The hand feel of Nikons like the D700, D610 and D750 were really good for me. But the system had its issues. Most of the pre-mirrorless Nikons could have issues with front focusing and back focusing. And I found that correcting for one lens might put another, different lens in jeopardy. I have some good images from my years with Nikon but...
Then there's my time with Sony. Interesting to me that I was at the Photo Expo in NYC in 2013 when Sony debuted the A7 and A7R cameras. The A7 was interesting but the shutter noise and slap in the A7R (even though it was a mirrorless camera!!!) was so awful and profound that I almost dropped it out of sheer surprise. I owned an A7ii, and A7Rii and a couple iterations of the (very good) RX10 cameras but back in the early days of Sony cameras both the batteries and the camera menus seemed locked in a competition to see which could be worse. Which one could most annoy working photographers. And I never got used to carrying around eight to ten batteries to get through a day. And I never really wanted to have the 250 page .pdf of the manual on my phone to try, while out in the field, to unlock the secrets of some control which seemed straightforward on every other camera brand's cameras. The photos were fine....
I could have lived with Panasonic's first generation of S1 cameras. They worked well. But they were a bit noisy (file noise at higher ISOS) and the focusing could have been better. At the time I traded them for Leica stuff they seemed not to be making much forward movement and like immobile sharks I thought the brand, Lumix, might stop breathing and die. The Leicas were expensive to buy and it may be that the sheer expense has kept me anchored to the brand. Who wants to spend a small fortune only to abandon the brand and switch yet again to something else?
I even had a flirtation with a Pentax camera. It was the K1. The original K1. And from a handling point of view I'd still have it. But, again, the scourge of DSLRs. Variable front and back focusing reared its ugly head. Still, the camera itself was mature, charming and almost sophisticated. Sad to see it go. Now that I think about it I'll start wishing that Pentax would take that body and use it as the platform for a really great mirrorless system... Not going to happen. Sorry.
But the one brand I haven't mentioned is probably the one brand I would go to if I were to replace the Leicas, and that's Canon. There's a lot to dislike about Canon. But then again, I used the 60D, the 70D, the 5D and the 5Dmk2 cameras back in the day and when I revisit those files I still like em. A lot. The handling of the full frame cameras was comfortable and I never worried that the files would be compromised by focus issues, noise issues or skin color issues. Sure, there's no real prestige value to a camera system that every weekend warrior uses for weddings of all stripes but you can't really count that against a brand. I also owned one of the big 1Dmk4 cameras they made for sports shooters and liked it a lot. Sure it was big but what good camera back in the pre-2010 days wasn't? The beauty was that cameras such as the 1Dmk4 were practically indestructible and well formed to spend a day in one's hands with little to no strain.
I shot with Canon SLRs back in the film days. My first real camera was a TX. Replaced by an FTb, augmented with an EF and then an F1. When Canon switched to the EOS mount from the FD mount I switched with them and had the EOS-1...which was a wonderful camera. I paired it with the 85mm L f1.2 and, except for slow focusing (torturously slow) it was an amazing lens.
I haven't kept up with what Canon is doing in the mirrorless space. Once in a while I'll hear about a camera they've introduced that has heat issues with not only video but also with photos. Then I'll hear that it's been fixed but it has seemed like a brand in such flux that I guess I decided I didn't have the bandwidth to keep up with their strained campaign to move, seriously, into the mirrorless space.
I guess the Canon camera that would interest me the most would be the R5mk2. More than enough pixels. Seems like they worked out the thermal issues that plagued the original model. It seems advanced enough to do just about anything I need and I'd couple it with basic 24-105mm L lens (not the Z model). There are a few cheaper models that could serve in a pinch for backup but I haven't looked into them. There is a super cheap, full frame model called the EOS RP which you can pick up right now, on sale for about $800, new. Clamp on a kit version of the 24-105 (f4-something to f7-something), add a flash and you'd be ready to go shoot a wedding or an event. But really?
I can't imagine changing stuff right now. If I found the Leica stuff just too pricy to go on with I think I'd just default to the Panasonic S5 series cameras and their cheap as dirt line of prime lenses. At least I'd be able navigate the menus, having used the original S5 since...forever.
It's been asked on other blogs but I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask here: If storm troopers tossed you into the street and burned down your house with all your camera gear in it, and you needed/wanted to start over again in photography, what system would you be looking at???? Presuming you got to keep your basic wealth and the insurance paid for your losses (house, gear, etc) after the overlords figured out that you actually weren't the terrorist cell they anticipated???? Sorry dude! Mistakes happen.
Just a few thoughts on a Monday.
"If storm troopers tossed you into the street and burned down your house with all your camera gear in it." I'd vote for the orange traitor again???
