus and shutter release are simultaneously controlled by two separate buttons. This is done with menu settings. If you just press the back button once, that locks the focus on whatever youre aiming at, but with a moving subject, I find holding the back burron down keeps the moving subject in focus.
If the wedding you describe was indoors with low light, achieving sharp focus is difficult for that very reason. A fast lense (1.4, 1.7) and increasing your ISO to as high as your camera will go without producing too much noise might be a way to go. I think you may then be able to achieve better focus.
The adaptation of touch screen technology—originated by iPhone 10 years ago, to camera LCDs, has been too long in coming. There are some functions that some camera manufacturers have included in their brands that enhance and simplify the photography experience. One example worthy of mention is the touch screen auto focus and shutter release function with a single tap of the screen on the Leica Q. Another is the Nikon menu option selection feature by touch screen. Canon’s Rebel T6 is also great. Of course, if one wants a total touch screen experience with a remarkable camera, then there’s the iPhone 7+, and now the 8, 8+ and soon the X. But that’s a whole different discussion. The point is that touch screen technology has affected so many areas of daily life. It seems that the camera industry has just been a bit slower in fully adapting the camera to its conveniences. That said, rotating dials and flipping switches still have their own unique benefits and advantages that screen tapping doesn’t offer, yet.
Flip out screens are also a great step forward. My favorite is the Lumix G85–fully articulating, swings in and out, twists 360 degrees etc. etc.
No more crouching down or climbing up high, which mimimizes the missed opportunities. And even with the screen, the camera purports to be weatherproof.
The problem as I see it is, that sometimes cameras are being marketed for their glitzy technology, which oft’times has little, if anything, to do with the fundamentals of the art or craft of the photographer. Seems like the ongoing, rapid release of new camera models, is just the manufacturers’ effort to invent and re-invent the better proverbial mouse trap. It certainly helps to boost consumer sales especially in the holiday season. Caveat Emptor. (Buyer beware).
If you’re using a Mac, iPhone or iPad, Photos is built in to the iOS. it is an excellent editor, at no extra cost and is very user friendly.
When I had my recent GAS attack, rather than thinking Canon v Nikon v Sony v Fuji etc., I thought in terms of Japanese technology vs. German technology. Both are superb, to be sure. But they are different.
This time, I tried German and bought the Leica Q. I have it for 2 months now and I have come to love this “little puppy”. It has one superb lens—Summilux 28mm 1.7.
While I feel good that i have a D500 and several lenses which I use for Sports and wildlife—when I do travel, portraiture, macro, street photog, my Leica Q has become my go to carry around piece. Yes, it’s pricey but because it’s a one lense body, I’m spared future GAS attacks when it comes to buying new lenses for the Q. No can do. (Leica lenses are too expensive anyway).
It’s not that one camera is “better” than the other.
It is for sure a very different experience—and i really enjoy the diversity of the shooting experience. So long as the IQ is up there, “viva la difference!”
Check out the Lumix DMZ FZ 1000. Zooms to 400mm 2.8-4.0.
It would be nice not to pollute this potentially serious discussion with the Samsung vs. Apple bullshit. Although I am pleased to report that my iPhone hasn’t exploded yet.