It ain't the equipment (Page 10): How many of the members really have D5's or D4's? Just about everybody talks about D8XX's or the Canon equivalents.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

tdekany wrote:

How many of the members would you hire with top of the line cameras?

How many of the members really have D5's or D4's? Just about everybody talks about D8XX's or the Canon equivalents.

tenny52 Loc: San Francisco

when I switched from cropped to FF, I have more keepers. Could it be the technique that I improve or the equipment

tdekany Loc: Oregon

SteveR wrote:

How many of the members really have D5's or D4's? Just about everybody talks about D8XX's or the Canon equivalents.

Are those not top of the line?

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

rmalarz wrote:

Adams was also using the best lenses of the time. Once that commitment is made to do your best photography, you need the best you can get in equipment.
--Bob

Bob, I'm not a big Nikon fan, not because they are not good but just because I use a Canon.
BUT, when the D800 came out, the marketing slogan was not just short of genius, but it was TRUE!
It was, "you'll want to shoot EVERYTHING you've ever shot, OVER AGAIN"!
God how true that is!!!
My little 20D was a GREAT camera, but looking back, God it took Sh*ty pictures, but not for it's DAY!
SS

tdekany Loc: Oregon

tinwhistle wrote:

We go through this every once in awhile to the same end. If a guy can afford the top end camera go for it. If he is a poor photographer before, he'll be a poor photographer after, but it's his money and if no one is hurt, what harm.

You are off the track here. No one has said not to purchase what ever camera one wants. That is not the point. It’s your money buy what you please. The issue here seems to be that many members have this idea, that better equipment equals better photos. That is simply not true.

tdekany Loc: Oregon

tenny52 wrote:

when I switched from cropped to FF, I have more keepers. Could it be the technique that I improve or the equipment

Do you have examples of each?

mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)

tdekany wrote:

You are off the track here. No one has said not to purchase what ever camera one wants. That is not the point. It’s your money buy what you please. The issue here seems to be that many members have this idea, that better equipment equals better photos. That is simply not true.

The same photographer with the same creative imagination and the same skill with a camera will take better pictures with a better camera. He won't become a better photographer, but his pictures will be better. The old adage that a better camera won't make you a better photographer is true. But if you are shooting with a D100 today, a D810 will allow you to do things that you can't do today, will give you better resolution, better dynamic range, faster shutter speeds - in short better pictures.

tdekany Loc: Oregon

mcveed wrote:

The same photographer with the same creative imagination and the same skill with a camera will take better pictures with a better camera. He won't become a better photographer, but his pictures will be better. The old adage that a better camera won't make you a better photographer is true. But if you are shooting with a D100 today, a D810 will allow you to do things that you can't do today, will give you better resolution, better dynamic range, faster shutter speeds - in short better pictures.

TECHNICALLY better a snapshot is still a snapshot

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

tdekany wrote:

TECHNICALLY better a snapshot is still a snapshot

I agree with that. But, if all you're taking is snapshots, might as well stick to an iPhone!
When I shot sports with a Canon 5Dmkll, I was shooting award winning shots, BUT my keeper rate was maybe 25%. I missed SOOO many shots because of the crappy focus. Now my keeper rate is better than 75%. Plus my exposure is dead on no matter if the subject if front lit, sidelit, backlit or in shadow, because my spot meter is linked to any focus point I assign to it, anywhere I have a focus point.
These riders are traveling straight at me at close range at a minimum of 30mph.
These kinds of shots are very difficult to get with a consumer camera!
SS

SteveR Loc: Michigan

tdekany wrote:

Are those not top of the line?

No. D5 is the top of the Nikon line. I can't tell you what is similar for Nikon.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

tdekany wrote:

You are off the track here. No one has said not to purchase what ever camera one wants. That is not the point. It’s your money buy what you please. The issue here seems to be that many members have this idea, that better equipment equals better photos. That is simply not true.

Iroinic that you posted this just beneath SS' post about the D800.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

SteveR wrote:

No. D5 is the top of the Nikon line. I can't tell you what is similar for Nikon.

You mean Canon?
For Canon it's the 1Dx and the newest 1Dx mkll.
SS

SteveR Loc: Michigan

SharpShooter wrote:

You mean Canon?
For Canon it's the 1Dx and the newest 1Dx mkll.
SS

61 vs. 153 focus points for Nikon. It also looks like Nikon has Canon beat for dynamic range as well. The focal system on the D5 is one of its leading attributes. I guess you'd have to say dynamic range is as well. Two items which make this camera (and the D850) a Lamborghini among Chevys, Fords, and Chryslers. So....which one would you want to take to the race track?

RRS Loc: Not sure

SteveR wrote:

61 vs. 153 focus points for Nikon. It also looks like Nikon has Canon beat for dynamic range as well. The focal system on the D5 is one of its leading attributes. I guess you'd have to say dynamic range is as well. Two items which make this camera (and the D850) a Lamborghini among Chevys, Fords, and Chryslers. So....which one would you want to take to the race track?

Good point but my thought is if you can't find focus with 61 points what good will 153 points do you. I try to shoot so that I'm not forced to push the dynamic range to the maximum although I have had to. I just got back from two weeks shooting in Yellowstone and I saw so many Fords and Chevy's,only one or two Lamborghini's and only one Ferrari. BTW Canon cameras outnumbered the Nikon's although I actually did see and even shoot with one gentleman from the Hog there that shot a Nikon (Dave, have a safe trip home). All in good fun shoot with what you brought!

SpyderJan Loc: New Smyrna Beach. FL

All points well taken. As a non-professional photography enthusiast, I see the correlation between the situation and the camera that can make the best of it, but I also see the budget restrictions of the newer equipment. My solution is to always have your camera with you and take pictures every day. If you outgrow your current camera, then squeeze every last pixel from it until you can afford a newer camera and never allow yourself to believe that you could take better pictures simply by getting a better camera. The best pictures are the ones that come from your imagination.