ReplyDeleteI was just discussing this over the weekend with a friend. I turn 70 later in the year and currently have way too much camera gear. If it were all gone, I would want my 2 - Leica SL2s back with three lenses, all APO Summicrons. F/2.0 is fast enough for anything I want to shoot. They balance well on the SL2 / SL2s and draw / paint / render photographs the way I like. Fortunately, I came across mint used versions of the 35mm and 90mm. Don't have the 21mm yet, but that would complete my set. So, I am almost there! Now, will I have the financial discipline to get rid of all the other stuff? Unlikely. LOL.
ReplyDeleteI have this daydream that after I shoot my fun job in Santa Fe in April I will come back to Austin, look at all the photo crap I've accumulated and sell, donate or trash everything thing out to the walls. Keeping only a computer and the images; analog and digital. A Q3 43 camera and a Q2 original version. No tripods. No light stands. No umbrellas. No lenses. No filters. No adapters. No gear cabinets. One lone camera bag. No extra cables. No extension cords. No flashes. Just the two cameras and a basket full of batteries; another basket full of SD cards. Fast SD cards. That's about it. I'd be happy with that. Just takes a bit of will power... I think I'll start planning for it now.
ReplyDeleteI have a 4×5" camera, 4 lenses, and a bunch of film holders that I have not used in 2 or 3 years. Yup, realistically, it should move on.
DeleteI’ve been using a M-mount Leicas and a few lenses for a good many years and a couple of years ago added a Q2M. Of course, I’ve been fortunate enough to be my own patron, rather than working for clients, but I’ve found I could probably manage quite nicely with just the Q2 and a Q3 43. I’ve always felt like I’ve had more success when I stripped down to bare bones gear and focused on the images, rather than the equipment.
ReplyDeleteIf I weren't mainly photographing birds and other wildlife (strictly as a hobby), I'd actually settle for a small Nikon DF (all 16 mp of it!) and a couple of tiny AF-D primes from the film days that could fit in a coat pocket with room to spare: I still have the 35/2 and 50/1.8, and used to have the 24/2.8 and 85/1.8. All except the 85 are very small, and all four were competent for my needs (and fun to use).
ReplyDeleteAs it is, I'd stick with Nikon but move from the D850 and a couple of heavy telephotos to maybe a Z6iii and a slightly lighter telephoto? I'll probably do that in a couple of years anyways, when I turn 60.
Ken
John Camp
ReplyDeleteI think I would probably stick with my current brand (Nikon) — but get a newer, faster-focusing body for the bird photography that I like to do. And upgrade the longer glass, to better complement the new body.
ReplyDeleteBut you have also mentioned in the past that we should get out and have more experiences. A few trips, near and far, should probably be made in order to have those experiences.
I started with Pentax back in the late 60s (35, 50, 135, you could buy the whole set at an Army PX for a really reasonable price) but in the early 70s, moved to Nikon and stuck with it through F2, F3, F4, F5, D2X, D3, D800, Z6, Z7II. Along the way I dabbled in Leica M7 & M8, both of which I greatly disliked, Panasonic m4/3 which I liked and passed on to my grandson, Fuji and Pentax again (still have the Fuji and Pentax gear.) If it all burned down, I suspect that I might give Leica another try, although something in me rejects the idea; it's just too Veblen. But I suspect I might cave, mostly because of your proselytizing. I really, really, really think that handling is where it's at now, not image or lens quality. I can't imagine anything much better than the Z S-line lenses. I gotta say, I've taken a peek at the Z8 and Z9 and don't care for them. Too big and clumsy. I'm hoping for a Z7III.
ReplyDeleteI ended up with Olympus m4/3s when digital came along because I needed an affordable sports/action body to shoot local bicycle races and I found a used E-M1. I would have been happy to use the Nikon 1 system for that, the V2 was more than good enough, but fate intervened. I might have gone APS/C but none of the vendors had reasonably fast sealed APS/C-sized lenses for the task. The full-frame bodies and lenses were too big, heavy and expensive for my use. If it all disappeared in a fire, I'd stay with Olympus for birding and bicycle racing but I'd consider a Fuji E body with 2 or 3 primes for everything else. I'd also be tempted by a Pentax KF or KP for old times' sake.
ReplyDeleteIf I had to start over, my first purchase would be whatever is the latest GoPro Hero Black and Max series cameras. That might seem kinda odd, especially when I shoot M and L mount series cameras too. But I live by the beach in New Zealand, and I spend a lot of time in the water, and so far GoPro has proven to be the best all round cameras for photos and videos. I like Hero Blacks so much I shoot them frequently when I’m not in the water too. They are small, discrete, and tough. The RAW image quality is solid and the 7:8 ratio sensor is a delight. For a few months of the year dolphins swim in the bay where I live, and it’s life affirming to be in the water with them. The GoPros do a solid job of capturing those encounters. If anyone wants to see the dolphins joining me on a workout, I’ve started uploading some footage here: https://www.youtube.com/@imalazyrobot
ReplyDeleteHonestly, if I had to start over I would just use my iPhone. I already use it for 90% of my photography. The 'real' cameras only come out (sometimes) for sports and family occasions.
ReplyDelete